ABOUT ME
Hi, I’m Grace Garmo! I’m an Associate PM and recent graduate of the University of Michigan where I studied UX Design and Research.
My love for UX + product design began far before I ever heard the term “User Experience”. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by human behavior from the lens of technology. This fostered my passion for human-computer interaction.
I spent my free time doodling redesigns of my favorite apps on napkins. I kept a piece of scratch paper with a list of websites my friends enjoyed so I could check them out and figure out what made them good.
I’ve been a UX designer my entire life — I just didn’t know it.
THE STORY BEHIND MY LOGO
In Arabic, the letter “غ” is the first letter of my name. Being a first-generation American of Middle Eastern immigrants has been an integral part of my life. Despite the challenges that have come with balancing my identities, I will forever boast my heritage and am grateful for the multi-faceted viewpoints I’ve been able to develop.
Unfortunately, I’ve found that my perspectives are rare in the realm of technology. With the presence of tech expanding more and more in our daily lives, it is increasingly crucial to bridge the gap of diversity in the tech space and allow the effects of representation to truly manifest.
OUTSIDE OF DESIGN, I’M…
A WRITER!
Nothing like a paper, pencil, and the heart. Here are some pieces I’m proud of:
Dear Frank Ocean
No, I don’t know how to play Monopoly - and I’m not sorry about it
An experiential understanding: The duty of a writer
A love letter to my favorite musical artist and his grapple with innocence, lost love, and mortality
My take on the traditional American experience from the perspective of a first-generation American
A synthesis of my thoughts surrounding the role of a writer in relation to a reader
A CAT LOVER!
Have I ever had one? No. Do I adore them more than anything else? YES!
A WOLVERINE!
Like the UMich mascot, not the guy from X-Men. On campus, I served as:
UX Research Assistant @UMSI
Lead UX Designer @VOID Tech Consulting
Vice President of Marketing @Kappa Theta Pi Professional Technology Fraternity
Lead of Representation Committee @ School of Information Bachelors Association
Tour Guide @ UMich Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Dancer @Arabesque Dance Troupe