Skills  

Research:

Designing interview protocol

Ethnographic research methods

Clinical & scientific research methods

 

Design thinking:

Data analysis & synthesis

Insights generation 

Problem framing

Workshop facilitation & co-creation

Concept generation & development 

Rapid prototyping & testing

 

Communication: 

Diagramming

Creating compelling narratives

 

Tools:

Adobe Creative Suite

Rhinoceros 3D + Keyshot

Grasshopper

Photography

HTML & CSS

SPSS

Python

 

SELECT Leadership    

 

IDeal2017, ID

Co-chair | jan 2017 - present

Implementing a design swarm to help local community

organization in Chicago.

 

IncludeID, ID

Co-chair | may 2016 - feb 2017

Worked alongside administration to strengthen diversity &

inclusion at ID.

 

Classified Presidential Black Knight, IIT

Exec. member | jan 2011 – may 2012

Reported student wants & challenges to IIT president to

influence policy change.

 

Recognition 

ID Graduate Fellowship | fall 2015 

Archeworks Design Fellow | fall 2014 

Lincoln Laureate of Illinois | fall 2011

Fifty for the Future | fall 2011

Leadership Scholarship | fall 2009 

 

Select EXPERIENCES

 

Design Lab, MIT | june 2017 – present | Design Strategist 

design strategy / user research / communication design

/prototyping

 

Conducting in-depth ethnography & market analysis, defining

opportunity spaces, concept development, prototyping, testing

and implementation for global conglomerate aimed at making

systems level changes. 

 

Vamonde design strategy intern | june – august 2016

user research / design & business strategy / communication

design

 

Conducted stakeholder interviews to define opportunity

spaces, made financial, partnership & service portfolio

recommendations to the innovation & strategy team.

 

Center for Behavioral Intervention Technologies (BITs),

Northwestern University |jan 2013 – april 2015

user research / product development / usability testing

 

Conducted clinical diagnostic interviews, developed & facilitated

usability testing via surveys, interviews and focus groups to

evaluate & improve the design, performance & efficiency of

Behavioral Intervention Technologies (BITs) for depressed teens

and adults. BITs ranged from a smart pill bottle aimed at

medication adherence to a suite of mental health care digital apps

developed using Cognitive Behavioral Techniques.

 

SELECT CLIENT PROJECTS

Prominent cancer research institute in NY* + Institute of Design |

jan - june 2017

 

user research / design planning / design strategy

 

Conducted expert interviews to identify best practices for

customer engagement, hub services, data sharing & risk reframing

for customers before and after treatment. 

 

Large pet food conglomerate + Institute of Design | jun 2012 –

sept 2012 

user research / design strategy / prototyping / implementation

strategy

 

Conducted ethnography research (via cultural probes, focus

groups, contextual inquiries etc.) to understand pain-

points of pet-owners & craft potential solutions. Prototyped &

user-tested concepts for feasibility, viability & desirability. A

concept catalog with a pilot plan was delivered to the client, with

research insights & design recommendations for implementation.

 

EDUCATION

Master of Design (MDES) + Foundation

Expected graduation date | may 2018 

Institute of Design, Illinois Institute of Technology

 

B.Sc Psychology

Minors: Biology, Entrepreneurship | aug 2012 

School of Psychology, Illinois Institute of Technology