I am a product designer in Philadelphia where I live with my boyfriend, our two cats, and three tarantulas.
Before I was a designer, I studied biology and studio art in undergrad. My passion was in visual arts but my brain was interested in solving hard logical problems and I felt strongly that whatever I was going to do in life, I wanted it to be in service of helping others. While I was uncertain how to combine these disparate career interests, I ended up working in an immunology research lab studying the genetics of CD4+ immune cells and autoimmune disorder therapies at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. I enjoyed my 4 years there but I wanted to find something that utilized my creativity and allowed me to see the impacts of my work. I learned about UX/UI design from my developer brother, who thought I would be happy and successful in this role.
It’s been over 2 years since I started my product design journey and I wish I’d make this change years earlier. I love getting into the weeds of problem solving, uncovering user insights, and creating something beautiful. The large scope of the profession has really fed my desire for perpetual learning. For the past year I’ve had the privilege of leading design at an early stage start-up looking to use AI to strengthen America’s social safety net.
I identify as a generalist and I enjoy being involved in product strategy, which makes me well suited to a start-up environment. In my next role, I’d love to be able to collaborate with a team of designers. I’m also strongly interested in agency work, and am open to consulting or freelance.
I love all kinds of art practices and enjoy dabbling in new types of crafts, but ceramics is the one that currently holds my heart. I’m also going to yoga, brushing up on my Spanish, and cooking up a lot of wonderful things in the kitchen with my partner. In nicer weather, I love hiking, biking, and camping.
Design Books: Inclusive Design for a Digital World, The Mom Test, Strategic Writing for UX
Fiction and Memoirs: Into Thin Air, The Idiot, Black Cake, Bunny, Down the Drain
Cookbooks: Korean American, I Dream of Dinner
Albums: Desire, I want to turn into you - Caroline Polachek, Have you heard of Christmas? - Matt Rogers
Movies: Poor Things, Bottoms, The Holdovers
TV: Fargo, Survivor, Rupaul’s Drag Race
Digital Products: Arc, Focusmate, Dreaming Spanish