Hi there!
I’m Mina. I’m a UI designer with over 10 years of experience across web, mobile, e-commerce, and digital products.
I enjoy the process of putting things together in a way that they are functional and aesthetic at the same time. I also believe in leaving things better than the way I found them.It’s fulfilling to know that something I’ve created can inspire and benefit others.
How did I get into design?
Before designing, I worked in a call center—waking up to sunsets for the night shift and marking the end of my “day” with sunrises.It was an almost contented life, but during one of our training sessions, we used an iMac. Although it may have been a non-consequential experience to most, to me, it was a pivotal moment.
Having come from a small village where internet was a luxury at the time, it was my first time seeing this beautiful machine. I may have been an IT graduate, but I’d only ever been in a PC environment and could not imagine a different setting beyond it.
I remember being instantly fascinated with the macOS interface, so much so that I declared right there and then that I was going to be a designer.
Two weeks later, I was off the job. I called my mother to say that I was going to Manila for a week-long vacation. When I got there, I answered every ad for a designer and went to back-to-back interviews.
By the end of the week, I called my mother again to say I wasn’t returning home because I got a job.I was offered a position as a Junior Web Designer.
That was over ten years ago, and I haven’t looked back since.
Diving
into design
into design
Early in my career, there were lots of scary talks about this “client from hell”—glowing red eyes that wanted you to move things half-a-pixel, claws that tore the veins right out of your creative process, and snapping teeth that rent your Finalest-Final-Final-Homepage.psd into fine, fine bits.
Honing my skills as a diver at about the same time, I discovered that there's no such thing as a bad dive day, you just keep adding skills and experience under your belt. Having adopted this mindset as a designer, I have come to know that there's no such thing as a client from hell, only more learning opportunities.
Surfacing from challenging projects has only grown my confidence so that even when I'm thrown into the sharks on my first day, I know that it'll still be a good design day.
(Although, dive-wise, I don't see any reason why I should test my mortality that way, at any given day.)
Honing my skills as a diver at about the same time, I discovered that there's no such thing as a bad dive day, you just keep adding skills and experience under your belt. Having adopted this mindset as a designer, I have come to know that there's no such thing as a client from hell, only more learning opportunities.
Surfacing from challenging projects has only grown my confidence so that even when I'm thrown into the sharks on my first day, I know that it'll still be a good design day.
(Although, dive-wise, I don't see any reason why I should test my mortality that way, at any given day.)
How did I get
into design?
into design?
Before designing, I worked in a call center—waking up to sunsets for the night shift and marking the end of my "day" with sunrises.
It was an almost contented life, but during one of our training sessions, we used an iMac. Although it may have been a non-consequential experience to most, to me, it was a pivotal moment.
Having come from a small village where internet was a luxury at the time—it was my first time seeing this beautiful machine. I may have been an IT graduate, but I've only ever been in a PC environment and could not imagine a different setting beyond it.
I remember being instantly fascinated with the macOS interface, so much so that I declared right there and then that I was going be a designer.
Indeed, two weeks later, I resigned from my call center job. Yet another week later, in another city, I had begun my career as a Junior Web Designer. That was over ten years ago, and I haven't looked back since.
Two weeks later, I was off the job. I called my mother to say that I was going to Manila (the capital of the Philippines) for a week-long vacation. When I got there, I answered every ad for a designer and went to back-to-back interviews, and by the end of the week, I called my mother again to say I wasn't returning home because I got a job. And I did. I was offered a position as a Junior Web Designer. That was over ten years ago; I haven't looked back since.
It was an almost contented life, but during one of our training sessions, we used an iMac. Although it may have been a non-consequential experience to most, to me, it was a pivotal moment.
Having come from a small village where internet was a luxury at the time—it was my first time seeing this beautiful machine. I may have been an IT graduate, but I've only ever been in a PC environment and could not imagine a different setting beyond it.
I remember being instantly fascinated with the macOS interface, so much so that I declared right there and then that I was going be a designer.
Indeed, two weeks later, I resigned from my call center job. Yet another week later, in another city, I had begun my career as a Junior Web Designer. That was over ten years ago, and I haven't looked back since.
Two weeks later, I was off the job. I called my mother to say that I was going to Manila (the capital of the Philippines) for a week-long vacation. When I got there, I answered every ad for a designer and went to back-to-back interviews, and by the end of the week, I called my mother again to say I wasn't returning home because I got a job. And I did. I was offered a position as a Junior Web Designer. That was over ten years ago; I haven't looked back since.
My experience
My experienceMost recently, I was a UI Designer II at NHN Global, working on FASHIONGO. My day-to-day work covered web and mobile UI, new features, product updates, and a lot of work in Figma.I also spent quite a bit of time finding ways to make repetitive tasks easier. I created shared design libraries, reusable components, variables, promotional templates, and a table system that made it possible to create and update tables without rebuilding them every time. I also worked on a redesign concept for the FASHIONGO product detail page, the Korean NHN website, and the FASHIONGO blog, which I helped develop using HTML and CSS.
In 2020, I worked as Director of Graphic Design at a digital marketing agency in Lake Elsinore, California. Unfortunately, they had to close down during the height of the pandemic. However short, I enjoyed that job immensely because aside from designing, I also had the opportunity to immerse myself in the development stage of a website. Necessity pushed me to learn WordPress, Shopify, and HubSpot in the same breath, and it was absolutely thrilling for me.
I also spent eight years as a Senior UI Designer at Getaka Labs, starting in 2015. I worked on web and mobile projects, including platforms for social networking, communication, and services. I enjoyed working closely with the UX and development teams, taking designs from early concepts and wireframes to finished interfaces.I also spent eight years as a Senior UI Designer at Getaka Labs, starting in 2015, where I worked on web and mobile products alongside UX designers and developers.
My earlier experiences include working in a boutique agency that specialized in real estate websites and other web development companies, with the majority of the clients coming from Australia and the US. Those experiences helped me develop my skills in advertising, branding and packaging, as well as web and mobile app design.
I also worked freelance, designing for both startups—collaborating with as little as two to three members—and established companies with larger teams.I enjoyed this phase, too, because it gave me an excuse to send the introverted part of myself on vacation while I had a wonderful time meeting up with clients in coffee shops, or even if it was just Skype.
In 2020, I worked as Director of Graphic Design at a digital marketing agency in Lake Elsinore, California. Unfortunately, they had to close down during the height of the pandemic. However short, I enjoyed that job immensely because aside from designing, I also had the opportunity to immerse myself in the development stage of a website. Necessity pushed me to learn WordPress, Shopify, and HubSpot in the same breath, and it was absolutely thrilling for me.
I also spent eight years as a Senior UI Designer at Getaka Labs, starting in 2015. I worked on web and mobile projects, including platforms for social networking, communication, and services. I enjoyed working closely with the UX and development teams, taking designs from early concepts and wireframes to finished interfaces.I also spent eight years as a Senior UI Designer at Getaka Labs, starting in 2015, where I worked on web and mobile products alongside UX designers and developers.
My earlier experiences include working in a boutique agency that specialized in real estate websites and other web development companies, with the majority of the clients coming from Australia and the US. Those experiences helped me develop my skills in advertising, branding and packaging, as well as web and mobile app design.
I also worked freelance, designing for both startups—collaborating with as little as two to three members—and established companies with larger teams.I enjoyed this phase, too, because it gave me an excuse to send the introverted part of myself on vacation while I had a wonderful time meeting up with clients in coffee shops, or even if it was just Skype.
I absolutely love designing, and since I've embraced it, it has overflown all other aspects of my life.
I enjoy the process of putting things together so that they would be functional and aesthetic at the same time. I also believe in leaving things better than the way you found them.
I like how something I've enjoyed working on becomes a source of inspiration or pleasure for someone else.
Life
outside design
outside design
When I was in high school, my family went through some tough times and being a part of the dance troupe served as a refuge from the darkness.
Recently, I rediscovered my love for dancing which led me to start taking classes in bachata and salsa. In a twist of events one night, I ended up in an Argentine Tango class, which had always intimidated me as a spectator because of how complex it is.
Surprisingly, I couldn't help but fall in love with it. Bachata and salsa are so much fun to dance, but with tango—it feels like being transformed into a different character and transported to a place where only music and connection exists.
Gratefully, dancing is no longer simply an escape from darkness for me but rather a source of light that allows me to fully experience life and express the joy in my heart.
Speaking of sources of light, Dr. Bubbles is my brother's puppy and she is every bit sunshine in person, as she is in this photo!
Recently, I rediscovered my love for dancing which led me to start taking classes in bachata and salsa. In a twist of events one night, I ended up in an Argentine Tango class, which had always intimidated me as a spectator because of how complex it is.
Surprisingly, I couldn't help but fall in love with it. Bachata and salsa are so much fun to dance, but with tango—it feels like being transformed into a different character and transported to a place where only music and connection exists.
Gratefully, dancing is no longer simply an escape from darkness for me but rather a source of light that allows me to fully experience life and express the joy in my heart.
Speaking of sources of light, Dr. Bubbles is my brother's puppy and she is every bit sunshine in person, as she is in this photo!
Life
outside design?
outside design?
Pre Pandemic
Like most, I haven't always been homebound.
Back in the Philippines, before COVID-19, my activities were based outdoors—mountain climbing and diving! These included monthly clean-up dives, even though, in reality, being affiliated with Dive Funatics, EVERY dive is a clean-up dive!
(Dive Funatics is a dive shop tucked in a quiet and charming beach resort in Mactan. Read about how they turned me from an aquaphobic to a PADI-certified Assistant Instructor here.)
Scuba diving also made me conscious of the current state of our environment and drove me to pursue a more sustainable lifestyle. I joined Plastikan sa Pandacan, an initiative of Pandacan Ecology Ministry, where we advocate for trash segregation and eco-bricks that can be used for low-cost construction.
(Dive Funatics is a dive shop tucked in a quiet and charming beach resort in Mactan. Read about how they turned me from an aquaphobic to a PADI-certified Assistant Instructor here.)
Scuba diving also made me conscious of the current state of our environment and drove me to pursue a more sustainable lifestyle. I joined Plastikan sa Pandacan, an initiative of Pandacan Ecology Ministry, where we advocate for trash segregation and eco-bricks that can be used for low-cost construction.
Outside
of design
of design
If there's one thing I love more than designing, it's giving. Admittedly, it's a vice passed on to me by my mother, her mother, and her mother's mother.
Years ago, I was introduced to iVolunteer Philippines. Through this platform, I had a chance to volunteer with different non-profit organizations over the years—from something as simple as teaching math to children on a Sunday morning to bringing supplies to remote areas.
Circling back to always looking for opportunities, I'd be happy to join organizations that encourage community advocacies. I'm especially interested in places that make it their mission to uplift the lives of women in vulnerable situations like abuse and prostitution. In context, traveling the Philippines, I saw firsthand that there aren't enough venues for this cause, especially in places where tourism is high, and job opportunities are low.
If this is in line with your purpose, I'd love to help!
Years ago, I was introduced to iVolunteer Philippines. Through this platform, I had a chance to volunteer with different non-profit organizations over the years—from something as simple as teaching math to children on a Sunday morning to bringing supplies to remote areas.
Circling back to always looking for opportunities, I'd be happy to join organizations that encourage community advocacies. I'm especially interested in places that make it their mission to uplift the lives of women in vulnerable situations like abuse and prostitution. In context, traveling the Philippines, I saw firsthand that there aren't enough venues for this cause, especially in places where tourism is high, and job opportunities are low.
If this is in line with your purpose, I'd love to help!
I also climbed mountains and once cleaned up an entire campsite!
I loved taking pictures of children along the way. They're such a great subject; you never know what kind of sass you're gonna get!