Designer for Web and Print

Currently serves as Senior UX Designer | Digital Technology Services, CGI Pittsburgh.

Upendo is an interdisciplinary artist working in Print, Web, Strategy and User Experience. Upendo has 15+ years working in the Adobe Creative Suite, including Photoshop and Illustrator. Upendo is experienced in producing great design in a variety of environments, including advertising agencies, tech start-up marketing departments, and self-managing consultant work in both Pittsburgh and Seattle. He graduated from Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA with honors, focusing on Mixed-Media Arts.

Design Process

• Learn as much as possible about the users
• Learn as much as possible about the content that will be shared with the users
• Determine messaging hierarchy
• What is the compelling story?
• Maintain user-friendly language
• Maintain a feedback loop through the design process
• Test/Learn
• Adjust

*Make it as painless, efficient and intuitive as possible for the user to accomplish their goal.*

Experience

• 4+ years digital marketing consulting (Upendo Design)

• 4+ years as a front-end designer/developer in the marketing department of medium size technology company | Tobii Dynavox Inc

• 6+ years as a digital designer | The Savvy Group

• 8+ years retail point of sale marketing in the field | Odwalla Juice Inc

• 6+ years founding / marketing / producing for media group startup | Jasiri Media Group

• Degree in mixed-media arts focusing on visual communication | Morehouse College, Atlanta, GA

What does Upendo mean?

Upendo means ‘Love’ in the Southeast African language of Swahili…

Upendo was born in San Francisco and grew up in Seattle, WA in the Mt. Baker neighborhood. He is the son of a German-American mother, and African-American father. In 1988, Upendo graduated from the Bush School in Seattle, WA, and in 1992 graduated from Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA, where he studied Mixed-Media Studio Arts.