# Alan Matthew Castro

> Seeking Full Time UX Design and Research Positions | Proficient in Figma | BA in Cognitive Science

Location: Santa Clara, California, United States
Profile: https://flows.cv/alanmatthewcastro

I’m an educator and researcher at heart who cares deeply about people, clarity, and meaningful impact.

With a background in cognitive science, teaching, and user research, I’ve spent my career understanding how people think, learn, and make decisions — and then building systems that support them. Whether designing curriculum, facilitating research sessions, or coordinating complex projects, I’m driven by excellence, creativity, and service.

As a teacher, I regularly design learning experiences, gather feedback, and iterate quickly — balancing structure with empathy. My work has always centered around communication, organization, and helping others succeed.

I’m now seeking opportunities where I can apply my strengths in research, coordination, learning design, or people-focused operations. If you value thoughtfulness, initiative, and someone who genuinely cares about doing good work, I’d love to connect!

## Work Experience
### After School Teacher @ Palo Alto Community Child Care
Jan 2022 – Present | Palo Alto, California, United States
- Developed monthly club curriculum for 45-50 students ranging from K to 5th grade, showcasing strong visual design, planning, project management skills, and organizational abilities
- Demonstrated exceptional leadership skills through teacher-led arts and crafts, outdoor games, and STEM projects
- Collaborated with coworkers to design lesson plans tailored to diverse learning styles and student needs
- Showcased strong conflict resolution and problem solving skills through managing student interactions
- Exhibited excellent data collection and writing skills through creating behavior reports on specific students

### Extern, News Corp @ Extern
Jan 2025 – Jan 2025 | New York, New York, United States
Contributed to News Corp’s initiative to personalize digital news experiences for Gen Z audiences through emerging AI technologies. Conducted mixed-methods research and competitive analysis to inform data-driven product decisions across News Corp’s portfolio.
- Explored applications of AI personalization to improve relevance, engagement, and content discovery for younger readers.
- Designed and distributed a Gen Z user survey to gather insights on reading habits, personalization preferences, and trust in AI-driven content.
- Performed competitive analyses of leading news apps and platforms to identify UX, algorithmic, and engagement best practices.
- Synthesized quantitative and qualitative data into actionable insights, visualizations, and KPIs for executive review.
- Delivered a final presentation and strategic recommendations on how News Corp could integrate AI personalization into future product development.

### User Experience Designer @ Think Round, Inc.
Jan 2024 – Jan 2024 | San Francisco, California, United States
- Utilized UX design expertise as a volunteer with the Center for the Human Family in San Francisco
- Implemented and prototyped interactive features on the Center's educational app to enhance user experience

### UX/UI Design Trainee @ Springboard
Jan 2022 – Jan 2024 | San Francisco, California, United States
Mastered skills in information architecture, sketching and wireframing, prototyping and testing, eCommerce and browsing, persuasive and anticipatory design, gamification and behavior change, dashboards and data design, social media and messaging, and product lifecycle

### Registered Behavior Technician @ Kyo
Jan 2021 – Jan 2022 | Sunnyvale, California, United States
- Provided direct support to special needs and autistic children by facilitating the learning of targeted behaviors, reducing unwanted behaviors, and instructing on essential daily living tasks
- Tracked and collected behavior data to monitor progress and outcomes 
- Exhibited excellent decision making and problem solving skills when dealing with client problem behaviors
- Reported results to supervisors for ongoing evaluation and adjustments


## Education
### Bachelor of Arts - BA in Cognitive Science
University of California, Merced

### UX Design Certification
Springboard

### The King's Academy, Sunnyvale, CA


## Contact & Social
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/alan-matthew-castro-088997186
- Portfolio: https://alancastrodesign.com

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Source: https://flows.cv/alanmatthewcastro
JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/alanmatthewcastro/resume.json
Last updated: 2026-04-13