Areen is a “deep thinker” based in Washington.

When I was 12, I got the superlative “deepest thinker” at a summer camp. I didn’t care for it at the time, but now I appreciate it as a quality that paved my journey as a human and as a creative. I studied illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design, then worked as a graphic designer for seven years. I came upon UX design while taking graphic design courses at School of Visual Concepts in Seattle. It inspired me to dive into an area that went deeper than aesthetics. Once I started learning UX, it felt like everything had clicked into place. My bullheaded energy to solve creative problems, my enthusiasm for any innovation with a human touch, my desire to make life better for people in subtle ways; all of those parts of me had finally found a place to be useful. In my free time, I love to draw, sing, and dance. I’m only talented in one of those things.