Julio Negron, Senior Creative Designer with Motional, with his family.
Each month, we're highlighting the people who are using their talents and passions to help make driverless vehicles a reality. Our team is driven by something more.
Julio Negron, a Senior Creative Designer with Motional, tells us about his favorite project, the best advice he's received in his career, and what Hispanic Heritage Month means to him.
Describe your role at Motional - what do you do?
I’m a Senior Creative Designer in Marketing. I do all sorts of content creation; Social media graphics, video editing, motion graphics -- anything and everything!
What is your favorite thing about working in the AV/Tech Industry?
I love that I’m working in a field that could one day change the way people get from point A to point B.
Who are some of your mentors, both personal and professional, that inspire you?
I’ve been lucky to work with some great people in my career. The best have been the ones that not only complement my skill-set, but also challenge me to be just a tiny bit better with each project. Matthew Sobocinski during my POLITICO days and Michael Brenner at Pegasystems were two people that took a chance on me and gave me the confidence to shoot a little bit higher than I was aiming.
What has been one of your favorite projects you’ve worked on during your time at Motional? And why?
One of my favorite projects was one of my first. I produced a sizzle reel during my first few weeks at Motional. It was a crash course in applying Motional’s brand guidelines into a video and finding clever ways to present how far the company had come in such a short amount of time. It also gave me the opportunity to get buy-in from all of my colleagues right away and prove that I was a good addition to the team.
What’s a fun fact about yourself that people would be surprised to know?
A fun fact is that back in 2018, I was part of The Washington Post team that won the Investigative Reporting category of the 2018 Pulitzer Prize.
Outside of work, what are some of your favorite hobbies and passions?
I love playing video games. Elden Ring, God of War, Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom are some of my recent favorites. I also love watching baseball even though my Washington Nationals aren’t as fun as they were back in 2019.
Julio on a recent trip to Disneyland with his family.
What’s the latest TV show you’ve been binging?
The Bear! Such a great show with amazing characters. My wife and I caught up on two seasons in no time. I would never consider myself a foodie but the characters were so compelling it kept me glued.
What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you?
It’s an appreciation of where I came from and the ancestors that came before me. Everything I am and have done is in part to my parents, my extended Puerto Rican family, and the many people that helped me get to where I am now.
What is some of the best advice you’ve received during your career?
Focus on the details. During my first motion graphics job, my colleague reminded me that even though I’m designing for video, i.e. 24-30 frames per second, I need to make sure each frame is something I’d be proud of.
If there was one thing you could tell your teenage self, what would it be?
Everything is going to work out as long as you keep moving forward.
How do you define success?
I define success as progress. If I’m a better version of myself today than yesterday, I am successful.
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