The Story Behind My Work

My career has crossed psychology, research, and product strategy, but the questions that drive my work have remained remarkably consistent. How do people make sense of the world around them? What shapes their decisions? And how can a better understanding of those patterns help predict feelings and behaviors?

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Theses questions initially led me to earn a PhD in Social Cognitive Psychology before eventually transitioning into user experience research. While the context changed from academic research to digital products, the perspective never did. I still approach every challenge by looking beyond observable behavior to understand the expectations, assumptions, and mental models that shape it.

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That perspective has fundamentally influenced the way I practice research. I'm less interested in whether someone can complete a task than in understanding why an experience feels intuitive, confusing, trustworthy, or frustrating in the first place. I enjoy untangling complex problems, uncovering hidden assumptions, and connecting seemingly unrelated signals into a clearer picture of what's really happening.

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Over time, my work has expanded beyond understanding customers alone. Some of the most meaningful opportunities I've encountered haven't started with end users at all. They've started with product teams navigating ambiguity, competing perspectives, or unanswered questions. In those moments, research becomes more than a way to generate insights. It becomes a way to create shared understanding, helping organizations build alignment before they build solutions.

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Whether I'm working with customers, stakeholders, or cross-functional teams, my goal is ultimately the same: to reduce uncertainty, strengthen decision making, and create products that better reflect the people they're designed to serve.