Website
Rivanna Authorities Website
I collaborated with the Rivanna team, a public utilities agency, to revamp its outdated digital presence into a cohesive, accessible, and user-centered platform. I helped manage the content strategy, crafted intuitive UX workflows, and designed and delivered a trio of branded sister sites that strengthened community engagement across Charlottesville and Albemarle County.
* The project was created in partnership with Red Orange Studio and was a result of collaboration with other team members.
Structuring Three Distinct User Journeys
To better serve the communities of Albemarle County and Charlottesville, I partnered with a content strategist to reimagine Rivanna’s former single website as three distinct platforms: Water & Sewer Authority, Solid Waste Authority, and the umbrella Authorities site. This shift was rooted in user needs, ensuring that visitors could quickly find the services and resources most relevant to them.
Working alongside the strategist, I helped refine the new site architectures and content plans, then created three color-coded sitemaps and wireframes to map content across each property. Keeping user goals and frustrations front of mind, I translated the strategy into visual blueprints that provided clarity both for the end users and for the client’s internal team.
One Brand, Three Unique Applications
With only a logo in place, I developed a visual system that could flex across three different sites while still feeling like one cohesive brand. Each site was anchored by a core color — blue for Water & Sewer, green for Solid Waste, and gray for the global Authorities site — supported by a shared palette, consistent design elements, and unified linking strategy.
This thoughtful use of color and hierarchy created both unity and individuality, giving each site a distinct identity while reinforcing the larger Rivanna Authorities brand. From layouts to imagery, the design balanced clarity, accessibility, and visual cohesion.
Building for Client and Community Ease
I built all three websites in WordPress using the Uncode builder, tailoring the backend to be as intuitive as the front end. This approach made it easy for the Rivanna team to update content, replicate page structures, and grow the sites over time without heavy reliance on outside support (which was a pain point in their past experience).
Beyond the build, I provided an in-depth recorded training and ongoing support to ensure the client felt comfortable managing their new digital presence. The result was a suite of sites that not only improved the public’s access to resources but also empowered the client to maintain and evolve them long term.
"I have to tell you, I have really enjoyed working with Alex."
“She’s been very patient and kind, and her tutorial videos are super helpful. Our goal was to make the site work for our users—from engineers to laypeople—and now it really does. We used to get calls all the time—’Where is this?’ ‘What do we accept?’—and now all of that is right on the front page. It’s been very purposeful.”
- Happy Client
