I am a passionate UX/UI/Visual Designer with over 18 years of professional experience; I thrive on crafting meaningful digital experiences for both web and mobile platforms. My approach blends creativity, empathy, and a genuine desire to make technology more intuitive and enjoyable for everyone. Experienced in collaborating with cross-functional teams—including product, development, engineering, research, and marketing—to deliver scalable design systems, standardized messaging, and measurable user outcomes. I am an award-winning Designer (Hermes Marketing Award and Merit Award for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). I am a strong advocate for content-first design, accessibility (WCAG/ADA), and inclusive storytelling that simplifies complex processes and empowers users to achieve their goals.

Darcel Pugh

I am a passionate UX/UI/Visual Designer with over 18 years of professional experience; I thrive on crafting meaningful digital experiences for both web and mobile platforms. My approach blends creativity, empathy, and a genuine desire to make technology more intuitive and enjoyable for everyone. Experienced in collaborating with cross-functional teams—including product, development, engineering, research, and marketing—to deliver scalable design systems, standardized messaging, and measurable user outcomes. I am an award-winning Designer (Hermes Marketing Award and Merit Award for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). I am a strong advocate for content-first design, accessibility (WCAG/ADA), and inclusive storytelling that simplifies complex processes and empowers users to achieve their goals.

Experience Level

Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Intermediate

Work Experience

Freelance UX Designer at Career Coaching Pro
October 1, 2025 - Present
Edit and optimize CCP website landing pages and mobile apps, focusing on Events and Immersive Experiences; make edits in the Wix platform; design prototypes in Figma (desktop and mobile) using auto layout, component libraries, and variants.
Freelance UI / UX Designer – SharePoint at Interpublic Group (IPG)
March 1, 2025 - June 1, 2025
Designed UI for SharePoint intranet landing pages for Getty, Adobe, and GLAAD stock photo websites; created redesigned intranet landing pages for internal/external clients to purchase/download stock images; produced low/high-fidelity wireframes and interactive prototypes; conducted usability testing; streamlined UI design process with component libraries; collaborated with cross-functional teams to improve brand consistency and usability, increasing employee engagement by 30%; developed email blasts and social media banners that boosted engagement by 25%.
UI / Visual Designer at U.S. Department of Energy
June 1, 2024 - December 1, 2024
Partnered with multidisciplinary teams to design UI elements and visual assets for the Elective Pay Tool App and Invest Map 2.0 server applications; conducted UX research and heuristic evaluations; initiated 508 AA accessibility testing; created component libraries and design systems per USWDS and DOE brand guidelines; produced high-fidelity designs and illustrations for the DOE website; collaborated with development teams throughout the UX/UI lifecycle.
UX Designer at Manhattan Strategy Group
April 1, 2023 - June 1, 2024
Led UX/UI design and information architecture for the Arts and Education (AAEC) and Department of Education websites; developed wireframes and high-fidelity interactive prototypes for federal contracts (SAMHSA, HMRF, NCELA); delivered Section 508–compliant, user-centered designs to improve usability, accessibility, and stakeholder engagement across government digital platforms.
UX Designer at Northrop Grumman Corporation
August 1, 2022 - March 1, 2023
Applied Human-Centered Design to create websites and e-commerce mobile apps for BOENext; designed user-centered workflows and interactive prototypes for defense/aerospace systems; ensured WCAG/ADA compliance; developed reusable design patterns to standardize UI/UX across platforms; collaborated with product managers, engineers, and stakeholders to translate requirements into intuitive UX.
UX Designer at IQ Solutions, Inc.
April 1, 2022 - July 1, 2022
Designed interactive prototypes and wireframes for three healthcare websites; conducted user research (heuristics, card sorts, surveys, UX audits, qualitative and quantitative testing, A/B testing) for ASPR, Combat COVID-19, and NIAAA; developed information architecture, usability testing, personas, and journey maps; created UAT protocols and methodologies; produced actionable insights to align user needs with business goals.
UI/Visual Designer at The Bizzell Group
June 1, 2018 - April 1, 2022
Designed web and mobile interfaces for federal health and research programs with accessibility and WCAG 2.1 compliance; produced marketing materials (brochures, magazines, videos, direct mail, event signage); built and standardized component libraries and style guides; contributed to DOT contract win; awarded 2019 Hermes Creative Award for integrated marketing materials.

Education

Bachelor of Science, Applied Design at University of Maryland, College Park
January 11, 2030 - April 12, 2026
UX Design Certification at Springboard
January 11, 2030 - April 12, 2026

Qualifications

Bachelor of Science in Applied Design
January 11, 2030 - April 12, 2026
UX Design Certification (Springboard)
January 11, 2030 - April 12, 2026

Industry Experience

Government, Education, Healthcare, Software & Internet, Media & Entertainment, Professional Services