Hi, I'm LJ! Designer, Leader & Educator.
With 14 years of experience across E-commerce, Education, and Charity sectors, I’ve shaped products that support students, empower communities, and drive business growth.
I'm heavily involved in shaping product strategy and roadmaps, not just executing design briefs. I partner closely with development, trade, and marketing teams to keep decisions grounded in data and research. I'm also dedicated to mentoring junior designers, including one of my Falmouth MA UX students who later joined my team at Seasalt, whom I mentored for five years.
My Story
I've always been a designer at heart. I started at The Student Room Group in 2011, fresh out of Graphic Design at Brighton designing interfaces in Photoshop (how did we cope?!).
It wasn't long before I wanted to dig deeper: not just how something looked, but how it actually performed and whether it worked for the people using it. That curiosity pulled me into UX, and I've learned the rest by doing it.
Since then I've gone from working solo to leading small teams, across charity and e-commerce, mentoring junior designers and tutoring UX at Falmouth University along the way.
I've always worked in-house; I like getting properly under the skin of a brand and seeing change happen over time.
These days I'm folding AI into my process where it speeds things up, without losing the craft I've built over 14 years. I'm keen to keep working on projects that genuinely make a difference, and finding more ways to teach and mentor as I go.
When I'm not designing, I'm at CrossFit, out on trail runs, or exploring Cornwall with my family and pugs.
Education & Courses
AI in Design, Memorisely, June 2026
Usability and User Experience – Foundation Level (CPUX-F), Bunnyfoot, November 2020
B.A. in Graphic Design, Brighton University, UK, 2007-2010
HE Foundation Degree - Art & Design, Truro College, Cornwall, UK, 2006-2007
BTEC National Diploma in Art & Design, Truro College, Cornwall, UK, 2004-2006
10 GCSE’s A*-C (Art & Design (A*) & Graphic Design (A*)), Penrice Secondary School, 1999-2004
Experience
Online Tutor (MA User Experience Design), Falmouth University, Cornwall, UK, Sept’ 2021 — Aug’ 2023
As an Online Tutor for three modules (UX Design, UX Research and Co-Creative Development), I guided Masters-level students through their learning activities and assignments, delivered formative feedback and facilitated weekly webinars. I also developed and delivered two short courses in UX and UI Design for small businesses.
Projects:
Volunteer Portal Redesign
Freelance Designer, June 2015 – Present
I have collaborated with various small businesses to address their design and UX needs, delivering a range of solutions from logo creation to full website, page, and app designs. My work spans multiple sectors, including travel, property management, finance, and marketing.
Achievements
AI Design: Memorisely
I'm really interested in how we can use AI responsibiliy within the design process, to learn from others in the industry and see how it can be used creatively and to reduce manual tasks so I can spend more time on the more important details and designs.
Foundation in Human-Centred Design (CPUX-F) with BunnyFoot (now GAIN)
In 2020, I completed the CPUX-F to further my knowledge and skills, and have a globally-recognised proof of my knowledge of usability and user experience.
CPUX-F covers the fundamental principles and processes of human-centred design, as outlined in ISO 9241-210 Ergonomics of human-system interaction.
Award: Chief Collaborator
I won the Chief Collaborator Award at Seasalt Cornwall in 2022, which recognised my consistently effective sharing of knowledge and skills across all areas of the business. I was nominated by peers, selected by the company board and presented the award at the full company event.
Talk: A/B Testing and Search CRO – A Lesson from Seasalt Cornwall
In my talk at Discovered London by Klevu, alongside one of my colleagues, I shared how we leveraged A/B testing at Seasalt to enhance the search user experience and boost website conversion rates. It was a fantastic opportunity not only to showcase the impactful work we're doing at Seasalt but also to refine and enhance my presentation and public speaking skills.
Article: The 6 key UX design principles to follow
I wrote an article for Falmouth University highlighting six key UX design principles for creating impactful, user-centred experiences.
What's next
I’m keen to work with brands and projects that genuinely make a difference - for people and the planet. I’m passionate about using design for good and creating meaningful, positive impact.
Lately, I’ve been fascinated by the world of AI and immersive tech - exciting (and a bit scary!) to see how it’s evolving. Who knew I’d be wondering if robots might actually replace me one day? But I’m all in on exploring how we can harness AI as both a process and creative tool.
I’d also love to do more tutoring, teaching, and mentoring. Working alongside other designers, collaborating, sharing feedback, and helping others grow is something I’m hugely passionate about. Giving back has always felt important to me, and I’m excited to keep finding ways to do that.