Isa Montes Diaz

About Me

Strategic by nature.
Visual by instinct.

I'm a Somerville-based Senior Designer with 10+ years of experience spanning Visual Design, UI/UX, and systems thinking. I didn't get here by specializing in one discipline. I got here by mastering the process that connects all of them, from research and discovery through to launch.

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. Accessibility is a natural extension of this thinking. Designing inclusive, WCAG-compliant experiences isn't a checklist item for me. It's what happens when you take human behavior seriously.

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

Performance

Design isn’t my only stage.

I’m also a performer, and that practice shapes how I present ideas, hold attention, and read a room. It keeps my work grounded in presence, rhythm, and audience connection.

Isa performing on stage

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.

Pastel portrait in a frame
Blue split-face portrait in a frame
Green background portrait in a frame
Expressive crimson face painting in a frame
Charcoal portrait in a frame
Pink flower still life in a frame

Want to work together?

I'm open to Senior Product Designer and Art Director roles, as well as freelance and contract work. If you're building something that needs both strategic thinking and strong visual craft, let's talk.