About

When I first read about Design Thinking in Change by Design by Tim Brown, I realized that I unintentionally spent my entire life honing skills for human-centered design. 

 

As a photographer and journalist, my entire working career was user research: observing scenes, contextual inquiry of how people move in situations, assessing light and discovering  the nuances of a person in order to define their essence in a still moment. 

 

Similarly, my passion for wild foraging relies on thorough research. I pour over guidebooks to identify plants and log data to map fertile hunting grounds.  I’ve learned to read the stories the weather and environment tell to locate edible mushrooms. Never eat the finds of a mycologist who can’t back their identifications with reliable data! 

 

The best coaching is all about the best UX.  For a team to operate at its most competitive flow, each member must be engaged, understand the prompts, and feel empowered to play the sport in a good headspace.  Designing successful teams requires empathy for each player’s fluctuations.  Developing strategies requires conveying information that players can understand and act upon intuitively, oftentimes under pressure. This kind of Design Thinking was my specialty for 14 years as an athlete, captain and coach of roller derby both in the US and in Norway, including on Team USA.

 

Most recently, I started my own sustainable bags company, Life on Mars Goods, making functional leather bags.  I create all the pieces myself, including many custom orders.  Through this work, I iterate on physical designs that solve people's problems.  Listening to what people need from their everyday carry, is a deep look into the human condition.

 

Connecting with people is my life’s work…and motivation.