ABOUT ME

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. As a people manager, 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 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

• Guest on podcasts

  • Dollars to Donuts focused on people leading UX Research (2015 and 2024)

  • Yzzi Research focused on prioritizing research topics and projects

  • Leadership Voyage focused on making research impactful

• 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