ABOUT ME
I am passionate about making great experiences that meet business objectives
Establishing best practices
I have established best practices for research at brands like NerdWallet, Kelley Blue Book, and Edmunds.
I excel at identifying a company's research maturity, understanding who a new team should report to, determining characteristics of the first hires, and establishing a process to integrate research into the product lifecycle at whatever level is needed to move the business forward.
Leading and inspiring
I’m deeply committed to cross-functional collaboration.
Whether I'm asked to manage a project or create an entirely new function within an organization, I explore to see what's needed, pull together the right mix of people to work together around a common goal, and lead the project to fruition, on time and within budget. When managing, I'm skilled at identifying talent, and I empower and inspire team members towards growth while meeting the immediate needs of the organization and creating an environment where people can enjoy their jobs.
Mentoring and teaching
I have empowered dozens of designers, product managers, and developers to collect and use their own research insights.
I’ve trained non-researchers at multiple companies to use lean methods that equip them to make informed decisions quickly, and uplevel their skill toolkit.
I hold Master's degrees in both Human Factors/Applied Experimental Psychology and Dance Ethnology. I have deep experience as an educator and am passionate about empowering people to understand their customers firsthand so they can make informed decisions.
I love to give back. I mentor through ADPList, helping people who are new to UX discern their path. I’ve mentored first generation college students and recent grads interested in careers in UX.
Publications and speaking
Books
Articles on hiring researchers and democratizing research in Research Practice: Perspectives from UX Researchers in a Changing Field
Case study in Doorbells, Danger, Dead Batteries: User Research War Stories
Podcasts
Dollars to Donuts focused on people leading UX Research
Yzzi Research focused on prioritizing research topics and projects
Leadership Voyage focused on making research impactful
More coming in 2024!
Guest speaking
SF Design Week talk titled Designing for Trust
Countless events ranging from local UX Meetups to LA Service Jam to SoCal UX Bootcamp
Webinars
UserTesting on Prioritizing Research for Impact