About Me

Hi! I'm Marla Erwin, a web, print and interface designer in Austin, Texas. While my print background goes back to the days of X-acto knives and border tape, my true passion is the web; designing a site and then coding it is a blissful workout for both sides of my brain.

I am currently Interactive Art Director at Whole Foods Market. I'm also an evangelist for web standards and accessibility, and an enthusiastic student of social media. I speak occasionally at conferences in Austin and elsewhere. Best way to keep up with me, if you're interested, is to follow me on Twitter.

Social media

If you're following me on Twitter because you've heard me speak and are expecting a high-quality stream of professional posts... well, sorry to disappoint you. My personal account is a toy for me; you'll get political snark, interesting song lyrics, and running commentary on whatever I happen to be watching on TV. But feel free to follow, and say hi so I know you're not a bot.

I'm pretty protective of my Facebook, LinkedIn, and location-based accounts. If we haven't met or at least conversed frequently online, I probably won't add you. It's not you, it's me.

Personal stuff

When I'm not working, I'm noodling around online, reading (design, history, politics, and science for dummies) and considering — seriously this time! — pulling my old guitar out of the closet.

My most amazing accomplishment? I once managed to get a decommissioned U.S. Postal Service jeep to go faster than the speed of light. This is absolutely true.

External Validation

These are excerpts. For full text, please see my LinkedIn profile.

"What makes Marla a must-have speaker? She knows her material, but goes a step above by delivering well-structured information in a conversational and energetic style that completely engages the audience. It's a winning combination that makes her a memorable speaker — and provides for a memorable conference."

—Kat Meyer, Conference Organizer, O'Reilly Media

"Marla's web design and development expertise, especially as it relates to smart, friendly user interface design, is second to none. With the rare ability to think strategically while getting the work done herself, Marla is basically a four person design team in one ... a priceless asset for any team focused on achieving great things online."

—Slaton Carter, Community Development Manager, Whole Foods Market

"I have worked with dozens of Web Development professionals and Marla is clearly the best of them all. She took the time to truly understand my clients needs' and understands that function is more important than form."

—Jerry Baldwin, President, MarketingPoint

"Marla is creative, honest, and responsive. She constantly thinks out of the box. She is irreplaceable in my book."

—Jodi Stoltenberg, President, WebVoice

"Marla is one of the best designers I've ever worked with, as well as being one of the most reliable colleagues I know. She probably knows more about design and usability than almost anyone in her field."

—Kimberly Paternoster, President, Wicked Code, Inc.

"Marla's tenacity for results is unsurpassed. She has incredible customer empathy and a broad range of knowledge in web user experience. She can take abstract concepts and translate them into simplicity."

—Matthew Bookspan, Director of Product Management, Pluck

"Designers like Marla who listen and collaborate while understanding the importance of detail and the strategy of a campaign are rare."

—Bethany Allee, Channel Manager, CollegeClub, Inc.

back to top of page