Meet our new senior user experience designer!
Sasha Castillo
User Experience Designer Sr.
Where were you born?
I was born in Siberia, Russia. Growing up in Siberia was exactly how you would think it would be. As a kid I skied, skated, and went sledding. I wore a fur coat and a fur hat and many many layers of clothing. And I would still get cold! In the summers we would go to my grandparent’s “dacha” and go mushroom picking. I lived there until I was about 8. I have great memories of being a kid in Russia.
Where did you go to college?
I attended college in California, Los Angeles area. I got my Associate in Digital Imaging from Pasadena City College and a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design from Azusa Pacific University. I also attended Art Center College of Design to get a taste of an American art school.
How did you get started in user experience?
I was always interested in design but from an artistic/creative perspective. It took a 6 year detour into Web Development for me to learn what it takes to build and design web pages and user experiences. Learning how to develop/code helped me to think critically about how interfaces are built and why they work. Eventually I realized that I can still be creative within certain constrains and developed a passion for learning how the human mind works. Coming back to UX Design married my two sides, the creative and logical.
What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?
People do not know that I have a multitude of creative talents. I can paint, draw, and do B& W darkroom and digital photography. I love the fine arts because they make me think about the world in new ways! I graduated from both Fine Art and Music schools in Ukraine. I still do fine arts as a hobby but I did not keep my classical guitar skills.
What is your favorite food?
I enjoy the the food I used to have as a child in Russia. On New Year’s holiday or special occasions we make a salad called “Herring Under a Fur Coat”. It involves pickled herring, boiled root vegetables, and a lot of mayonnaise. I still like it and it reminds me of my childhood. I also love the food I had during my pre-COVID travels to Europe - everything there tasted so good!
What is your biggest pet peeve?
Loud people on public transportation!