I am a UX designer with 20 years of experience as a pediatric occupational therapist empowering children and families, especially those from marginalized communities. There are a lot of similarities between UX and occupational therapy; both fields are about making an impact for people to make their lives easier. My former career working with children with disabilities has taught me to bring compassion, dedication, and enthusiasm to design. I believe in designing for accessibility so it benefits everyone.
Baby A and I drumming on the bench while working on his gross motor skills
My passion for qualitative research stems from growing up in different countries and states (Taiwan, Okinawa, Hawaii, England, & Seattle) , connecting with people from all backgrounds and listening to their stories. In my work, I love taking on projects that involve collaboration between different disciplines in order to solve complex problems. Some of my favorite projects were: organizing interdisciplinary conferences, designing new workshops, creating new parent-child support groups, and most recently, spearheading the creation of a new business for a non-profit agency.
In my spare time, I enjoy writing, traveling, knitting, cooking, volunteering for a dog rescue organization, and reading my overflowing stacks of books. Some of my writing can be seen here.
Cooking ramen in Kyoto
Making a new friend in Iceland
Taking a rescue pup to her new home