Plays well with others.*
About Me
I am currently Senior Digital Designer at Rivers Agency, and an OOUX Certified Strategist. I have over two decades of experience in UX design, product design, front-end development, project management, and business ownership. As a generalist in the field, I freely slide between design, code, strategy, and management.
No matter the project, I stand by the timeless principle that design without intention is simply decoration. Thoughtful design is in the details. Because of this, I thrive when wading through the occasionally choppy waters of process development and system implementation. I am passionate about bringing clarity to complexity and order to chaos. Ultimately, my goal as a designer is to create an accessible, flexible, and consistent experience for everyone using the product.
Industry Experience
January 2023 - PresentSenior Digital Designer
Rivers Agency - Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Perform user and data research, competitive analysis, and develop user journeys to inform decision making through the life of a project
- Through the Object Oriented User Experience (OOUX) methodology, strategize user experience by creating content models, information architecture, user flows, and wireframes for the creative team to utilize when designing online screens
- Design accessible, high-quality, usable websites that effectively map back to the client’s business goals and their users’ mental models
- Provide design solutions to and continuous design updates to support the lifecycle of our ongoing digital products
- Design on-brand graphics for websites and email, utilizing and contributing to existing design systems
- Present research and creative work to stakeholders, both internal and client-facing
- Collaborate closely with art directors, designers, and developers to foster alignment and push the project toward completion
January 2017 - January 2023Lead UX & Product Designer
Status Forward, Inc. - Asheville, North Carolina
- Creative lead and product ownership of digital projects from discovery to launch
- Perform research, strategize content, and establish information architecture for online projects
- Using OOUX methodology, create content models, navigational flows, wireframes, mockups, and working prototypes to effectively conceptualize websites that map back to the client’s business goals and audience
- Contribute to the front-end website build development by providing HTML and CSS while working closely with the back-end development team
- Creating reusable styles, content blocks, and page templates within applications such as WordPress and Craft CMS
- Provide continuous design support for expanding and adding features to existing digital products
- Design and build email campaigns promoting brand awareness
- Design print collateral, including annual reports, newsletters, and ads for publication
- Manage projects, communicate with clients, and keep projects on schedule
- Train clients on managing their website content
July 2013 - January 2017
Partner & Digital Director
Open Door Design Studio (ODDS) – Asheville, North Carolina
- Creative lead and front-end development for all digital projects
- Art direction and supporting design for branding and print design projects
- Project and account management of all clients
- Client website training and guidance on DIY on-brand graphics
- Social media engagement and community outreach
- Business administration and bookkeeping
March 2005 – July 2013
Design Consultant
Marisa Falcigno Design
- Design and develop websites for non-profit organizations, academic institutions, and small business owners
- Collaborate with other design agencies, providing designs or front-end code in support of their client projects
- Design brand identities and print collateral
- Management of contract designers and developers
- Email campaign design
- Client website training and guidance on DIY on-brand graphics
- Project and account management of all clients
July 2002 – March 2005
User Interface Designer
AT&T Inc. – New Haven, Connecticut
- Design, front-end development, and web application support for the Online Billing Organization
- Design the user experience and user interface of the first online billing application, allowing customers to view and pay their bills online for the first time
- Work closely with back-end developers, user testing, and project management to align on user and product goals
- Analyze websites outside of the Online Billing organization, providing user experience audits to senior staff
March 2000 – July 2002
Art Director
NRG Networks, Inc. – Cheshire, Connecticut
- Visual design and front-end development of all client websites
- Print design and establishing design systems for internal marketing channels
- Art Direction of regular contract designers
January 2000 – May 2000
Web Design Intern
Mcgraw-Hill Publishing Company – Guilford, Connecticut
- Convert existing print publications into newly adapted online user interfaces
June 1999 – January 2000
Graphic Designer
New Haven Register Company – New Haven, Connecticut
- Design of print ads for weekly newspaper publications
Skills Experience
Tools: Sketch, Figma, Illustrator, XD, InDesign, Photoshop, WordPress, Craft, Webflow, Shopify, WooCommerce, Squarespace, Mailchimp, Miro, Whimsical, Trello, Bitbucket
Capabilities: OOUX & ORCA Methodology, User Experience Design, User Interface Design, Product Design, User Research, Content Auditing, Content Modeling, User Journey Mapping, User Experience Audits, HTML, CSS, WordPress Theming and Block Editor Customization, Email Campaign Design, Google Analytics Analysis, Image Optimization, Accessibility Audits
Management: Slack, Asana, Teamwork, Basecamp, Quickbooks, Harvest
Education
Southern Connecticut State University
New Haven, Connecticut
Bachelor of Science, May 2000
Studio Arts, Graphic Design
Magna Cum Laude
Recognition
Online Press
Unmatched Style – REEB Ranch Website, 2016, Lead
Unmatched Style – The Kent Building Website, 2015, Lead
Identity Designed – WordCamp Asheville Branding, 2015
Unmatched Style – Haywood Community College Art Program Website, 2014, Lead
For Print Only – Aeneas Venture Partners Collateral, 2014
Packaging of the World - TJO Bees Packaging Design, 2014
The Dieline – Sweet Farm Sauerkraut Packaging Design, 2014
Design Boom – Reinventing the Toilet Challenge, 2014
Print Publications
Print Regional Design Annual, 2015
Communication Arts Design Annual, 2014
Awards
ADDY Gold, 2015
ADDY Special Judges Mention, 2015
Volunteer
WordCamp Asheville 2016 - Event Volunteer
WordCamp Asheville 2015 - Design Team
Penland Community Day 2009
Speaking
Professional Practices Panel, University of Georgia, January, 2015
Professional Practices Lecture, AB Tech, 2014
Design Panel, WordCamp Asheville June 2014
Professional Practices Lecture, University of Florida, March 2013
*So, says my 3rd-grade report card! ;)
“Marisa is a fantastic designer who is always looking for ways to innovate and stay on top of her craft (especially in the digital space). Her ability to seamlessly manage projects and keep clients in the loop is incredibly valuable to our agency. Clients ask to work with her by name and with good reason! Her knack for making people feel included while keeping projects on deadline is a rare talent!”
- Nick Romanos, former Creative Director at Status Forward
“Marisa always puts the client first, keeps projects on schedule, and delivers a flawless, beautiful final product, whether it's a new website, a lengthy annual report, or a branded email template.
She's adept at working with multiple web applications including WordPress, Webflow, or CraftCMS, and quickly adapts to or develops new systems and procedures. With every project, she applies a singular eye for detail, whether it’s fine tuning a staging site with CSS or creating a mockup that's eye-catching, on-brand, and cutting edge. Most of all, she's a joy to work with: conscientious, caring, and collaborative even when a project is less than ideal.”
- Wolf Hoelscher, former Technical Director at Status Forward