About Chaska
The person behind the work
In the last 16+ years, I’ve focused on designing websites that are accessible, intuitive, and impactful for small businesses, nonprofits, and creative entrepreneurs. But the work behind the work goes much further.
I’m also a filmmaker, language activist, and dancer. Those experiences inform the way I approach my web work — by listening first.
Design with a UX mindset
Good web design has always been about understanding people before touching pixels. Before I knew the formal language of UX, I was already doing the work — listening to clients, mapping their audiences, asking why before asking how, and designing experiences that guide visitors toward action.
I combine human-centered design with storytelling, cultural insight, and systems thinking to create meaningful digital experiences.
The right fit matters
I work across sectors — but I have a particular fluency with:
- Nonprofits and community orgs — culture, education, language, social equity
- Creative businesses — artists, performers, photographers, architects
- Small businesses that need a web partner to provide ongoing website support, updates, and maintenance.
- Mission-driven orgs at the intersection of culture, health, and community
Professional Interests
- Accessible & Inclusive Design
- Community-centered Design
- Product & Service Design
- UX Research & Systems Thinking
- UX Psychology & Trauma-informed Design
UX for change
Neurodivergence as an asset
I’m neurodivergent and open about it — because the spaces we inhabit don’t become more inclusive when we hide.
My neurodivergence shapes how I work: I think across disciplines, notice what others overlook, and bring systems thinking to problems that usually get surface-level solutions.
Beyond web design
Alongside web design, I’m also a multidisciplinary artist and activist. My creative practice spans filmmaking, photography, music, and dance — and my activist work is rooted in cultural revitalization and Indigenous diaspora. These experiences inform how I approach design, grounding it in empathy, narrative, and a focus on people and place. They give me a genuine understanding of the creative, cultural, and nonprofit spaces I often design for.