Michelle Lin Xu

Even though I am an introvert, I love having conversations. Deep, thoughtful conversations that allow me to learn and understand. The process for getting there is simple: I give my full attention, listen, and respond as authentically as I can while leaving room for tact. It’s a habit I picked up from my days as a middle-school educator. Here’s a secret I learned from juggling parents, students, and the crushing bureaucracy that is the American educational system: everyone just wants to be heard. And that concept has stuck with me and continues to be a driving force through my design career. Whether its a client or design concept I see it as my job to observe and listen to their needs, to create dialogue, and translate it all into something narratively and visually compelling.