Digital NSW HTML email system
An accessible, reusable email framework for NSW Government, built end-to-end across templates, components, documentation and the supporting site.
Available for thoughtful digital product work
Lauren Hitchon is a technology manager, full stack developer and design systems practitioner.
I build rich, accessible web products end-to-end: Next.js applications, authentication, REST and GraphQL APIs, database integrations, HTML email systems, CMS platforms and production design systems.
I came to technology through digital design, so I care about the full surface of a product: how it is planned, written, designed, built, maintained and experienced. Accessibility is a baseline, not an add-on.
Selected work
Built and maintained
NSW Design System
Front-end utility framework, Sass theming model, design tokens, documentation and reusable interactive components including Popover, Tooltip, Toggletip, Back to top and Card carousel.
Digital NSW
Production web delivery across content, platform maintenance, Drupal, design quality, accessibility and stakeholder support.
AlburyCity
A responsive, mobile-first council website redesign that increased mobile traffic and modernised the service experience.
FlyAlbury
Regional airport website delivery and maintenance supporting passenger information, destination content and local government service updates.
Albury Entertainment Centre
Venue website delivery and maintenance for event information, performance listings and regional arts audience engagement.
Practice
Where I work best
I work comfortably between product strategy and implementation: shaping roadmaps, clarifying stakeholder needs, mentoring technical staff, managing delivery and building the product details myself when that is the shortest path to quality.
My long-running CMS background covers Squiz Matrix and Drupal, with WordPress in the mix, and more than a decade of production work across government, education, arts and local government digital services.
Experience
Career history
Acting Technology Manager
Department of Customer Service, Digital NSW
Product ownership, people leadership, strategy, vendor evaluation, roadmap planning and hands-on full stack delivery across digital products and platforms.
Senior Application Administrator
Department of Customer Service, Digital NSW
Application administration, workflow optimisation, stakeholder support and internal tools built with Next.js, React, TypeScript, Node.js, authentication, APIs and database integrations.
Senior Front End Developer
Department of Customer Service, Digital NSW
Delivered a major expansion of the NSW Design System's front-end capability across utility classes, Sass theming and reusable interactive components.
Developer
Department of Customer Service, Digital NSW
Maintained government websites and digital channels, shipped email templates and contributed the foundations of the Digital NSW email system.
Digital Designer
AlburyCity
Designed and shipped websites, applications, landing pages, UI systems and HTML email campaigns from concept through production.
Marketing Web Officer
Charles Sturt University
Maintained the university marketing web environment in Squiz Matrix, created HTML email campaigns and supported web policy, analytics and UI standards.
Marketing and Communications Officer
Murray Arts
Managed newsletters, website updates, annual report production and weekly radio segments supporting regional arts marketing and community programs.
Administrative Assistant
The Tasmanian Polytechnic
Provided administrative, financial, student-facing and team coordination support across the Clothing, Textiles and Design department.
Venue Hire Coordinator / Museum Assistant
Canberra Museum and Gallery
Coordinated events, service providers, gallery operations, reporting and environmental monitoring for museum displays and exhibitions.
Tools
Capabilities
- Next.js
- React
- TypeScript
- Node.js
- Tailwind CSS
- Drupal
- Squiz Matrix
- Design systems
- WCAG 2.2
- Figma
- Illustrator
- Azure
- Power Platform
- PostgreSQL (Neon)
- libSQL (Turso)
- MongoDB
- Vercel
- REST APIs
- GraphQL
- Authentication
- GitHub Actions
- WordPress
- WAI-ARIA
- SEO
- Performance
- Photoshop
- InDesign
Soft skills
How I work
- Leadership
- People management
- Product ownership
- Stakeholder engagement
- Client interaction
- Project management
- Time management
- Communication
- Collaboration
- Problem-solving
- Adaptability
- Attention to detail
- Accountability
Education
Formal study
- Diploma of Information Technology (Multimedia), TAFE NSW
- Certificate III in Printing and Graphic Arts, Tasmanian Polytechnic
- Bachelor of Arts (Visual Arts), Australian National University
- Certificate I in Clothing Production, Canberra Institute of Technology
Credentials
Certifications
- Digital Leadership, UNSW
- Advanced Analytics, UNSW
- Web Development (Back-End), TAFE NSW
- Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals
- Responsive Web Design, freeCodeCamp
- Front End Development Libraries, freeCodeCamp
- JavaScript Algorithms and Data Structures, freeCodeCamp