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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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)