This is a cross-post from the UXPA International blog. View the original post here.
To celebrate the newly appointed president of the UXPA Boston Chapter, Jana Pantoja, the Vice President and Director of Chapters at UXPA International, sat down with Nick Di Stefano, to ask him our top 5 questions.
1) Tell us a little about yourself.
I’m fascinated by the intersection of design, technology, and people. I’m a design lead with over ten years of experience. I am currently part of Humana’s Experience Center, an internal innovation and incubation team that believes the best care experiences are created when people come together.
I’m passionate about improving the lives of others and constantly looking to learn new things. My focus has been on helping organizations expand their capacity for impact by integrating design and people-centered practices into their digital and agile transformation efforts.
As a Boston native, community has always been important to me. I like to give back as much as I can with my free time, whether that means mentoring or volunteering.
Coffee is the best food group.
2) How did you get started in UX?
Becoming a LEGO master builder didn’t happen. I came into UX from a background in art history and public and installation art. Public art taught me how design impacts people and how they view their environment, each other, and themselves. Teaching sailing to people with various physical and cognitive abilities instilled an interest in accessibility and inclusive design.
I started with many “this is the internet” conversations and helped organizations reframe how they interact with people, translate or expand their experiences into a digital space, or use digital tools to enhance their in-person experiences.
3) What is most rewarding about working in UX?
I enjoy untangling complex systems and collaborating across disciplines to create measurable change. I’m passionate about building strong team cultures, creating thoughtful products, and advocating for DEI in tech. The best part for me is working through people and process problems to help drive positive change. I love learning about the different pieces of a problem space and how they connect.
4) What is the accomplishment you’re most proud of during your volunteering time at UXPA?
I’m excited to build connections with other organizations in our community to improve our impact and reach. I’m happy to launch our new chapter website so we can better provide information and resources.
5) What would you like to accomplish during your first year as the president of UXPA Boston?
I’m thrilled to start my term as the incoming president of the Boston chapter of UXPA. I intend to promote the values of UX and its related professions while striving to learn more about how our Boston chapter can empower a broad range of practitioners and teams. I plan to build bridges to other organizations in our community, continue promoting a more comprehensive range of voices in our field, and build more opportunities for mentorship and community-building.