{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"AGL 354: Hannah Ryu and Veronica Shelton","description":"About Hannah and Veronica Hannah Ryu is the Co-Founder of Oak Theory alongside her other half, Veronica Shelton. Oak Theory is a design studio specializing in UX\/UI, web and application design. Their resum\u00e9s have names on them like Disney, HBO, Salesforce, Est\u00e9e Lauder, Oprah, Unilever, Sephora, Subaru, and MAC cosmetics, where Oak Theory now currently works with industry giants like Google and the University of California.  Leading with a human-centered yet deeply analytical approach, Hannah\u2019s strategic know-how shapes Oak Theory\u2019s mission to transform diverse perspectives into robust digital designs. Growing Oak Theory as one of the 0.1% of agencies founded by women of color posed its own challenges, but in just 3 years Hannah, alongside Veronica, has built a team that delivers exceptional, inclusive, and human-centered design. \u201cOur cultural backgrounds and unique perspectives as a collective of diverse creatives help our clients show up in a more authentic, impactful, and purposeful way. It\u2019s been a joy to enable that transformation for them.\u201d Hannah\u2019s career trajectory has been anything but ordinary. Starting out in a nonprofit, she then took on the role of a magazine assistant (think \u201cDevil Wears Prada\u201d), and ultimately ascended to a product manager position in a tech company. Her journey has given her perspective and clarity, making her uniquely equipped her to shape a workspace that prioritizes psychological safety, and promotes a culture that combines open-ended curiosity with solution-driven thinking. To put it simply, Veronica\u2019s brain is literally built for design. Being a neurodivergent person, she has a knack for capturing complex concepts and ideas with visuals that anyone can relate to. Over the past 10+ years, she has partnered with brands of every size, from startups to Fortune 500 conglomerates, using her abilites to build impactful experiences across every medium, from print, to social media, to entire rebrands for top organizations. Her work is more than a profession; it\u2019s a reflection of her life. Whether she\u2019s exploring new technologies, mastering programming languages, or indulging in her gaming life with Apex Legends, Veronica\u2019s hobbies are a testament to her dedication to her craft. A true globetrotter at heart, she eagerly anticipates the opportunity to draw fresh inspiration from her travels. The inception of Oak Theory, co-founded with Hannah during the pandemic, marked a pivotal moment in her career. Their mission: to forge a space where inclusivity is not just a goal, but the cornerstone of design philosophy. This endeavor is about more than creating sharp visuals and frustration-free navigation; it\u2019s about making every user feel seen and accounted for. Parallel to her role at Oak Theory, Veronica is the driving force behind ChunkyBones, a mobile game development company. Here, her focus is on infusing mobile puzzle games with a feminine flair and bringing better representation to women of color in emerging media. Whether it\u2019s through game development or her broader design work, Veronica\u2019s vision is clear: to create experiences that resonate universally, transcending audience differences and showcasing the power of inclusive design. In everything she does, Veronica embodies the essence of a designer who not only captures complex concepts with ease but also paves the way for greater diversity and representation in the world of design and beyond.\u201d Today We Talked About Hannah's background Veronica's background AI Diversity in Design Leadership Creativity Solving Problems Showing up Data-Driven UI\/UX UI\/UX Ecosphere Connect with Hannah LinkedIn - Hannah LinkedIn - Veronica Website Leave me a tip $ Click here to Donate to the show I hope you enjoyed this show, please head over to Apple Podcasts and subscribe and leave me a rating and review, even one sentence will help spread the word.  Thanks again! ","author_name":"A Geek Leader Podcast - inspiring technical and creative leaders around the world","author_url":"https:\/\/ageekleader.com","html":"