John Dufresne
I'm a Boston based UX designer and startup enthusiast. My love for startups stems from my passion for products and the intricate methods to deliver an experience that makes people feel delightful and satisfied. I am highly ambitious and love tackling problems with a compulsion to find viable, human-centered solutions.
I have experience in product design and project management. My skills in UX design and passion for entrepreneurialism give me a unique edge for understanding the process needed to design user-centered solutions that have business needs in mind.
I enjoy reading fantasy novels and design-focused books whenever I have the time. Some books I've enjoyed are "The Kingkiller Chronicles" by Patrick Rothfuss, "Lean Startup" by Eric Ries, and "Hooked" by Nir Eyal, to name a few. I would love any suggestions.
Every day for over a decade, I have played chess on the mobile app "Chess With Friends." I genuinely enjoy the game and find it relaxing to focus my mind for a few moments on something other than work or personal issues. Please send me a game invite @mr. dufresne
Since moving to Boston, I have integrated myself with Boston's Startup Community. I have volunteered at the CIC's Venture Cafe, helped organize hackathons, attended workshops, conferences, and meetups. I recently joined the team managing the Boston Startup Week event that facilitates entrepreneurs and employees of startups to learn and network with a week-long event focused on inclusion and community.
My Journey
General Assembly UX Design Immersive
As I learned more about product design, I came across the profession of UX Design. I felt a real physical and emotional draw to the work and people. The instructors tell me most cohorts don't click the way mine did, so I'm forever grateful for the skills and experience I learned at General Assembly and for the friends I made.
Reality Virtually Hackathon 2016-2019
I had the pleasure of being a lead organizer for the world's largest VR/AR/MR hackathon at MIT's Media Lab for three years. The event taught me so much and gave me friends for life. I am so excited for the tech in VR/AR/MR and what role Boston plays in it all.
HackNEU 2017 hackathon
I enjoyed helping organize a hackathon at Northeastern University. We ran a 24-hour hackathon, fed the students well and often while they worked hard all night.
Winner of AngleHack 2017 hackathon
I entered a hackathon just for the fun of it and won 1st place with the initial concept for, Parley. I met and worked with some wonderful and talented people.
Epicenter Entrepreneur Accelerator
I was accepted into an accelerator program when I first moved to Boston. It was one of the most effective programs I've taken. Malia Lazu and her team taught me the necessities of entrepreneurialism while helping me with my confidence and presentation skills.
Techstars 2015 Demo Day
When I moved to Boston, I quickly realized the best strategy to network with Boston’s tech community is volunteering. I helped Techstars with their demo day event and got to mingle with some brilliant entrepreneurs.