Get into the groove, as Donnie D’Amato shares his journey into the world of dance, from dancing in the kitchen with his family to mimicking moves from video games. His passion for dance continued into high school, where he joined a breakdancing group, and an unexpected audition led him to his first paid job for a DJ company. Donnie touches on his unique journey in the dance world, including his appearances on “So You Think You Can Dance” and his involvement with the New York Dance Parade. He also reflects on the balance between following patterns and finding room for personal expression.Guest BioDonnie D’Amato (he/him) is the Founder & Chief Architect of Design Systems House; a consultancy dedicated to the future of design systems.He is also the moderator of the Slack, Twitter, and Mastodon design system communities, author of gridless.design; a thesis on mismatching the design grid to the web medium, and instructor for User Research and Interaction Design at Parsons School of Design. Previously, Donnie was the first UX Engineer at Compass, and currently he is engineering lead for the UXCore library at GoDaddy.LinksDonnie’s website: https://donnie.damato.design/Donnie’s podcast: https://wireframe.fm/New York Dance Parade: https://danceparade.org/Central Park Dance Skaters Association: https://cpdsa.org/CreditsCover design by Raquel Breternitz.

Let’s travel into the third dimension with Amy Lee, as she shares about her journey of discovering 3D printing with an initial understanding of the technology as merely a tool to create figurines, and how it evolved, leading her to experiment with more complex items. She tells us of her fascination with the intricacies of 3D printing, including the steep learning curve, the challenges of designing 3D objects on a 2D screen, and the practical hurdles she encountered in her early projects. Amy also talks about how 3D printing has influenced her view of other aspects of life, and how this technology has opened up a world of possibilities for creating custom objects tailored to her specific needs, rather than relying on off-the-shelf solutions.Guest BioAmy Lee (she/her) is a design system leader who believes in the power of collaboration. She has created and led design system teams at large companies like Salesforce and DocuSign, as well as smaller startups. Amy believes that design systems can be a party where everyone is invited. Amy is also an engineer and a musician. She loves the process of creating things and wondering how to make things exist. She has no formal audio engineering training but has built two shipping iPad-based music-making apps. She'll be performing guitar live on stage; she has 4 more months to learn to play guitar. And lately, she's gotten pretty deep into 3D printing and CAD modeling–because why not. Amy lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and enjoys going for walks with her husband.LinksAmy’s website: https://www.jumpingrobot.com/CreditsCover design by Raquel Breternitz.

Grab your longboard and join us on the beach, as Val Poon shares her unique journey from growing up in the urban environment of Hong Kong to becoming an avid surfer. Her first surfing experience in Hawaii, which she fondly remembers despite the challenges, set the stage for her lifelong passion. That passion has profoundly influenced her life, from her daily routines to her mental and emotional well-being. She discusses the patience she’s developed, the way surfing has shaped her approach to life’s uncertainties, and how it has even helped her navigate feelings of imposter syndrome. Val recounts experiences surfing in various locations around the world, how each place has offered a different perspective on surfer culture, and reveals her surfing bucket list.Guest BioAs a curiosity and UX-driven product designer, Val Poon (she/her) experiments with sensory-rich elements to create digital experiences that captivate and communicate intuitively. Her superpower lies in keenly discerning the right timing to act on user and business needs, much like navigating through waves when surfing. Now learning to code, Val is looking forward to deepening her understanding of our ever evolving digital landscape. A gentle reminder for listeners from Val is to embrace every moment, because then your journey unfolds into a rewarding map of destinations.LinksVal’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valpoon/CreditsCover design by Raquel Breternitz.

Grab on to your character sheet and roll for initiative, as Chris Strahl shares about his lifelong love of Dungeons & Dragons. He reflects on his early experiences of storytelling and shares insights on his growth as a Dungeon Master, adapting to the unexpected decisions his players make. Chris also talks about his involvement in professional DM'ing, running public games and corporate events, and how he navigates toxic behaviors to ensured a safe, inclusive environment for all players. Guest BioChris Strahl (he/him) is the CEO and co-founder of Knapsack and the host of the Design Systems Podcast. Knapsack helps the world's leading enterprises go from design to code quickly and accurately using design systems. A respected speaker, he has shared his visionary perspective on the use of generative design and AI technology in next-generation design systems at organizations like Google, Meta, Dribble, Clarity, and other pioneering companies. Outside of work, you can find Chris in the PNW on a river, climbing a trail, or dreaming up new worlds for his latest tabletop game. Chris started tabletop gaming with friends in his teenage years, and he used to be a professional game master in Portland, OR where he lives today. While being a CEO takes up a lot of time, he still holds a weekly game with his friends and spends time organizing games for friends and family.LinksChris’s LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisstrahlChris’s company: https://www.knapsack.cloud/Chris’s podcast: https://www.designsystemspodcast.com/CreditsCover design by Raquel Breternitz.

Turn off the lights and enjoy the vibrant colours, as Soren Hamby joins us to talk about their love of glow art. They share their fascination with natural bioluminescence, and how a birthday party sparked a deeper passion for this medium, leading to participatory art projects and installations. Soren also reflects on the glow art community, and the notion that the value of art isn’t determined by mainstream acceptance but by the impact it has on those who experience it.Guest BioAs a Senior Manager of UX, Soren Hamby (they/them) is dedicated to fostering diversity and inclusion within teams while spearheading the transformation towards accessible design. With a BFA in Design, post-graduate and professional coursework at Cornell, Parson’s, and CUNY, and a wealth of experience in the field, Soren is a seasoned professional committed to making the design industry more equitable.In their free time, they often indulge their creative side through crafting, fashion, collecting enamel pins, and creating weird art that glows. LinksSoren’s website: https://www.soren.ooo/Soren’s social media presence: https://soren.start.page/CreditsCover design by Raquel Breternitz.

In the first episode of season 2, Sara Wachter-Boettcher shares her journey with powerlifting, and how it helped her redefine her relationship with her body and cultivate a sense of strength and confidence both in and out of the gym. She talks about her early introduction to strength training, and how her interest in lifting evolved over the years. Sara reflects on the societal pressures women face regarding body image and explains how lifting shifted her focus from appearance to physical capability. She also touches on the importance of embracing failure as part of the process.Guest BioSara Wachter-Boettcher (she/her) is a leadership coach, speaker, author, and the CEO of Active Voice, a company dedicated to creating bold leaders and better workplaces in design and tech. She started Active Voice after spending a decade running a content and UX consultancy. Her books include Technically Wrong, Design for Real Life (with Eric Meyer), and Content Everywhere. Learn more about her work at activevoicehq.com.LinksSara’s company: https://www.activevoicehq.com/Sara’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saraboettcher/CreditsCover design by Raquel Breternitz.

Brad Frost, a music enthusiast, shares his journey from classic rock to punk and ska, ultimately embracing a wide musical spectrum purely for fun. He organizes 'Frostapalooza,' a one-night-only concert involving 40 musicians, showcasing the importance of enjoying music without commercial pressure.

Angelina Severino joins us to talk about her love of poster art. She discusses the evolution of the poster from a practical advertising tool to a recognized art form, and her personal project to celebrate poster graphic design, detached from its commercial use. The conversation gets quite philosophical as Angelina explores the intersection of design and art, and questions the traditional view that design lacks personal expression.Guest BioAngelina Severino (she/her) is an inspirational design leader with more than 15 years of combined Branding and Product experience in renowned advertising agencies and various tech companies. As a Design Lead at Gamgee, Angelina has brought this innovative startup from 0 to 1, from the very first product MVP to a full, complex product with an advanced multi-brand design system. Angelina is a Top Design Mentor at ADPList, and a Mentor and Advisory Board member at Women in Tech.Aside from her design work, Angelina creates art posters inspired by graphic design and typography. She and her husband are raising three lovely daughters who undoubtedly keep them busy and inspired.LinksAngelina’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelina-severino/Angelina’s website: https://www.angelinaseverino.com/Angelina’s Postress project: https://posteress.com/CreditsCover design by Raquel Breternitz.

Grab your clay and join us as Amelia Marschall-Miller shares her journey with pottery, rekindled after a long hiatus since her childhood fascination with ceramics. She is self-taught and enjoys the creative and experimental process of wheel-throwing, where getting comfortable with unpredictability is the key to having fun. Amelia describes her artistic style and influences, and looks to deepen her expertise while keeping pottery an enjoyable and fulfilling activity, rather than a stressful obligation.Guest BioAmelia Marschall-Miller (she/her) is a Senior Director of Experience Design at EPAM Systems. She has spent her career in digital design consulting, having previously worked for Deloitte Digital and TCS. She also co-founded a web and mobile development company in Michigan called Gravity Works - which she led for four years and grew from 2 to 13 people, and is still operating today. After earning a degree in Graphic Communications from Northern Michigan University, her roles have included work in UX and UI design, user research & discovery, front-end development, project management, and operations. After spending 8 years in Colorado and Utah, she now lives in the woods near Traverse City, Michigan. When she's not making pottery in her home studio she enjoys hiking, mountain biking, boating, swimming, and cross country skiing with her husband, John, and blue heeler, Bitsy.LinksAmelia’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sleepingsandspottery/Amelia’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ameliamarschall/CreditsCover design by Raquel Breternitz.

Put on your bicycle helmet and join us in the bike lane, as Justin Godard talks about his lifelong passion of cycling. Justin reflects on the changing role the bike has played in his life, from childhood, through teenage years, to adulthood. He shares how the bike offers a balance of exploration and physical challenge, and how it fosters a bond with his daughter.Guest BioJustin Godard (he/him) is a design leader with extensive experience in cultivating collaborative, innovative, and user-centered design cultures within major tech organizations. Currently leading a team at Cisco, he is deeply committed to enhancing the workplace experience, ensuring that all employees have the opportunity to perform at their best by minimizing unnecessary complexities in their tasks. His team of product designers, visual designers, and UX engineers creates an ecosystem where Cisco employees can excel while supporting the company's vision for pioneering hybrid workplace solutions.Before his current role, Justin’s journey through the tech industry was marked by positions at Varicent, IBM, and Firmex, in addition to design positions in the cosmetics and automotive industries.LinksJustin’s LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/justingodardJustin’s Instagram: http://instagram.com/justingodardCreditsCover design by Raquel Breternitz.