Prior to co-founding Blink in the year 2000, Karen worked as an interaction designer for Bowne Internet Solutions (formerly Sitewerks) in Seattle. Karen began her career at art school studying printmaking in Vancouver, BC. After world travels and a lot of lifeguarding, Karen got started in the high-tech industry back in 1996 as a graphic designer working on cultural and educational CD Roms - which lead to web-based programs once the internet exploded. Karen is a graduate in Information Technology & Multimedia from Capilano College, Vancouver and holds a degree in Art History & Visual Arts from the University of Victoria. Karen also studied Design & Fine Arts at the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design in Vancouver. Karen was born and raised in Victoria, BC, loves to ski and kite-board, has a daughter, husband, and lots of animals. Karen is a member of the Women Presidents’ Organization (WPO), Women Business Owners (WBO), IADAS (Webby Awards judge), Puget Sound SigChi and TED Community. Karen also serves as a board member for the Seattle Youth In Focus organization.
Kelly manages company strategy and engagements with clients that range from startups to Fortune 500 companies. Prior to starting Blink in 2000, Kelly led user-centered design projects at E-Lab (acquired by Sapient Corporation) Lexant, and Immersant. Kelly has a Bachelor of Science in Design from Arizona State University’s Design School where he studied industrial design and human factors. He also holds a Master of Design degree, specializing in Human-Centered Design, from the Institute of Design in Chicago.
As VP of Design Services, Geoff leads a team that designs and creates cross-platform digital experiences for start-ups to Fortune 500 companies. Geoff has bachelor degrees in graphic design and mass media management from Miami University in Ohio and a graduate certificate in user-centered design from the University of Washington. Prior to Blink, Geoff founded Eye Level, a design studio that created user experiences and prototypes for leading companies such as Microsoft, Corbis, Premera Blue Cross, and EMC/Isilon. He was also a Creative Director at Modern Digital Seattle where he created corporate training and marketing programs for Computer Associates, Boeing, and Weyerhaeuser. He has been recognized as one of the “Top 100 Interactive Designers in the US” by AV Magazine along with numerous project awards.
Randy joined Blink in late 2010 to help oversee the company’s finances and administration. Randy has more than 30 years of accounting and finance experience, including 14 years at PriceWaterhouseCoopers and later serving as the Chief Financial Officer of several public and private companies, including CellCyte Genetics Corporation and Ascentium Corporation. At Ascentium, Randy was a key member of its management team from its inception in 2001 through its dramatic growth period ending in 2008. Randy left Ascentium in 2008 to start an accounting consulting firm working with start-up technology companies. Randy has a BS degree in accounting from Central Washington University and became a CPA in 1987. He is the treasurer of FEAT of Washington, and is on the Board of Directors of the Greater Seattle Youth Bowling Association. He spends his free time coaching youth bowling and driving his daughters to local youth bowling tournaments.
Jeff is responsible for Client Engagement at Blink and is concerned with creating new relationships and ensuring extraordinary client experiences. He is always on the lookout for interesting problems for his team to solve, which enable clients to make decisions. For a decade, Jeff worked with Hornall Anderson to secure remarkable projects with organizations that included the Sydney Opera House, Empire State Building and HTC.
Jeff is Canadian, graduated from the University of Ottawa, posted a 10:19 Ironman time, has an incredible wife and two awesome daughters, rides a single speed, wishes he surfed more, and believes in simplicity and people.
John has spent the past 15 years helping companies improve the usability of their software, web-based, and hardware products. John joined Blink Interactive in 2000 and has held senior usability positions at WRQ, Attachmate, and Microsoft. At Blink, John directs UX field research and usability lab testing projects and is committed to highly successful client outcomes. John holds a M.S. in Forest Products Marketing and International Trade from the University of Washington, where he also earned certificates in User Centered Design and Technical Writing and Editing.
Robin joins Blink with 11 years influencing the user experience for information technology professionals, managing Microsoft Windows Server and Exchange Server, and guiding the development of end-to-end customer experiences through innovative user research and programs. Her approach centers on deeply understanding the user, through qualitative and quantitative research methods, to deliver insights to the design of the user experience. Robin has a rich background in human factors and her experience includes the study of human interaction with complex systems for Battelle Human Affairs Research Center, The Boeing Company, and General Dynamics. While at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, her graduate research focused on cognition and visual attention. Robin has a Master of Science in Engineering Psychology and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology.
Prior to joining the Blink team, Jupiter spent 4 years leading talented design teams in the mobile space, tacking complex projects including apps, mobile web experiences, cross platform solutions, and OS level Android device customization. Before that, he could be found creating products in the travel, automotive, medical, and electronics industries. Jupiter combines degrees in Fine Arts and Web Design/Multimedia with a background in Interaction Design to help him deliver on his vision of making product experiences intuitive and meaningful. Of course, a team of incredible designers doesn’t hurt the vision either.
Before calling Seattle home, he brushed shoulders with the locals in Jackson Hole, Bend, The Northern California Coast, Napa Valley, and Manhattan. When not working he can usually be found outside somewhere with his beautiful wife, two amazing kids, and two of the greatest rescue pups ever found.
Lisa has dedicated the last 15 years to the study and design of usable and engaging user experiences. She strives to help organizations define their user experience strategy, enabling them to bridge their business goals with the design of their products’ experience. She uncovers insights about an organization’s business along with user behavior and combines this knowledge with experience design - to architect solutions that bring clarity and simplicity to user interactions.
Lisa has graduate degrees in the Medical and Life Sciences, specializing in Human Factors, and holds a Bachelor of Social Science in Sociology and Psychology. Her strong background in Human Factors includes the study and evaluation of virtual environments for application in the medical, aerospace and oil and gas industries. Before relocating to Seattle Lisa helped define experiences for leading companies such as Medtronic, Rolls- Royce Aerospace, Alaska Airlines, A.G. Edwards, Franklin Templeton, Cincom, Direct TV and KMG.
When not solving design problems for clients, Lisa can be found coaching and running marathons with Team in Training or planning her family’s next travel adventure.
Heidi joined Blink in 2001 and has over 20 years of software development experience working with large-scale system implementations. Prior to Blink, her experience included requirements analysis and interactive design, working with established companies such as AT&T Wireless and Microsoft. Heidi has a Masters in Human Centered Design and Engineering and an MBA from the University of Washington. She has a B.A. in Anthropology from Colorado State University and an Associate of Applied Arts in Web/Multimedia Design from the Art Institute of Seattle. Heidi is a member of ACM SIGCHI and Puget Sound SIGCHI.
Heather joins Blink with ten years of Account Management experience in the technology industry. Her most recent focus includes the support of web design and development, online marketing and custom software application development projects. Heather has extensive experience in developing and fostering client relationships which can be attributed to a combination of responsiveness, dedication and a sincere focus on delighting the customer. Her management experience includes coordinating internal and external resources and assisting in seaming together multiple project teams. Heather has worked with companies such as Microsoft, Vulcan Ventures, King County Library System, Egencia and Starbucks.
After having graduated magna cum laude with a BFA from Syracuse University, Michael has amassed 12 years of graphic design experience working with clients of all sizes. Before joining Blink, Michael worked for Eye Level creating many Flash and web-based interactive tutorials, simulations, and prototypes as well as numerous animated marketing demos. His experience has prepared him to be flexible enough to accommodate any client’s needs. When not at work, he’s with his wife and three kids. His professional versatility is as diverse as his ability to play just about anything with his kids, from Pokemon and Godzilla to Hello Kitty and Care Bears.
Joe has been involved with software development since 1984 – specializing in the area of user assistance. In addition to development for clients, he has taught courses at the University of Washington, UC Santa Cruz, and Bellevue College. Joe received a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Illinois in 1981, and a M.S. in Adult Instructional Management from Loyola University in 1987. Joe served as the President of the Puget Sound Chapter of the Society for Technical Communication from 2006-2008 and as Membership Director for the Puget Sound Chapter of the Usability Professionals Association in 2010. Joe recently published a book called Developing User Assistance for Mobile Apps.
John joined Blink in 2011 and brings over 15 years of web development, interaction design, and usability experience working with global brands. Before relocating to Seattle he worked for several consultancies in Canada on a diverse range of clients such as Electronic Arts, BMW, Crate & Barrel, AOL, SONY, Aeroplan, Medtronic, Pfizer Canada, and Johnson & Johnson. During his time in Toronto, John helped AOL re-launch a shopping portal with over 50,000 vendors and 25 million products. The portal was based on a unique customer focused search experience, paired with advanced merchandising tools that garnered vendor praise and over 190 media stories. When not staring at Visio, John can be found playing with his daughter, or with his collection of over 200 board games.
Prior to joining Blink, Layne spent the previous decade honing his chops in user experience design, information architecture, and taxonomy development with several Seattle-area consultancies. During this time, he designed solutions for clients such as Microsoft, Intel, MasterCard, Xerox, Southern California Edison, T-Mobile, Brooks Sports, Del Monte, and Gates Foundation. Layne holds a Master of Library and Information Science and B.A. in History, both from the University of Washington. Outside of work, you can find Layne bicycling around the city, tackling a home improvement project, or taking in live music at one of Seattle’s many concert venues.
Joel has a background in human factors psychology and software usability. He holds an M.S. in Psychology with an emphasis in Human Factors from the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho, where he studied visual perception. He started his professional career as a research scientist at Battelle’s Center for Human Performance and Safety, where he conducted government-funded transportation research on in-vehicle information devices, symbol evaluation, mass transit information systems, and driver inattention. Prior to joining Blink in 2010, Joel worked at Microsoft, leading user experience efforts for Windows Media Center and Microsoft’s customer support website. He has extensive experience in all facets of usability research, including lab tests, field studies, and surveys, with proficiency in data mining and statistical analysis.
Jennifer came to Blink in 2010 with a background in psychology, mathematics and engineering. As a National Science and Engineering Graduate Fellow, she earned a Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics and a PhD in Experimental Cognitive Psychology at the University of Washington. Her experience includes research and mathematical modeling in attention, memory and perception. At Cantametrix, Jennifer researched and modeled perception of music as part of the development of a music search engine. Focusing on early learning research, she compiled findings and translated them into tools for parents and caregivers at the Talaris Institute in Seattle and as an independent consultant. Jennifer learned Spanish while living in Central America. She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree, summa cum laude, in Applied Mathematics from the University of Colorado Engineering School at Boulder and started her career working on Spacecraft Navigation Systems at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Jennifer was recently co-author for the book Amazing Minds: The Science of Nurturing Your Child’s Developing Mind with Games, Activities and More Apps.
With over 15 years of experience in interaction design, product development, and information architecture, Jonathan builds connections between user research and design. Prior to Blink, Jonathan worked on diverse web and multimedia projects for a variety of companies and organizations including CBS, BP, the FBI, Autodesk, Sony, University of Virginia’s Department of System & Information Engineering, University of Melbourne’s Trinity College, and most recently, Classmates.com. While at UVA, Jonathan received a Master of Science in Systems & Information Engineering, focusing on Human Factors. His thesis was a passion project that explored the removal of errors in audio book recordings created for the blind and dyslexic. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Swarthmore College. When not at work, Jonathan can be found goofing around with his wife, being lectured by his toddler, and being walked by his pup.
Mark joined Blink in 2010 as the IT Manager and creative technologist. Prior to joining Blink, Mark worked as a photojournalist, art director for Getty Images, technologist in various industries, and taught computer graphics and photography. Mark earned a Bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from The Ohio State University. He has lived in various parts of the United States, Korea, and the Philippines before moving to the Seattle area in 1994.
With over 12 years of applied graphic design experience, Adam brings the visual touch to Blink’s user experience projects. His work is driven by a belief that visual design enables effective communication, and the most useful tool is one you actually want to use. Starting with solid information architecture, Adam organizes complex tasks into simple, satisfying interfaces. Before joining Blink in 2006, Adam worked in a range of disciplines including print advertising, online publishing, email marketing, social media, and brand development. He holds a BFA from The University of Michigan, with concentrations in graphic design and photography.
Michael began collaborating at Blink in 2011, applying expertise in study design, interviewing, and quantitative analysis. His background includes a Ph. D. in cognitive psychology and work experience in market research and communications. Michael studies the memory and attention processes that underlie thinking and behavior, with the objective of developing technology that interacts naturally with users’ own cognitive systems. He is currently investigating the mental processes that we use when we evaluate experiences, websites, products, and services.
Before joining Blink in 2011, DH worked as both a web and a graphic designer for over eight years in South Korea, where he helped design a wide range of websites and intranet systems for clients which include Samsung, Doosan, and SK Corporation. Wanting to build upon his interest in visual and user centered design, DH came to the U.S. and enrolled in the Web Design and New Media MFA program at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, where he focused on usability and mobile interface design. To compliment his studies, he served as coordinator at the university’s Usability Lab, gaining valuable insight into the essential components for a positive user experience.
Cathy joined Blink in 2012 bringing her passion for developing talent and building world class organizations. Prior to Blink, Cathy lead Data Partners I.T. Solutions and Comsys in Seattle, Avenue A | Razorfish in New York and Connor Language Services in Milan. Outside of work, Cathy is involved with and a Board Member for several not for profit organizations.
Tom came to Blink in 2010 with 10 years of experience researching interaction, learning, and technology use in homes and schools. In 2006 he graduated from the Ph.D. program in Learning Sciences at the University of Washington. After graduation he worked as an Assistant Professor in the Learning and Performance Support Laboratory at the University of Georgia. Currently, he serves as a Part-time Lecturer in the Museology (museum studies) Graduate Program at the University of Washington where he teaches courses on learning and research. His past work includes ethnographic studies of how young people learn to use digital media as well as research on the integration of technology into educational settings. In his spare time Tom enjoys riding Metro buses, living in a pink house, and finding ways to make his daughter laugh. Tom is a member of the Puget Sound SigChi.
Eva joined Blink in 2012 bringing experience in usability testing for mobile and PC experiences, heuristic evaluations, field studies, and remote un-moderated online testing. Between her academic and professional experience, Eva has worked in a wide range of topics including human-robot interaction, future casting, and online retail. She has also spent time working at both Amazon.com and Intel. Eva holds an M.S. in Human Centered Design and Engineering from the University of Washington and a B.A. in Psychology from Washington University in St. Louis.
Nika came to Blink in 2008, bringing 6 years of experience in user experience design and research. Prior to Blink, Nika served as a user experience researcher for Google, where she led research efforts for the Gmail, Calendar, and Reader teams. Specifically, she studied how people use socially-mediated technology to communicate, express their personalities, and manage personal information and privacy settings. Nika has also served as an information architecture and interface design consultant for organizations including Ford Motor Company, the US Department of Education, the American Society for Information Science & Technology, and Intel. Nika holds a Master of Science in Information from University of Michigan, and a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology from RIT.
Claire joined Blink in April of 2010 as an intern, and became a permanent part of the team in January of 2011. She has a B.S. degree in Human-Centered Design and Engineering from the University of Washington. During her time at UW Claire assisted with research in the Electrical Engineering department by leading student focus groups used to improve teaching methods in technical classes. Claire focuses on using interaction design techniques to improve interfaces. She also has experience leading usability studies, focus groups, cognitive walkthroughs, and heuristic evaluations.
Jennifer has a diverse background including user research in voice recognition, automated phone systems, consumer web sites, mobile, as well as B2B tools. She holds an M.S. in Applied Cognition and Neuroscience with an specialization in Human Computer Interaction from The University of Texas at Dallas. Prior to joining Blink in 2012, Jennifer worked at both Microsoft and Amazon. She has extensive experience in a variety of user research methods including traditional usability lab studies, remote moderated online user research studies, surveys, eye tracking, participatory design, focus groups, and longitudinal studies.
Damon joined Blink in 2008 with 9 years of experience in Interaction Design & Usability. Before moving to the US in December 2005, he was an Interaction Designer for a user experience consultancy in The Netherlands, working for clients like ING, Vedior Europe, Delta Lloyd Insurance, KPN Telecom, @Home Internet and the Rotterdam Port Authorities. In Seattle, he helped Alaska Airlines improve conversion and loyalty on alaskaair.com, including the acclaimed Award Finder. Damon has a Masters degree in Industrial Design, with a specialization in User Interface Design, from Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands. Damon is a member of the Puget Sound SigChi.
TaLena joined Blink in 2011 as the Research Coordinator. She previously worked for the University of Washington’s Social Development Research Group as an assistant to several Project Managers in the position of Lead Interviewer/Research Coordinator. While living in Philadelphia - where she worked as a CATI Lab Supervisor at the Institute for Survey Research - TaLena earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Temple University’s School of Communications and Theater, with a minor in Business Administration. TaLena moved to Seattle in 2006 and earned her Master of Fine Arts from the University of Washington. TaLena is also an actor, and was recently featured in the Seattle Children’s Theatre production of “Jackie and Me”.
Behnosh joined Blink in 2010 and draws on her extensive experience researching human behavior to inform the development of useful technology products and enjoyable end-user experiences. Prior to joining Blink, Behnosh worked as a user experience researcher at Anthro-Tech, a user-centered design consultancy focused on the needs of government agencies and non-profits. This experience, in addition to her previous time spent as a Society for Research and Child Development (SRCD) Fellow (2006-2008), left her uniquely poised to understand the needs and perspectives of public, as well as private organizations. As an SRCD fellow, Behnosh worked in the Administration for Children and Families and spent the majority of her time developing programs of federally funded research for Dual Language Learners. These efforts were informed by her doctoral work, which examined how teaching and learning environments are structured for children across cultures and in school settings. Behnosh received her PhD in Developmental Psychology in 2006 from the University of California.
Prior to joining the Blink team in 2012, Cayla earned her B.A. in English at Washington State University focusing on technical, professional and creative writing. Her previous experience includes: doing research for Washington State University Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, providing administrative support for WSU Health & Wellness Services, and teaching for WSU Center for Advising and Career Development. In college, Cayla was a NCAA Division 1 coxswain on the Women’s Varsity Rowing team. She hopes to put together a Blink rowing boat to send to the next Olympic trials. Besides being on the water, Cayla enjoys playing racquetball, pool and any card game in existence.
Lauren came to Blink in 2008 with a background in business management, marketing and sales. Lauren attended Georgia Southern University before moving to Seattle in 2003. She holds a B.A. in Business Administration from the University of Washington. During her time at UW she served on the Technology Fee Committee and volunteered for several organizations in the community. Prior to joining Blink, Lauren worked for The Northlake Group where she managed the sales and acquisitions departments. Lauren has two sons, a great husband, loves old books, running, and has a weakness for Southern food.
Jen joined Blink in 2007 with a background in experimental psychology and education. She has a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Michigan and over 10 years of experience conducting laboratory and field research. Before coming to Blink, Jen was a research fellow at the Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences at the University of Washington, where she studied reasoning and decision-making processes in children and adults. Jen’s other prior projects have included: evaluating middle-school science curricula and educational software, designing medical decision aids, and using eye-tracking methods to study pattern recognition in infants. Her research has been published in scholarly journals such as Child Development, Cognition, and Judgment and Decision-Making.
Seth is a self taught web designer and formally trained print designer/illustrator. With a unique perspective and skill-set, he brings a mash-up of technical know-how and artistry to the table and is called on to do everything from graphic design, to Iconography and branding, to front end web development. Seth has 6 years of visual design experience as well as backgrounds in environmental design and game development. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the Art Institute of Seattle.