Sonia L. Border

About

I landed my first design job in tech at 30, after a winding road that looked nothing like the traditional high school → college → internship track. Today I’m a full-time designer at Activision, building internal tools for Player Support operations and player-facing customer support tools, and I’m studying Information and Data Analytics part-time at San Jose State. If you’re making a pivot into design, feeling like you don’t belong, or trying to get your work seen and taken seriously, I’ve been there and would love to chat. I also want to hear what you’re working on. I learn a lot from other perspectives, and even if all you need is an ear, I’m happy to listen.

How I can help

Early-career mentees will probably get the most out of our conversations. • Pivoting into design: building confidence, and telling your story, whether you’re a new grad, a career-changer, or still figuring out where you fit • Portfolio and case study critique: honest, constructive feedback on your visual craft, storytelling, and how you present your work • Getting seen and heard: presenting to leadership, influencing without authority, navigating stakeholder standoffs, and building relationships across cross-functional teams • Imposter syndrome: especially if you’re early in your career or the first or only designer on your team • Design skills: UI/UX practices, accessibility, visual design, and illustration

Ask me about

Expertise

Experience

1. UI/UX Designer · Activision, Player Support

   Aug 2022-Present

   UI/UX Designer for proprietary enterprise software within Player Support, ensuring optimization of internal workflows. As well as the design and accessibility of self-service tools on the Player Support website. - Sole designer on a new suite of internal support tools, working closely with product and engineering as we moved away from third-party platforms. - Structured agent experiences around delivering the right data at the right time, making complex information easier to find, reducing average handle time (AHT). - Designed tools for teams supporting millions of players across seasonal content and annual game launches in a live-service environment. - Led internal accessibility workshops and built stakeholder support for WCAG and EAA-aligned design.

2. UI/UX Designer · Reely

   May 2021-June 2023

   Reely is an AI-powered video platform that cuts highlights for esports and sports. - Designed tools and dashboards for video clip editing, asset management, and user administration. - Shaped user roles and permission systems to support complex access and workflow needs. - Worked closely with stakeholders and developers to define requirements and ship scalable internal tools in a fast-moving startup environment.

3. UI/UX Designer · ChainGames

   Apr 2021-Jul 2021

   Chain Games is a blockchain-integrated gaming network that allows for decentralized game of skills contests with real crypto payouts. Designed information architecture and wireframes, focused on defining, organizing and labeling UI related to user accounts, crypto wallets and connecting them to CG's web experience.

4. Illustrator · Freelance

   2013-2021

   Specialized in illustration and graphic design commissions for individuals and small businesses. Projects included: -Poster illustration -Product packaging art -Custom Twitch and Discord icons/emoticons -Music album artwork -Private family and couples portraits -Wedding invitations -and more

5. Production and Operations Manager · Etta+Billie

   Apr 2015-Mar 2020

   Etta + Billie creates sustainable bath + body products. Manufacturing management taught me to think in systems, workflows, and real-world constraints, a foundation for how I approach complex product design today. Led day-to-day production operations. Maintained inventory and batch record documentation for raw materials and finished goods in compliance with FDA requirements, reinforcing a strong foundation in process rigor, traceability, and quality control.

What mentees say