Coforma

We’re pleased to introduce our newly-arrived Director of Product Design, Cat Rayburn! In her early digital days, Cat created visually stunning Macromedia Flash websites that proved to be mostly unusable. Realizing the importance of usability was the epiphany that inspired her to pursue a career in UX. Over the last twenty years, Cat has worked on solving interesting design challenges, from honing the parking skills of self-driving cars to designing data visualizations and algorithms that help teachers identify and address students’ skill gaps. Most recently, she assisted DevOps professionals in updating servers without causing an accidental digital apocalypse. Coforma’s approach to product design aligned well with Cat’s personal mindset. “It’s easy to talk about human-centered design, but it’s hard to do,” she says. “Humans are complicated; we’re all edge cases in some situations. I appreciate Coforma’s commitment to including research in the design process every time and designing beyond the happy path.” Cat was also drawn to our emphasis on collaboration. “I firmly believe that when it comes to teams, the whole is always greater than the sum of its parts,” she says. “While here, I hope to enable the members of the product design team to do some of the best work of their careers.” In her spare time, Cat enjoys transforming her crabgrass yard in Portland, OR into a native plant habitat for birds and pollinators and managing the ever-growing arugula in her vegetable garden. Welcome to the team, Cat! #CoformaCareers #GovernmentServices #CivicTech #ProductDesign

“What I’ve decided in my life is that, if there is a table I’m invited to and I feel like it doesn’t fully reflect the diversity needed to make good decisions, I will either give up my seat to make sure it goes to the right person for [good] decisions to be made. Or I will do my absolute best to add as many seats as possible to make those good decisions.” — Marissa Parisi, Senior Director, Account Management The IMPACT Women in Leadership Podcast celebrates the contributions of trailblazing women in business, technology, government, and beyond. In a recent episode, Marissa shared her journey and perspectives on healthcare innovation, the importance of mentorship, keys to building strong teams and making good decisions, and more. We’re so fortunate to have her on the Coforma team! #Leadership #HealthIT #CivicTech

The latest issue of Collectively has arrived! Read it to catch up on Coforma news, including our recent work with the IRS on the Direct File pilot project, winning solutions from our Health+ Long COVID Healthathon, upcoming industry events our team is attending, and more. #HumanCenteredDesign #DigitalServices #GovernmentServices #CivicTech #ApproachMatters #CoformaCompany

Join us in extending a warm welcome to Amber G., Senior Principal, Business Operations. Amber brings more than sixteen years of experience implementing systems and process improvements in the medical device space. She’s also applied her operational and strategic skills beyond the workplace, helping a local farm scale by over 200 percent during the pandemic and dedicating her time and expertise to organizations supporting at-risk children.  In her role at Coforma, Amber will focus on understanding and improving business processes, implementing strategic initiatives, and enabling the company to thrive. “I appreciate Coforma’s mission-driven focus on advocating for and applying inclusive and equitable practices,” she shares. “We directly impact the communities our partners serve, and I’m incredibly excited to collaborate with the business operations team to further support our meaningful work.” Amber joins our remote team from Boyce, VA, where she enjoys spending time outside with her family of four, gardening, and trying out new recipes. She’s passionate about mental health and mentoring kids through coaching.  We’re pleased you’ve joined the team, Amber! #CoformaCareers #GovernmentServices #CivicTech #BusinessOps

Any low-code devs out there? My company Coforma is hiring for roles at a few different levels, as always, message me for a referral if we've worked together directly before- https://lnkd.in/gF7FF-cC -

Please join us in congratulating Angela Palm Hopkins on her recent promotion to Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Coforma! An award-winning author and seasoned communications strategist, she has shaped heartfelt, human-centered narratives for diverse communities across multiple platforms with 20 years of cumulative experience as a writer, editor, communications and marketing leader, and arts community galvanizer. Prior to Coforma, she worked as the editor in chief for B2B content at Creative Side Marketing, a consultant at Boston’s Grub Street writing center, an editor at WilliamsTown Communications, and Assistant Director of Administration at the Democratic National Convention Committee, among other civic and private sector roles. Angela brings a unique experience and voice to our leadership team, guiding messaging to support a values-driven brand and weaving our collective stories together to inform, engage, and drive positive change in the communities served by our partners. “Angela’s promotion is a direct reflection of the amazing work she’s done and how she’s inspired and mentored a team to enable us to continue to tell our stories in ways that resonate with us and our values,” shares Eduardo F. Ortiz, Coforma CEO. Congrats, Angela! #Leadership #DigitalServices #GovernmentContracting #CoformaCareers

Several Cofolx attended the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs APBI Briefing at George Mason University this past week, gaining insight into the agency’s acquisition and IT transformation initiatives and objectives. We also enjoyed connecting with VA stakeholders and industry peers—including Eric Gonzales and Melinda Pitchford, pictured with us below—by sponsoring the GOVTECH CONNECTS post-briefing VA Official Summer Kick-Off Networking Social. The afternoon offered a unique opportunity to interact with VA leaders and drive discussions centered around addressing Veteran needs. Proceeds from the event helped raise funds for The Headstrong Project, a nonprofit organization that provides stigma-free mental health treatment for our military community. #VeteranServices #DigitalTransformation #CivicTech #VeteranEmployer

We are delighted to announce that Coforma has been awarded a follow-on contract with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to continue helping the agency develop Direct File. Over the next year, our team will work with the IRS as they make Direct File a permanent, free tax filing option for all 50 states and the District of Columbia.  Coforma’s contributions will include coordinating and conducting further design research with Direct File users, and continuing to develop the visual design of the tool, including content design, bilingual content development, user interface design, and accessibility. We’re honored to support the IRS in bringing this tax filing option to a broader population.  Let’s get to work! #DirectFile #IRS #Innovation #CivicTech #DigitalServices #GovernmentServices

Writing in plain language isn’t always easy. It takes time and intention to truly understand and then connect with your audience in a meaningful way. In this article, Rick Allen, Director of Content Design at Coforma, unpacks what plain language is and how to build trust by using it. He also shares several examples of organizations using plain language successfully. Whether you’re new to plain language use or interested in digging deeper with examples and additional resources, Rick’s expertise offers something for everyone seeking to improve their skills. #PlainLanguage #GovernmentServices #CivicTech #Content #ContentDesign #WebsiteContent

Meet Gretchen Raynak, Coforma’s newest Senior Product Designer! Hailing from the Pacific Northwest, Gretchen’s professional journey in UX and visual design began in Portland’s outdoor recreation industry, reflecting her deep love of nature. As her career evolved, she moved toward social impact and civic tech, partnering with nonprofits, education, behavioral health, and government agencies to meet critical design needs. Gretchen is excited to join our growing product design team. “Coforma’s human-centered approach to design and focus on strong partnerships really resonated with me,” she shares. “I look forward to contributing to improving access to digital services and leveling the playing field for people benefitting from them.” In her indoor free time, Gretchen enjoys reading and cooking. Outside, she continues to draw inspiration from the mountain air in Bend, OR, where you can find her running and mountain biking on the trails. Welcome, Gretchen! #HCD #UXDesign #CivicTech #CoformaCareers