Whitmire VoDesigner. Engineer. Graduate Student.

Scientists discover it. 
Engineers prove it.
I turn it into what people need.


Hi there, my name is Whitmire. I'm an industrial designer and a graduate student at RISD. Before design, I spent five years in field operations as an engineer and three years in UX. In my program I work with scientists, engineers and researchers to bring their research to the people who will use it. As the bridge and translator, I take the time to understand how each person sees the world, so we're all working toward the same goal.


Project 01

Mobile Barber Station

2025
Client: Cutthroat Houston
Role: Industrial Designer


How might we expand a barbershop’s revenue using a mobile station instead of a permanent storefront?

Context
: A barbershop needed to grow without the high cost of a second location.

Action: I designed a mobile station using the shop's brand language and worked with a fabricator to build it.

Impact: Created a functional, modular station that lets the business test new markets with zero rent.


Project 02

Breastmilk supply monitor and tracker

2025 - Present
Client: enoa 
Role: Industrial Designer


How might we capture precise breast milk data without disrupting the existing pumping workflow?

Context
: New mothers lack accurate, real-time data on milk production during the lactation journey.

Action: I led the industrial design of a monitoring device that sits between the pump and the bottle. I collaborated with an electrical engineer to ensure the form factor worked with existing market hardware.

Impact: Delivered a concept hardware solution and developed the brand voice for upcoming fundraising.





Project 03

Focus Tablet Game for ADHD

2021
Client: Neuroscape 
Role: UX Designer


How might we teach complex gameplay mechanics to a diverse audience without overwhelming them during active play?

Context: Players across all ages struggled to learn "Invisible Mode" when the VR game was ported to tablets.

Action: Inspired by dance choreography, I designed a four-stage progressive voice-over system that faded out auditory cues as the player’s mastery increased.

Impact: Created a scalable learning system effective for both children and seniors, maintaining the game's challenge while removing the barrier to entry.

Project 04

Handheld Blender Concept

2026
Client: Chobani (Concept)
Role: Industrial Designer


How might we translate the soft, organic, and "approachable-premium" brand values of Chobani into a functional kitchen appliance?


Context: Most handheld blenders are aggressive, industrial-looking, and prioritize power over the kitchen aesthetic.

Action: I redesigned the handheld blender by deconstructing Chobani’s visual DNA—focusing on soft-touch materials, ergonomic curves, and a color palette that feels "natural" rather than mechanical.

Impact: Produced a high-fidelity conceptual form study that bridges the gap between food branding and hardware design.

Project 05

Vietnamese BBQ: Redesigning Cultural Entry Points

2026
Client: Pi Pizza 
Role: Art Director


How might we use the familiar "visual language" of American BBQ to introduce diners to lesser-known Vietnamese flavors?

Context
: Most diners' perceptions of Vietnamese cuisine are limited to Pho and Banh Mi, creating a barrier to exploring more traditional, regional dishes.

Action: I collaborated with a Pit Master to design a fusion dining experience in Portland. We used the "American BBQ" format as an accessible framework to present complex, unfamiliar Vietnamese ingredients.

Impact: Created a successful cultural bridge that used strategic "fusion" as a tool for education, making new flavors approachable through a familiar dining ritual.

Whitmire Vo

Education


Rhode Island School of Design
Masters in Industrial Design 
Expected Graduation May 2028

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Completed Course: Product Design and Development
Spring 2026

Advanced Design  
Completed Courses: Digital Tools, Sketching I, Studio ID, Product Marketing

University of Houston
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering



Skills


Design Software:
SolidWorks, Fusion360, Rhino, Figma, AdobeSuite (Indesign, , KeyShot, Procreate, CLO3D


AI & Automation Platforms:
Claude, ClaudeCode, Gemini, ChatGPT


Collaboration & Documentation Tools:
Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, Miro, Notion, Jira, Airtable, Trello, Asana, Monday

Languages:
Vietnamese, Spanish

Experience 


Industrial Design Work

Stephen Gould | Industry: Packaging Design | Providence, RI

Cutthroat Houston
| Industry: Hospitality/Retail Design | Houston, TX

Enoa | Industry: FemTech/Maternal Health | San Francisco, CA


UX Design Work

SAGA | Industry: Artificial Intelligence & Social Wellbeing| New York, NY

Cerulean | Industry: Artificial Intelligence & Fashion | San Francisco, CA

NeuroScape | Industry: Neuroscience Research/Health Tech | San Francisco, CA

Amrev Media | Industry: Mental Health | Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

Exposure | Industry: Content Management System |New York, NY

Illuminate | Industry: Public Art | San Francisco, CA

Kiritsu Design & Technology | Industry: Cosmetic & Beauty | Toronto, ON, Canada

CommunityShare | Industry: Education | Tucson, AZ

Kurani | Industry: Architecture | Atlanta, GA

Engineering Work

Schlumberger

Business Analyst (2019 - 2020)
Project Coordinator/Resource Manager (2018 - 2019)
Senior Operations Engineer (2015 - 2018)
portfolio in progressTop