ABOUT US

You might have caught a glimpse of our Senior Project Manager extraordinaire, Michael, riding his bike across your state. Beyond his project managing expertise, Michael is full of interesting stories, such as…

• That time he rode his bike across the country from San Francisco to Washington DC for charity in 56 days.
• The time he spent as a licensed plumber. We’re sure his people skills came in extra handy back then!
• What it’s like to be the youngest of 56 cousins with grandparents born in the 1800s.
• How he earned his title as an Eagle Scout. (He still loves camping and fishing to this day).

Michael brings 15 years of agency experience, as well as 8 years managing websites for clients across many industries, to inform and ensure successful CMS projects at Astriata. A true people person, he takes great joy in the collaboration process between designers, developers, and clients, and his work behind the scenes to ensure a project is hitting its goals. Having previously been on the other side of the table as a client of design agencies, he holds a unique perspective and insight on how to foster rewarding relationships. Michael is thrilled that several Astriata clients also reside in the Baltimore and DC area, allowing him to connect with organizations he may encounter in his daily life.

Natalia’s our multi-talented content input specialist who has a knack for nuance and detail. But beyond the behind-the-scenes work she does with client databases:

• She previously worked as a medical assistant in a neurology practice and is your go-to gal for all blood-drawing needs!
• Cooking is her favorite hobby; beef onion croquette is her specialty.
• Natalia’s quite the night owl, but you’d never know because she’s always on her toes!

Natalia's early years were marked by a sense of adventure and a love of new experiences. Born in Rhode Island, she spent her childhood in different countries and states, including Cameroon, Indonesia, Florida, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. Eventually, she returned to her roots in Maryland, where she made her home once again with her furry feline companion, Jezebel (named after her favorite Iron & Wine song).

As a medical assistant at a neurology clinic, Natalia honed her detail-oriented, problem-solving, and composure skills. However, ever since childhood, Natalia had always been an avid artist, experimenting with different materials and colors on paper. Eventually, her passion for design and technology led her to pursue a career in the digital realm by studying these areas at Anne Arundel Community College and the Flatiron School. She believes design and technology drive innovation—and loves working at the intersection of both.

Natalia's diverse experiences and passion for design and technology make her a valuable member of Astriata's team, where she manages client databases with precision and care. Outside of work, Natalia enjoys whipping up culinary masterpieces, blending family recipes with her own unique creations—from elaborate fusion pastas to various seafood dishes. Other hobbies include tending to her thriving herb garden, reading and writing insightful articles on Medium, and, most importantly, lavishing love on Jezebel.

Michael is our accomplished senior full-stack developer and software engineer, meaning he can develop and design both the front- and backend of a website or application. Oh, and if you didn’t guess it already, he thrives on challenges and spends his spare time:

• working on a light fantasy book series (as an aspiring novelist, he possesses wizardry not only with coding but also with words)
• battling it out in the online gaming world (he’s no noob)
• perusing a work of anime (he’s an avid fan)

Michael comes to Astriata with a background in computer science and graphic and visual design from Polytechnic University (present-day New York University). A born-and-raised New Yorker, he left his hometown to work as a graphics and web designer, and later an Adobe Flash developer, for Hodgson Consulting in Maryland. Later, he worked for the Association for Intelligent Information Management (AIIM), before returning to his hometown to work as a consultant for various companies and organizations.

With extensive experience and exceptional skills in .NET, Michael is an asset to Astriata’s team, consistently delivering innovative solutions that make our clients’ lives easier. He’s also a family guy who values work-life balance and does his best to limit his screen time—and set a good example for his kids.

As the referee to two toddlers who treat every room like a WWE ring, Misty has developed lightning-fast reflexes for catching flying objects and toddlers tumbling off furniture. While finding free time is a challenge these days, when she does manage to carve out a moment you can find her…

• Sketching or Illustrating: Her ultrasound illustrations have been published in the Atlas of Critical Care Echocardiography.
• Dreaming of meeting her idols: Her top dinner guest would be one of her favorite directors known for creating the most whimsical, expansive, imaginative worlds, Tim Burton.
• Reliving the game: She’s got plenty of highlights from her college Rugby days.
• Scheming up plans: Ask Misty what’s on the list for her next voyage to her favorite city, NYC.

Misty is a natural when it comes to problem-solving through organizing and structuring information to create exceptional user experiences. As a child, Misty discovered a passion for finding creative ways to organize her thoughts through color coding, typography, font styling, and other visual indicators. Today as a content strategist and expert in information architecture, Misty employs many of those same techniques to help clients clearly communicate their value and messaging to audiences, and draw users in through meaningful engagement.

At Astriata, Misty looks forward to helping clients build confidence in their digital presence through the development of compelling, accessible, intuitive websites and apps. Her greatest strength is her ability to foster an atmosphere of trust and collaboration, asking clients open-ended questions and deeply listening to ensure their vision is fully brought to life.

Nikki brings her expertise in SDLC project management, along with her passion for writing and strategic thinking, to wear the hat of hats as Astriata’s Client Success Manager. Want to know what else she’s hiding under her hats?

• Nikki is an award winning storyteller of the stage. She even has a trophy shaped like a golden microphone to prove it.
• After dreaming of being on Saturday Night Live since 5th grade, Nikki wrote, directed and starred in her own all-female sketch comedy production called Girls Gone Live!
• She studied Creative Writing, Spanish, and Literary Translation. She has several publications and awards for her original short stories and for Spanish translations.
• Nikki spent her first 27 years living and thriving in the frigid state of North Dakota. After a few moves in and out of the country, she landed in Mesa, AZ, where she enjoys hiking, going to comedy shows with friends, and spending as much time as possible with her adorable almost-2-year-old, Otto.

Nikki can quickly identify a risk or a bug, distinguish a requirement from a nice-to-have, and cross-check up to a dozen calendars in 4 seconds or less. OK, maybe that last part is a bit of an exaggeration… Thanks to her wealth of personal and professional experiences along with her passion for technology, Nikki brings a balance of competence and compassion to everything she does here at Astriata.

Meet Rylee, our UX/UI Designer, who is passionate about sharing the stories and ideas of others through her captivating design. But what captures Rylee’s attention when she’s not designing will fascinate you too:

• Hunting for the next addition to her collection of film cameras, including one that was used in Poland during WWII. Photography is what inspired Rylee to pursue a creative career; she’s had photos featured in People Magazine and TMZ.
• Traveling the world: she’s been to 44 states in the U.S., and 9 countries and counting. Her favorite destinations so far include Ireland and Italy.
• Reading legal cases in her spare time, feeding her side passion for legal studies.

Rylee has worked in a diverse range of industries, from startups to renowned nonprofits. She came to Astriata after 3.5 years working as a web and graphic designer for the Denver Zoo, where she designed everything from exhibit signage to video billboards to website layouts. During her time at the Zoo she documented the release of Boreal Toad tadpoles, an endangered species that lives in the alpines of the Colorado Rockies. She even had her photos attached to a news story that later went on to win an Emmy! If you want to hear fascinating or shocking animal stories, Rylee’s your gal.

At Astriata, Rylee is excited to collaborate on innovative and purpose-driven projects that challenge her to push the boundaries of design, while always keeping the user at the forefront. She collaborates closely with Astriata’s developers and the design team to maintain brand consistency across all digital and print materials. Her work includes user research to inform design decisions and stay updated on the latest trends to improve performance and functionality.

Meet Sarah, our Design Dynamo, whose artistic flair and tech-savvy finesse converge to create stunning designs. Hailing from Philadelphia, she embarked on a creative journey that led her to the vibrant heart of Baltimore, Maryland, where her skills evolved into a powerhouse of design expertise. But there's more to Sarah's creative surface…

• Sarah's culinary adventures know no bounds, but her attempts at cooking are often fiery spectacles that would make a firefighter proud.
• She adores horror movies, especially those with intricate sci-fi or mystery plots. The scarier, the better!
• Beyond design, Sarah is a tech enthusiast. She has upgraded her historic row home with projects like home automation, setting up a media streaming server, and configuring a home theater system.

In her downtime, Sarah transforms into an adventurous explorer, with a particular fondness for traversing the East Coast. While international escapades, including dreams of marveling at the Louvre and trekking Machu Picchu, occupy a prime spot on her bucket list, her culinary escapades are equally noteworthy. Fueled by a passion for diverse cuisines, Sarah, along with her fiancé, has recently embarked on a mission to explore new neighborhoods regularly, turning each outing into a delectable adventure.

Peering into the future, Sarah envisions tying the knot, placing a premium on quality time with her growing family. Reveling in the joys of being an aunt to her nieces and nephews, she paints a picture of a life where personal and professional pursuits blend seamlessly. As Sarah continues to weave her creativity into digital masterpieces, her life story unfolds as a vibrant tapestry, a testament to the harmonious balance she effortlessly strikes between the design realm and the kaleidoscope of experiences that paint her personal journey.

With his dry and sarcastic British humor, you might think Steve is pulling your leg when he tells you about his vast array of hobbies, which include…

• Tending to his mini zoo, complete with two dogs, two cats, two snakes, and six chickens (don’t worry, the chickens are kept very far from the snakes). Good luck getting the recipe to his secret sauce.
• Sharing stories from his days as a head chef, a role that shared similarities to his current one in that it required a sharp eye for detail, immaculate planning, and the ability to stay calm under pressure.
• Watching the latest horror flick of interest.The weirder and more unsettling, the better.
• Meeting royals and legends, including the Queen and Dolly Parton (on separate occasions).

Steve has spent the last 13 years in front-end development, largely dedicated to building out responsive, accessible websites and working closely with designers to bring their inspired ideas to life. He attributes his love of art to his mum, who was always working on tapestries or teaching Steve how to use watercolors and sharing an appreciation for visual mediums. Originally hailing from Bridgwater, England, Steve majored in Graphic Design at the Swindon College of Art and Design. After starting out in graphic design, he transitioned to web design and then front end development, keeping his focus on clean code, pixel-perfect builds, and creating a solid user experience.

Susan is a pro when it comes to making sense of ambiguity and turning it into strategy, and if she gets her hands on her content, you can kiss your decoder ring goodbye! Sure, Susan might impress you with her UX chops, but here are some things you may never have guessed:

• Her alter ego is Chrissie Hynde. After a long day of strategizing, Susan puts on her favorite rock merch and grabs a mic as a lead singer in a cover band. It’s all just for fun and in tribute to the music that creates the soundtracks of our lives.
• She has been compared to Forrest Gump. No, she didn’t work on a shrimp boat, and she’s not a ping-pong champion (as far as we know…), but she does have a curious history of encounters and engagements with celebrities and other well-known figures.
• Thinking of something else … no one would say I am funny!

With a background that includes journalism, public relations, marketing and content strategy, Susan brings an enterprise lens to her work, connecting user needs with organization goals to deliver measurable results. She holds a B.A. in journalism and business from Salem College and Wake Forest University, along with a Master in Liberal Arts in international relations from Georgetown University. Her thesis was on economic development as a tool for conflict reduction. Whether she’s fine-tuning digital content or fronting a cover band in her free time, Susan brings curiosity, creativity, and a deep appreciation for nuance to everything she does.

At Astriata, Susan is excited to bring her passion for solving complex challenges using systems thinking and research-informed content design, to collaborate with Astriata’s talented team. She will apply her strengths in bringing clarity to content and aligning business goals with user needs. Her goal is to help clients achieve success while continuing to grow and evolve her own human-centered content practices along the way.

Meet Sumit, our Senior Front-End Developer, who’s been turning creative ideas into seamless digital experiences for over 15 years. A true problem-solver at heart, he’s either piecing together the perfect code or tackling a challenging puzzle in his downtime.

But there’s more to Sumit than his impressive technical skills, including:

• Nature photography: He loves capturing animals and insects more than people, combining his passion for photography with his appreciation for the natural world.
• Stamp and currency collector: Since childhood, he’s been fascinated by the stories behind his growing collection of postage stamps and currencies.
• Beach lover: Sumit finds peace sitting by the ocean, watching waves and soaking in the calm.

Sumit’s journey to UI/UX started after a few years as a Microsoft developer, when he discovered his knack for the finer details that make digital experiences user-friendly and functional. Since then, he’s worked on CMS platforms, eCommerce applications, analytics tools, and email marketing software. His ability to gather user feedback and integrate it into his work has been pivotal in creating effective and accessible solutions.At Astriata, Sumit thrives on the challenge of turning innovative designs into flawless, functional websites. And if you’re ever curious, ask him about his favorite childhood memory—his first flight to the Andaman & Nicobar Islands—or why Steve Irwin would be his dream dinner guest!

You might think Tara’s just another “herder of cats” type of project manager, but being organized beyond belief does not even begin to describe the many facets of this gem! When Tara isn’t Zooming to a client call or fawning over a new project plan, you might just find her:

Tara brings over 16 years of experience managing projects for nonprofits and mission-driven organizations. Her work has supported initiatives such as providing mortgage assistance to low-income families and launching one of the first websites dedicated to publishing scientific research. In addition to her work with organizations, Tara has also run her own consultancy and sole proprietorship, offering services independently.

At Astriata, Tara thrives on creating harmony where there is chaos and bringing calm to any storm. Her goal in any project is to foster an energetic and inclusive environment where every voice is heard, each stakeholder feels informed and valued, and everyone is connected to the bigger picture.

Trevor has a remarkable talent for dissecting complex problems and giving meticulous attention to detail. When he’s not purposefully selecting mismatched socks to bring him good luck in his many problem-solving endeavors, Trevor can often be found…

• Playing poker with the best of them. He once got a Royal Flush of Spades at a Casino on New Year's Eve.
• Behind the piano, performing one of the several complex compositions he has memorized.
• Competing in the strategic game of chess. Trevor once achieved an Elo rating of 1585 on Chess.com in 10-minute rated matches.

Trevor’s love of learning new language types began in childhood, playing both piano and saxophone, and gleaning both music and computer science knowledge from his dad. While his degree in Legal Studies might seem like an unexpected path to his current pursuits, Trevor draws a direct connection between the analytic skills and logical reasoning developed in school and his ability to zero in with precision and accuracy on syntax and code structure. Since 2014, he’s honed his skills in WordPress architecture, PHP programming, and JavaScript–among several other frameworks, languages, and syntaxes.

Trevor is excited to join the Astriata team and engage in the dynamic exchange of ideas with innovative and creative UX/UI professionals. He foresees these collaborations enabling a blend of his technical skills in full-stack development with his colleagues' artistic visions to create compelling and intuitive, user-friendly websites.