It is remarkable how introducing a young girl to different cultures and countries at an early age can forever change and influence her perception of the world. Such is the case with me, Bella Martin. I have lived on three continents—born in Pittsburgh, I spent most of my childhood in London, England and São Paulo, Brazil. From these early experiences I not only cultivated a love of a changing landscape and an openness to all things foreign and new, but I also learned firsthand that the world is more interconnected than it first appears, if only care is taken to find and appreciate the essence of its parts.
A Study of Opposites
Since then, it could be said that I’ve led my life in the pursuit of finding similarities and interconnections where, at first pass, they do not seem to exist. For instance, in 1996, I graduated Cum Laude in three years from Duquesne University with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and two minors in Biology and French. To many, this seemed an odd mix of subjects. But to me, the in-depth study of any one of the subjects reinforced my love and fueled the fire in my belly for the other two. Together, they provided me with the ability to articulate my broader vision of the world around me.
After graduation in 1996, it was a thrilling moment in time—the internet was gaining momentum and popularity, and as a new medium that lacked hard and fast rules, it allowed me to leverage technology to deliver relevant content in a meaningful new way to large audiences. I spent long hours balancing the customer strategy, technical challenges and the user experience, and time and again, I found that the synergies between these (oftentimes) competing points of view is precisely what opens up opportunities for invention and innovation. With that experience and knowledge, I applied and was accepted into Carnegie Mellon University’s Master of Design Program, where I wrote my Masters Thesis on how to recognize the real-world business cues that can derail innovation efforts.
A New Yorker at Heart
It probably isn’t surprising that calling so many cities “home” has instilled an incurable wanderlust in me, so I now consider myself a New Yorker at heart (another city where I used to live, and plan on returning to one day). I love New York for many reasons, but mainly because everything you say about it, you could say the opposite and it will also hold true…New York supplies a neverending source of opposites to study. I must admit…all the incessant jet-setting has made me into a citizen of the world; and as a design researcher, this helps me in my practice in many ways. So for now, my unbelievably wonderful husband Paul and I plan on raising our daughter, Tori Belle, in the culturally diverse and beautiful city of Atlanta, Georgia.
