When I joined Elevation Church's Digital Experience team, I walked into an exciting moment of transformation. The church had just completed a complete digital overhaul; new website, fresh visual identity, and most importantly, a comprehensive design system that would shape their future digital presence.
Year
2025
Type
Internship
Role
UX/UI Designer
Team
Vinel Brown (Design Lead)
Boston Rohan (Tech Lead)
Geoff Schultz (PM)
Matthew Blanding
Kiara Boettger
Skylar Reggio
Tools
Figma
Asana
Behind the Experience
Working under the mentorship of Lead UX Designer Vinel Brown, I discovered what it truly means to be a product designer in a fast-paced, impact-driven environment. Our bi-weekly coaching sessions centered around five core questions that pushed me to develop not just design skills, but the mindset and practices that define thoughtful, impactful designers.
A Culture Built on Creative Collaboration
What struck me most about Elevation's Digital Experience team wasn't just their design excellence, it was their intentional approach to fostering creativity through collaboration. The team operated on the belief that the best ideas emerge when diverse perspectives collide in a supportive environment.
Weekly team check-ins became more than status updates; they were creative fuel sessions where we'd share inspiration, troubleshoot challenges together, and celebrate wins both big and small. But perhaps my favorite tradition was the team games that punctuated our weeks, these weren't just fun breaks, but strategic investments in team chemistry that translated directly into better collaborative work.
Learning to Dance with Constraints
Within this collaborative environment, my first real lesson came in the form of something I'd never encountered before: a design system. Initially, I saw it as a creative constraint, a box that would limit my design exploration. But as I dove deeper into the component library, and with the support of my team's process-driven approach, I experienced a fundamental shift in perspective. These constraints didn't stifle creativity; they amplified it by providing a solid foundation to build upon.
A Process That Delivers
The team's collaborative spirit was supported by a structured design process that ensured every project moved from concept to launch with intention. We followed a clear methodology:
1
Research
2
Sketching
3
Idea Validation
4
Low Fidelity Wireframes
5
High Fidelity Prototype
6
Developer Handoff
7
QA Testing
This process became my north star, providing structure while leaving room for the creative collaboration that made Elevation's work so impactful.
Key Projects & Impact
Dynamic Header Experience
The Challenge
Transform a static header into an engaging, video-driven experience that aligned with the team's vision for more dynamic content.
My Approach
While the research and concept were already established, I focused on the execution details that would make or break the user experience. Drawing from accessibility best practices, I designed intuitive video controls, mute/unmute and play/pause functionality that felt natural and unobtrusive.
The Ripple Effect
This project sparked a broader conversation about motion accessibility across the entire platform. I had the opportunity to design a global settings menu that allowed users to control animations and videos site-wide, a feature that demonstrated our commitment to inclusive design.
YTHX 2026 Youth Page Design
Designed the youth ministry's digital home, creating an engaging experience that resonated with younger audiences while maintaining Elevation's brand consistency.
Event-Driven Design: Block Party Page
Developed a dedicated event page that balanced information architecture with the energy and excitement of a community celebration.
Accessibility & Usability Improvements
Volunteer & Check in Barcode
Enhanced the visibility and usability of volunteer check-in barcodes, solving a real operational challenge that affected hundreds of volunteers weekly.
The Challenge
Make barcodes more accessible to users by enabling wallet integration from the accounts page and quick access through the top-right navigation dropdown.
Global Accessibility Settings
Designed a comprehensive global settings menu that put users in control of their experience. The system featured theme switching capabilities (light/dark modes) and a reduce motion toggle that gracefully handled animations, auto-playing videos, and dynamic content across the entire platform.
The Challenge
Find the most effective way to add a global accessibility setting that lets users control motion and animations across the entire platform.
Collaborative Impact
Leader Dashboard
Collaborated on a dedicated platform for church leaders, focusing on information hierarchy and user workflow optimization
Watch Parties Integration
Assisted in migrating location mapping from legacy systems to the new platform, ensuring seamless user experience during the transition
What I Learned
This internship taught me that great design happens in the spaces between; between constraints and creativity, between individual vision and team collaboration, between technical feasibility and user needs.
1
Technical Growth
Mastered design system implementation, learned handoff best practices for development teams, and gained experience in QA collaboration.
2
Professional Development
Developed project ownership skills, learned to navigate feedback cycles, and built trust through consistent delivery of high-quality work.
3
Design Philosophy
Discovered that constraints don't limit creativity, they focus it. The design system became not a cage, but a launching pad for innovative solutions.
The Bigger Picture
Working at Elevation Church showed me how design can serve a purpose bigger than aesthetics or even user experience, it can facilitate genuine human connection and community building. Every pixel had the potential to help someone feel welcomed, informed, and engaged with their faith community.
This experience shaped my understanding of what it means to be a designer who doesn't just solve problems, but creates meaningful experiences that resonate with real people navigating real needs.