Meet Felesia!
Felesia McDonald, ’14 is an adjunct instructor in the iSchool, teaching courses in the 100% Online Master of Science in User Experience. McDonald is also the Sr Manager UX Design at Optum, a branch of UnitedHealth Group.
McDonald worked as a page designer at the Plain Dealer but went back to school to get a diploma in web design from The Art Institute of Pittsburgh. This introduced her to the field of UX.
“I enjoyed the strategy behind building a website more than designing, which led me to UX” McDonald said.
The online UX master’s degree program at Kent State University helped McDonald refine skills such as client and stakeholder interaction and presenting.
“The program provided me with learning the methodology that goes into building a good interaction and having a good user experience,” McDonald said.
“I try to teach a holistic thinking approach to all my students. You’re not just working on one piece of the puzzle but working on how that piece fits into the entire puzzle.”
At Optum, McDonald is using her past experiences as well as skills from her master’s program to mentor designers about the importance of strategy and critical thinking behind their work.
“I’ll help the designer understand the process and point out different pain points and gaps in their thinking,” McDonald said.
Additionally, McDonald does freelance work to build websites for small businesses or individuals, increasing their digital brand presence and the UX component to web design.
Biography
Felesia McDonald is a UX Designer for OEConnection. Her UX career began in journalism as an Interactive Graphic Artist at the Plain Dealer. Felesia has worked as a freelance web designer. Some of those projects included The Call-and-Post, redesigning the marketing website for Lock Haven University, and working for several non-profits, including CAAO. After obtaining her MS in UXD in 2014, she worked as a User Research Consultant for the Eaton Corporation. Outside of her UX work, Felesia is passionate about teaching coding and leadership programs for young girls and women. She is working on a nonprofit Design program to offer camps and workshops to middle and high school students. She is also a board member for UXPA Cleveland.
The Flexible, Affordable, Online Master of Science in User Experience at Kent State University
Prepare to lead successful and innovative user experience design teams with Kent State University’s Online Master of Science in User Experience. Gain a competitive edge in this fast-growing, well-paid field with our unique blend of instruction in human-centered design, information architecture, and management skills, delivered in a convenient, 100% online format.
Kent State Online’s UX master’s degree has been crafted to enhance your skills and increase your market value. Core courses give you a solid conceptual grounding for your design team.
From there, make the UX master’s degree your own through your choice of electives and a capstone course. Our accomplished and professionally connected faculty can help you tailor your elective coursework for your desired specialization or target industry.
For more information on Kent State’s Online Master of Science in User Experience, visit https://onlinedegrees.kent.edu/ischool/user-experience/overview.
