Stories and Science—
that’s how I define design research. Impactful research is curating human stories and sharing diverse voices in a way that provides structured data, inspires empathy, and helps product teams remember who they’re building for. What a study looks like changes with every question; there’s no one-size formula for every problem. My research practice mixes validated best practices from cognitive research, measurement tools that support critical thinking and unbiased reasoning, and creative activities to discover new solutions. As a research leader I focus on creating a collaborative space for methodological innovation and deep insights, ensuring we set organizational standards for scientific validity and research ethics.
Research teams are powered by collaboration, precision, and creativity. My goal is to be the kind of leader that unlocks that power.
Like many people in UX, I’m here because I want to make a difference. As a research practitioner this means getting to the root of an experience: how users’ perceptions shape their sentiment, the role of emotion in the task, the impact of culture on user needs. My favorite projects are the most “squishy,” the ones that require assessment of user actions, emotions, and environments. I thrive on challenging questions, leveraging mixing methods to help stakeholders find answers. From a cognitive science background, my first projects in the HF/UX field were focused on collaboration and “user in the loop” systems that balance autonomy with giving the user information and control. Throughout my career I’ve kept that focus on centralizing the user within autonomous systems across domains - from government agencies to software teams to family homes to athletes and wellness journeys. Our devices need to fit into our human lives, into the environments we shape for ourselves, the priorities that earn our attention, and the messy, intertwined routines that shape our days. It is important to me that, as we automate, we center diverse voices to understand how new technology can be helpful, useable, and empowering. It takes more than an understanding of automation: we must consider personal drivers, cultural values, and aesthetic trends in how we live with tech (and tech lives with us).
Research teams make future products possible.
So far I’ve had the privilege to collaborate closely with stakeholders across organizations and use research to drive impactful decision-making. I’ve had the joy of seeing my work help to shape products that clean my friends’ homes and empower my parents to live healthier lives. As a team leader, my hope is that I can be the champion that helps other researchers do the same. I want my teams to feel safe to take risks, supported to push back when they have concerns, and connected to product impacts of their work. I believe this takes many of the same skills I’ve honed as a researcher: active listening, deep empathy, persuasive storytelling, knowing how and when to leverage data. There are also a lot of new challenges in shifting from personal practice to coaching others - but if I wanted things to be easy, I would never have become a researcher. After all, I’m here because I want to make a difference.
I have my share of adventures learning from humans! Take a peak at some moments from research past.
North Shore, MA.
I love my work with Beverly Girls in STEM! Some of my favorite moments are watching kids light up when they get the robot to do something new.
Boston, MA.
As a research leader I want to stay connected to the work - which means I spend a lot of time as a participant! Featured here getting ready to run a VO2 Max test as part of an algorithm development study at WHOOP Labs.
Tartu, Estonia.
Meeting with military leaders from across Europe and the US was a unique experience, and it has stuck with me for a decade.
Toronto, Ontario CAN.
I am always excited to share my work and talk about research as a discipline. UXR Conf 2023 was my first time recording a presentation, and the Learners team was so lovely to work with!
Berlin, Germany.
Working with other researchers is always a privilege, but walking Berlin with a native on the way to our home visit was a unique way to hear stories of the city and how history is still felt by its inhabitants.
Boston, MA & Hilversum, NDL.
Organizing XebiaLabs’s first user round table was an incredible experience, but perhaps the most fun was premiering our user panel logo on stickers.
New Orleans, LA.
In 2023 I was honored to support an iRobot initiative exploring how home robotics could support people living with ALS and their families. We worked closely with The Gleason Foundation on field interviews for a week near their headquarters in LA.
Paris, France.
I don't know if my high school French teacher would be pleased or horrified, but Paris was the first time I was able [attempt] to ask users questions in a different language (although still with help from our translator).