Design Researcher & Strategist

Inquisitive product designer who champions user perspective. Draws on experience in user research and design thinking to reframe challenges and discover new opportunities. Expertly facilitates user interviews and multidisciplinary design sessions. Passionate about translating insights into thoughtful and delightful products.  Known for creativity, communication, multidisciplinary collaboration and leadership.

Professional Experience

User Experience Research / Summer 2016

Google, YouTube Pilot Studio Intern, San Bruno, California

  • Scoped, designed and executed user research exploring new concepts for Pilot Studio, a highly experimental team.

  • Built understanding of current use cases and informed future functions for Motion Stills, an iOS application, through strategizing and executing in depth user interviews.  Within one month of study completion, team launched text update and Motion Stills was integrated into Google Photos.

  • Prototyped new experience for YouTube creators and followers.  Piloted new diary approach and completed in depth interviews.  Synthesized results and presented recommendations to inform future efforts.

Senior Researcher / November 2011 to September 2015

Procter & Gamble, Hair Care Research & Development, Cincinnati, Ohio

  • Designed, moderated, and analyzed qualitative and quantitative consumer studies to build in depth consumer understanding and inform innovation strategy; strategically selected methodologies to suit project needs - including in home and remote 1:1 interviews, rapid cycle prototype panels, focus groups, co-creation, ethnographic observation and in home product use with survey.

  • Translated consumer insights into product and package design specifications and collaborated with multifunctional teams to bring desired consumer experience to life

  • Recommended and led creation of branded scientific digital content, including assessing content gaps, developing demonstrations, storyboarding, and writing scripts and articles to highlight product benefits.

  • Inventor on US patent 9,233,055: identified cause of product failure through ethnographic analysis and contributed consumer-centric design features to new shampoo technology

  • Led Cornell Researcher Recruiting team, recognized as corporate gold standard

  • Coached prototyping with passion for holistic product design and rapid cycle prototyping

Researcher / August 2009 to November 2011

Procter & Gamble, Duracell Research & Development, Bethel, Connecticut

  • Supervised prototyping operations and experiments, evaluated raw data, and formally presented results and recommendations in relation to battery innovations

  • Led quality assurance efforts for key raw material through creation of visual standard and acted as supplier liaison.

Analytical Chemistry Intern / Summer 2008

L'Oreal USA Research and Development, Clark, New Jersey

  • Developed methods to investigate skin's absorption of potentially beneficial metals through inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Education

Stanford University / Expected June 2017

Graduate Design Program, Palo Alto, CA, 

Masters of Science in Engineering

Graduate School of Business, Ignite Graduate

  • Relevant Coursework: Design Leadership, Creativity & Innovation, d.Media, Design of Data, Behavior Design, Design Research Techniques

  • Course Assistant: Design & Business Factors, Advanced Product Design Implementation, Product Design Methods, Visual Thinking, Design Sketching, Judging Historical Significance through the Automobile

Cornell University / May 2009

College of Arts and Sciences, Ithaca, NY

B.A. Chemistry, Visual Studies

ET Cetera

My YouTube debut was originally created as a prototype but led to the creation of an in house digital studio – for which I served as a copywriter, hand model, set designer and production go-to.

My work was recently featured on the Stanford Product Realization Lab's website

I'm the very middle of five children.  With two brothers, two sisters and now two in-laws, a nephew and a niece, I love cooking for, skiing with, and spending time with my family.