During a long summer vacation when she was fourteen years old, Merani learned how to use Photoshop. That ignited in her a passion for graphic design, and she has pursued it ever since. About four years ago, Merani moved from her hometown of sunny San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Dayton so she could pursue graphic design at the University of Dayton.
Halfway through her college education, she realized that she wasn’t quite satisfied just working with print design. So Merani decided to explore web design, and she eventually decided to learn how she could bring her designs to life on the web.
In her last year of college, Merani’s design professor suggested that if she wanted to pursue web design, she should apply for Sparkbox’s Frontend Design Apprenticeship. Merani first shadowed Jeremy, our Creative Director, for a day, and she fell in love with the work Sparkbox is doing and the culture that is cultivated here. At that point, she knew she wanted to work here and put enormous work into her application for the apprenticeship program.
Merani was accepted into our program, and after completing it, was welcomed to Sparkbox as a full-time frontend designer. We’re so excited that she is staying with the team. Merani has a strong eye for design and brings a perfectionistic dedication to all her work. She is skilled in making designs that excite clients and users alike, and she also has a collaborative spirit that drives her to work successfully with others.
In her free time, Merani often plays beach volleyball (maybe even a little too often). It’s her favorite escape from everyday tasks, and it reminds her of the beach in Puerto Rico. Her family still resides in San Juan, and when she can, she loves to go back and visit them—especially during the winter when she can escape Ohio’s icy chill. Merani also loves learning more about design and code during her evenings. She’s passionate about her work and enjoys pushing herself and improving in it.
Please join us in welcoming Merani to the Sparkbox team! Say hi to her on Twitter.
