Hair defying gravity, Hallgrímskirkja Church bell tower, Reykjavík, Iceland, 02/23
About Amanda
After a decade as an archivist, I embarked on a career transition to user experience design in May 2023. My experience developing and managing information systems to provide access to active and historical records sparked my interest in the design process and user-centred thinking. This curiosity led me to pursue a Certificate in UX Design from York University, which I completed in May 2024.
At York University, I excelled at design strategy and research leveraging my background in research, relationship building, and information architecture. I'm currently bridging my archival expertise with my newly acquired UX skills through freelance projects that tackle real user challenges and opportunities. This allows me to craft meaningful, user-friendly experiences while continuously refining my abilities and expanding my portfolio
Outside of my professional pursuits, I reside in Toronto with my partner and our husky. I have a penchant for all things vintage, macabre, and weird, which I believe will bring a unique perspective to my work in UX - or at the very least, will make me fun to work with. I invite you to view my resumé and more below.
Resumé
Education
Certificate in UX Design
2023-2024
York University
Digital Archives Specialist Certificate
2020-2021
Society of American Archivists
Master of Information
Archives & Records Management Concentration
2013-2015
University of Toronto
BA hons.
English & Early Modern Studies
2008-2012
Dalhousie University and University of King's College
Skills
Organization
Relationship Building
User Research
Critical Thinking
Strategy
Information Architecture
Toolbox
Figma/FigJam
UseBerry
Typeform
Canva
OpenRefine
Airtable
Interests
Horror Movies & Fiction
Embroidery
Word Games
Karaoke
Gardening
Experience
Freelance UX Designer, Self Employed
September 2024 - Present
Coordinating the design of a user-friendly website for an emerging life coach, serving as a digital sanctuary for prospective users. Deftly facilitated client consultations and formulated strategic project plans, employing an empathetic approach to ensure that the client's vision and user needs were balanced and seamlessly integrated into the design direction.
Archivist, United Church of Canada
November 2017-April 2023
Spearheaded the procurement and implementation of a bespoke archival inquiries database, tailored to the distinct requirements of the archive’s team. Played a pivotal role in facilitating access to records pertaining to Residential Schools, employing a trauma informed approach. Orchestrated the creation of a dedicated information repository, enabling the church to respond to these inquiries with efficiency and care.
Sharepoint Archivist, United Church of Canada
January 2020-December 2020
Collaborated with a dedicated team to design the information architecture of SharePoint sites for all church departments and a church-wide staff intranet. Ensured the design met the unique needs of each unit. While maintaining my responsibilities as an archivist, facilitated the migration of all born-digital records to SharePoint and concurrently developed the backend infrastructure to ingest and manage church records. Established a comprehensive resource site and led training sessions to onboard staff.
Assistant Archivist, United Empire Loyalists Association of Canada
Summer 2014, May 2015-October 2017
Demonstrated self-motivation and initiative by transforming a disorganized room of boxes into a well-functioning archive for the UELAC's records. After working as a co-op student, was brought on full-time to oversee the establishment and organization of the archive. Developed and executed my own comprehensive work plans to create an archival system, which was subsequently adopted by the UELAC to maintain their institutional memory.
Graduate Student Library Assistant, University of Toronto Archives and Records Management Service
September 2014-August 2015
Acquired expertise in delivering archival reference services to diverse patrons, including students, faculty members, and the general public. Developed confidence in effective communication and customer service skills. Demonstrated proficiency in cataloging collections, taking into account the unique mental models and organizational preferences of individual faculty members, ensuring accurate and accessible documentation of materials.
Sales Associate, Stag Shop
September 2012-October 2014
At a busy downtown retailer, mastered empathy-driven sales by deeply understanding diverse customer needs and preferences. Developed a nuanced understanding of products to curate personalized experiences resonating with each customer's core values. Through attentive listening and insightful questioning, tailored recommendations to individual tastes and lifestyles, fostering trust and rapport and an elevated level of service.
Volunteer, Ontario Jewish Archives
August 2012-August 2013
This volunteer role marked the beginning of my profound love for archives, cultivating a deep sense of comfort in exploring and navigating archival collections. Played an active role in promoting the archives' holdings by sourcing materials for presentations and crafting engaging social media content. Encouraged community engagement and raised awareness of the invaluable archival resources.
More about Amanda
An Empathetic Perspective
From an early age, my interdisciplinary education fostered the ability to forge connections between seemingly unrelated concepts, whether epistemologically or systemically linked. This breadth of knowledge cultivated a deep sense of empathy, allowing me to pivot seamlessly and view situations through diverse perspectives. I can attune myself to the experiences of others, offering fresh insights that transcend conventional boundaries. My empathetic nature, coupled with an interdisciplinary background, equips me with a powerful tool for understanding complex issues with nuance and compassion, proposing innovative solutions by integrating multiple viewpoints and mental models.
Stitchcraft
In my free time, I like to craft as a form of self expression and a way to relax. In the past couple of years I have become particularly interested in block printing, cyanotyping, and embroidery. I was so enchanted by embroidery that I established an Instagram account, @loviitch_stitch, as a dedicated space to showcase. The name itself pays homage to my father, Randy, who affectionately referred to me as "Lovitch" with a Yiddish inflection – a portmanteau of "love" and "witch" which encapsulates the essence of my artistic endeavours. Feel free to view some of my creations below.
