Desarae is a senior user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) web designer/developer at a leading large-scale IT contractor for aerospace, defense, intelligence, and civilian government. With over 10 years of experience in design, marketing, social media management, digital strategy, and search engine optimization she's one-hell-of an advocate for human computer interaction research.

Experience

Strategist turned interactive agency founder, a background in design & military science. Blogger traveling the world.

Desarae Veit was a consultant and speaker. Her company Agency Couture, LLC. helps businesses and social causes raise their visibility and generate leads through smarter marketing, branding, web design and social media. These days, Desarae provides online etiquette training, keynote presentations and workshops to business owners, job seekers and ladder climbers on the process of leveraging personal branding online and offline.

Desarae is the co-founder of Sniki.org, a social media wiki that was commissioned by the United States Department of Defense, National Defense Academy. She is also the president of Agency Couture, a virtual interactive agency based out of the Twin Cities.

She earned her first degree, an Associates in Science with emphasis in Marine Biology, Radio Television Broadcasting and Aviation Technology, two weeks prior to graduating high school. Her second degree, a BA in graphic arts with a minor in military science, is from Iowa State University. Desarae is a regular blog contributor at ICEDotAthletes.com, SassyStylishGeek.com, and DesaraeVeit.com, about online marketing, gadgets, fashion, fitness, web design and geek news.

For more information visit http://DesaraeVeit.com/ or find Desarae's profile on Twitter (@DesaraeV) and LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/in/desaraeveit.

http://dveit.com/connect.html

When not at work, Desarae’s many interests include traveling, rock climbing, mountain biking, snowboarding, hiking, skiing, volunteering and mentoring (for Grip Mentoring, the Ad Fed Communications Committee and Tri Delta’s for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.) She also enjoys dance, flying, painting, decorating, reading and school.

Education

Bachelors Degree in Art and Design with a minor in Military Science, and an Associate’s Degree in Science with emphasis on aviation technology. Desarae also recently started working towards a Masters Degree in Human Computer Interaction and someday hopes to pursue a Ph.D.

Before moving back to Iowa, Desarae was a Creative Director, Art Designer, Search Engine Marketing Specialist, and Affiliate Manager for multiple digital agencies, a PR agency, and a nationwide Internet-based lead generation company. Prior to that, she was an intern at Gage Marketing.

Ich Liebe Schokolade

Desarae’s favorite candy is Lindt German Chocolate. (In fact, while traveling in Europe, Desarae did her best to buy out the entire Lindt factory in Aachen Germany.)

You'd never know it to look at me, but…

“I was in the Army Reserves (MOS 96B which is Military Intelligence.) From there, I transferred to Air Force ROTC to become a fighter pilot and took part in Civil Air Patrol Flights, as well as the non-military Top Gun program (no sign of Tom Cruise.) I’m just 20 hours short of my private pilot’s license and need an internship to get my Air Frame and Power plant Mechanics license. Oh yeah, I’ve also participated in pageants, cheerleading, competitive dance competitions, extreme sports and am a proud alumnus of Delta, Delta, Delta. I'm even certified to teach barre, sculpt, and power yoga!”

Fast Tracker

Desarae graduated with her Associates Degree in Science three weeks before her high school graduation. She then completed a six-year bachelor’s degree at one of the nation’s top 10 design schools in just three years.

Self-Starter

Desarae started a freelance business at the age of just 17 doing demonstration sales, graphic design and modeling for companies like Procter & Gamble, Pepsi, and Bacardi. She was picked up by two promotional agencies almost immediately and soon became one of Us Marketing and Promotion’s top 10 promotional sales representatives – meaning her store’s inventory sold out nine times out of 10.

Corporate Climber

After just a week as an account executive at MyFreeEstimates.com, an Internet-based company that connects homeowners to contractors, Desarae was offered a design position and then advanced to Creative Director. As such, she was responsible for managing over 110 affiliate campaigns, along with coding development, search engine marketing, print design, identity packaging and more. She also built over 500 Web pages and started the first internship program for MFE, as well as set up their first print/audio campaigns.

Favourite Quotes

Well its hard to let go isn't it, and thats life. What can I tell you -- meet joe black

" Setting an example is not the main means of influencing others; it is the only means. " - Albert Einstien

"Some people create with words, or with music, or with a brush and paints. I like to make something beautiful when I run. I like to make people stop and say, 'I've never seen anyone run like that before.' It's more then just a race, it's a style. It's doing something better than anyone else. It's being creative." - Prefontaine