About
¡Hola! I am an award-winning UX design lead, design advisor, entrepreneur and public speaker based in Silicon Valley. I am best known for co-designing the original set of Apple emoji. Over the last 15 years, I have focused on user experience, interaction, and visual design. I have managed, led, and contributed to design teams at Apple, Google, Airbnb and Pinterest, and was the CEO and founder of a real-time digital educational platform called Tijiko. I have over 30 design patents spanning an array of products from consumer electronics to IoT devices. I hold a BFA and MFA in Industrial and Graphic Design from the Rhode Island School of Design. I have been featured in a number of national and international publications including WIRED Magazine, Vogue, the BBC and TEDx. When not designing, I focus on educating, inspiring, and empowering underrepresented groups in tech.
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At Google, I focused on crafting Google Assistant experiences where I managed and led UX teams working on Android and iOS mobile experiences as well as other Assistant surfaces (such as smart speakers, TV, and accessory products). In addition, I led UX Diversity and Inclusion efforts within Google’s Search organization and actively participated in national and international design forums. Prior to my time working on Google Assistant, I also managed and headed design efforts for Google Now and one of the teams within X, Google's moonshot factory, and worked on monetization initiatives as a Senior UX designer.
In 2013 while at Airbnb, I led the first major hosting redesign of Airbnb’s mobile app, a design that received a Webby Award upon launch. I worked closely with fellow designers and the company’s co-founders on the overall new look of their iOS7 and Android applications to make sure the hosting and guest experiences properly complemented one another. Today, this design is still at the heart of their product, although has evolved beautifully through updates to their visual design language.
As part of Apple's Human Interface Design team—the group responsible for the iPhone—I contributed to the conception, design, and development of features for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac interfaces. Here, I had the unique opportunity to fully own the end-to-end design experience of individual applications on both iOS and OS X. I also co-designed the original set of Apple’s emoji back in 2008. On the Mac, I was responsible for the design of FaceTime, Notes, and Messages from the ground up, and the redesign of Photo Booth and Mail’s conversation UI. On iOS, I maintained and redesigned Mail (as seen on iOS7) and designed features like Dynamic Type, enhancements to Mail search, FaceTime on iPad, portions of the Settings app, and several system icons and additional emoji sets.
Awards
Google for Startups Founders Academy (selected as 1 of 50 top startups in the US), Tijiko [2021].
Gold Stevie Award in ‘Achievement in Women-related Corporate Social Responsibility’, Tijiko [2020].
Exceptional Woman of Excellence, Women Economic Forum [2019].
Inventor on over 30 Apple and Google patents, [2008–2019].
Empathy Award, Google [2018].
Indigo Award winner (Mobile App and UX Interface & Navigation), Google [2018].
Webby Award winner for Travel (Handheld Devices), Airbnb, [2014].
RISD Graduate Fellowship awarded, [2006–2009].
The Marc Harrison Award for Excellence in Design and Invention, [2006].
The Mary Wardwell Scholarship for academic excellence, [2005].