About
I like improving things.
A lot of my experience has been with established websites and applications. I enjoy learning how they work and finding practical ways to make them better.
I naturally look for opportunities to improve usability, accessibility, content, and the underlying technology.
How I work
Persistent
A couple of my mentors have called me a “bulldog” because I don't give up easily. I've learned to pair that persistence with good judgment. I'll dig into a difficult problem, but I know when bringing someone else in is the better way forward.
Low ego
I don't need my idea to be the one that’s used. I'd rather talk through the best practices, hear different perspectives, and figure out what makes the most sense.
Reliable
I want my teammates to know I'll help when they need it. I keep trying even when I don't have the answer, and I do what I can to help my team get the job done.
Serious about the work, not always about everything else
I value teams that work hard and play hard. My favorite teams cared about their work while making room for humor and camaraderie.
Accessibility matters
Accessibility is more than a technical requirement for me. I want to know what the experience is like for the person using the site. Can they understand the page? Find what they need? Complete the task without unnecessary frustration?
I enjoy researching more complicated accessibility questions and best practices. I'm still learning, and that's part of what I like about it.
The same thinking shapes how I approach UX. On the public-facing government sites I work on, people are there to get something done. I want to make their experiences as clear, frictionless, and accessible as possible.
I like sharing what I learn.
Teaching is one of my favorite parts of development.
I've created accessibility training for my development team and I enjoyed finding simple, practical ways to explain technical concepts. I'd like to keep developing my mentoring skills and have more opportunities to help other developers grow.
What I'm looking for
Continued growth
I want to keep learning as a developer while taking on more opportunities to mentor and contribute beyond my assigned work.
More accessibility
I'd love to advance more accessibility initiatives through implementation, research, testing, or process improvements.
A supportive team
I work best with teams that value low egos and collaboration, support one another, and don't take themselves too seriously.
Work that matters
I want to contribute to an organization I believe in and build things that genuinely help the people who use them.
Hello, World!
I’m Ashleigh “Alexandria” Kern, a Maryland-based Web Developer with over 7 years of professional experience in the government and EdTech spaces.
I’m happiest when I’m solving a bug, learning something new about UX or web accessibility, or eating crabs in the summertime.