Paula Nolan is a Junior UX Designer at SmartBear in Galway, Ireland, who recently returned to the tech industry after a 16-year absence.
During the Covid lockdowns in 2020 and 2021, Paula earned two postgraduate diplomas in user experience design, achieving first-class honours. Paula ran a successful photography business for 11 years and now works alongside much younger peers, and her passion lies in designing solutions that address user problems.
In 2018, Paula created the Humans of Offaly project, interviewing 100 people from Tullamore to New York to record history for future generations. She is currently working on publishing a book on the project, with the proceeds going towards charities and worthy causes in her area. Before joining SmartBear, Paula was a software engineer for Eir Ireland, the country’s primary fixed-line and mobile telecommunications services provider. Paula has a Bachelor’s degree from Maynooth University and postgraduate diplomas in computer science, art, graphic design, multimedia, and digital marketing.
In addition to her work, Paula is an avid marathon runner who has completed five Dublin City Marathons and raised thousands of euro for three terminally ill brothers. She also led a successful fundraising initiative in 2021 by running 100 miles a month to raise funds to help her neighbour receive life-changing treatment for Lyme disease in Cyprus. Additionally, she spearheaded a fundraising campaign to purchase specialist equipment for a sensory room at her local primary school. This led to the school opening a resource centre for autistic children one year later.