Meet Leslie Lopez | Graphic Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Leslie Lopez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Leslie, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I was born in Mexico, but grew up in the Katy area. I come from an immigrant background and it has truly shaped everything about me. Seeing how hardworking my family was/is and how they busted their butts to provide me and my siblings for a better life has been the main driver in my work ethic and way I live my life. I hope to be even 1% as inspirational as they have been to me.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve always been super into tech as long as I can remember– this combined with my interest in art led me to pursue Graphic Design as a career. I got my start in sports with the Houston Dynamo (one of my best friends and I actually designed the Houston Dynamo mascot when we were in Art School which led to me being hired full time.), but since then have worked in the Culinary & Hospitality sector and now in the Commercial Real Estate sector. All of them doing what I love to do – design. My experience has taught me how to prioritize, deal with different personalities, and most importantly it taught me to grow as a designer. I’ve learned that where there’s a will there’s a way, just because something isn’t exactly straight forward, doesn’t mean that it’s impossible. I feel like within the last couple years I truly found my footing and my passion within the design realm — interactive pieces and I’m proud to say that they have won me a few awards within my company! Also, while I was on maternity leave this year, I was informed that I won a national award for a branding project I had done. Pretty awesome.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Anytime anyone visits us I honestly take them to Lupe Tortilla or Pappasito’s. I think these are the best beef fajitas in Houston, not gonna lie. For high end Mexican food, I am a big fan of Cuchara. For steaks I enjoy Georgia James. Some of my favorite bars/hangout spots would be Kirby Ice House, Pitch 25, Heights Bier Garten, and Eight Row Flint. I don’t do this as much anymore, but when I lived closer to the city I enjoyed going on picnics near the Menil. The Zoo and Hermann Park are great, if you can withstand the heat! Now that I have kids, we love Levy Park or Evelyn’s Park… amazing splash pads.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My parents for always being super supportive and encouraging. They would move water and earth for me and my siblings (and my kids. I also want to thank my husband Sam for always being my shoulder to lean on and the one person I tell everything to. Lastly, my kids Maya and Benito for being my reason.

Website: https://www.leslievlopez.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslievlopez/

Image Credits
For the Houston Dynamo project – Wilf Thorne