Isa Montes Diaz

About Me

Strategic by nature.
Visual by instinct.

I'm a Somerville-based Senior Designer & Strategist with over six years of professional experience across both Visual Design and UI/UX Design. I became a Senior Designer in 2024, and what got me there wasn't specializing in one discipline. It was mastering the process that underlies both.

01

Research & Discovery

Surface the real problem before touching a tool.

02

Technical Execution

Translate direction into precise, on-brand deliverables.

03

Feedback & Iteration

Partner closely with clients to refine and sharpen the work.

04

Implementation

See it through to launch with the same care as the concept.

Psychology is at the root of everything I make. I design with principles like Gestalt, cognitive load theory, and behavioral psychology. Not as a checklist, but as a lens. I stay current on social and behavioral psychology in my own time because understanding how people think and feel is the most useful tool a designer can have. This thinking also informs my approach to accessibility, designing inclusive, WCAG-compliant experiences that work for everyone.

In addition to my client work, I served as a DEI Council Leader at Collective Next from 2023 to 2024. Advocacy for inclusive design and diverse workplaces is central to how I show up professionally.

Adobe Suite
Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, After Effects, XD
Digital & Web
WordPress, Elementor, Figma, HTML/CSS
Specialties
Graphic Design, UX, Brand Systems, WCAG
Outside the Studio
Fantasy & Sci-Fi novels, Dungeons & Dragons, Vinyl collecting

Beyond the work

I make music.
Loudly.

Outside of design, I'm a performer and musician. Music has always been another place where I think about how to connect with an audience. When I'm not performing or creating, you'll find me drinking coffee, reading, or sifting through boxes of used vinyl at a local music shop.

Isa performing live

Fine Art

I've been drawing people
my whole life.

Portraiture has always been how I understand people. Long before I was a designer, I was studying faces, gestures, and expressions in mixed media. That same curiosity about human behavior shows up in everything I make.

Oil pastel portrait
Acrylic split face painting
Carnation still life
Expressive face painting
Charcoal portrait
Two figures drawing

Want to work together?

I'm open to new Senior Designer opportunities full-time, contract, and everything in between.