Feben Alemu

Meg Allen

Hi! I'm Meg, a UX Researcher born and raised in the Seattle area. Right before joining MHCID, I studied Cognitive Science at Wellesley College, conducting research on topics like language acquisition and brain development. I'm immensely passionate about people, the way they think, the way they learn, and how they experience their surroundings, and I'm so excited to be channeling these passions into my career as a UX Researcher.

Uma Anupindi

Hi! I'm Uma, a Product Designer from India with 10+ years of experience. In the past, I have worked on digital product interfaces with a focus on health, wearables, and IoT - including experience in the early stages of product design at a startup. I've also worked in the FinTech innovation space. I love creating meaningful and impactful products and aim to specialize in product innovation. Though I started as a self-taught UX designer, I'm now formalizing and deepening my knowledge of HCI. My diverse background, which includes a Bachelor's in Accessories Design, experience in branding/advertising, and a passion for designing experiences has transformed me into a T-shaped professional. The sweet spot between psychology and design is where I thrive. I'm deeply interested in questions around human motivation, decision-making, and designing for behavior change that can benefit health. I'm excited to explore these topics further and apply my skills to create products that truly improve people's lives.

Joanne Chang

Hi I’m Joanne, a UX designer with 8+ years of experience in online retail, blending teaching empathy with business strategy to craft user-centered designs driving impactful solutions.

Maitri Chauhan

I am Maitri Chauhan, a User Expierence designer. Prior to the MHCID program, I graduated with a Bachelor of Design degree from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad and then worked for around 3 years as a UX/Product designer in the Finance and E-commerce industry, at companies - D.E. Shaw, Kotak Mahindra Bank, and SockSoho. My primary skills and interests lie in User Interface, User Experience, User Research, and Visual design. Besides design, I enjoy traveling, dancing and any kind of adventure sports!

Alex Chen

Hello, I am Alex, a product designer with 3 years of experience working in agencies, public sectors, and academia. I graduated from the National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University in Taiwan with degrees in Management Science and Computer Science. I have experience in both UX Design and User Research. Previously, I worked in the Office of the Digital Minister of Taiwan and BORING Design Lab. Additionally, I have co-authored several papers and posters published in top conferences in HCI, one of which won the Honorable Mention for Best Paper Award at CHI.

Clemens Chen

Manjiri Dehankar

Hi! I'm Manjiri, a Product Experience Designer with 4 years of industry experience. Before joining the MHCID program, I worked at a design agency, contributing my expertise to the development of various B2B products. I hold a Bachelor's degree in Architecture from the Academy of Architecture, Mumbai. Outside of my academic and professional endeavors, I'm a well-rounded individual with a passion for exploration. I enjoy traveling to new places, tending to my garden, and engaging in diverse outdoor activities. With my strong background in design and architecture, combined with my diverse interests, I'm excited to leverage the MHCID program to create impactful digital experiences.

Han Feng

Hello 👋 I am Han! I am a UX Researcher interested in product accessibility, user-centered design, and many diverse projects. Walla Walla, WA is home for me but I have been living in Seattle for more than 6 years. I graduated from the HCDE program at UW in 2023 and worked on multiple accessibility research experiences at different research insitutions, inclduing Microsoft Research, UW BIoengineering, UW-IT. Outside of school and work, I love to chef at home and involve in any sports activity that does not invovle intense running.

Jamie Fong

I'm an end-to-end product designer with a background rooted in anthropology. Prior to joining the MHCID program, I worked as a product designer for both in-house and agency teams, specializing in translating technically intensive products in the B2B space for a broader audience. I'm originally from the San Fransisco Bay Area, but have lived in Seattle for many years and travel back and forth frequently.

Nick Hallin

Jishnu Hari

I am a product designer fro India with over 5years of work expereince in the Fintech, Education and Healthcare domain. I've worked for both agencies and in-house product teams. Currently into design systems, iconography and climbing.

Judy Hu

Hi! I'm Judy, a product designer based in Seattle, Washington. With experience in Visual Design within B2B tech and currently pursuing my Master's in Human-Computer Interaction and Design, I'm passionate about creating digital experiences that seamlessly integrate aesthetics and user-centric design.

Husna Kadvanchi

Jiho Kim

Hi! I'm Jiho, a Seoul native passionate about blending creativity and technology. With a background in Fashion Design and Museology, I aim to create accessible experiences at the intersection of Augmented Reality(AR), Human-AI interaction, and Accessibility. I'm passionate about developing solutions that empower the blind or low vision(BLV) and deaf or hard of hearing(DHH) communities.

Sneha Lakshmanan

Hi! I’m Sneha, a product designer from Los Angeles. My bachelors degree in Bioinformatics fueled my interest for analyzing data and uncovering non-obvious insights. However, I was craving a more creative career and discovered design. I have experience designing digital tools for healthcare and health and wellness, both consumer-facing and enterprise. I enjoy the end-to-end design process, service design, and critiquing emerging tech. My passions include accessibility to healthy living, nurturing relationships and communities, and creating memorable, perspective shifting experiences. I am inspired by traveling, reading fantasy adventure novels, and being in nature.

Stevie Lemons

Howdy! I'm Stevie, a UX Researcher from Dallas with a heart for helping others. I'm most interested in education, social justice, and environmental sustainability. After completing a Master's in Library and Information Science at UCLA, I spent many happy years as a school librarian. While I love working with children and witnessing this beautifully interesting life stage, I find my interest applies to all ages and all the other beautiful life stages. I enjoy exploring people, their desires, and their behaviors. I seek to conduct user research to improve products that enrich people's lives.

Peter Lin

Hi, I am Peter! I am a UX designer with a background in architecture and urban planning. I am a huge believer in the value of making as a thinking tool. I like to build experiences that explore the connection between place, community, and joy.

Katherine Liu

👋🏼 Hi! I'm Katherine 🙂 I studied journalism at Northwestern University and worked as a Learning Experience Designer at Amazon Robotics for about three years, creating instructional/training material for maintenance technicians. I love jumping into new spaces, untangling details and ambiguity, and learning about users. After graduation, I aim to design memorable and efficient interactions in the wellness, entertainment, and/or healthcare spaces. Outside of school, I love to run, play Spikeball, try new recipes, and explore the PNW one hike/alpine lake at a time.

Michelle Lopez

I'm a mixed methods UX researcher with entrepreneurial, product management, and professional content creation experience. Prior to joining the MHCID program, I worked as a Product Owner at Yelp in San Francisco/New York and a Business Systems Analyst at Puppet, a DevOps start-up in Portland, OR. I also spend time working on Hummingbird High, my popular baking website with recipes featured in The New York Times, Bon Appetit magazine, and other press. Follow me!

Louise Lu

Hi, my name is Louise! As a UX Designer with an architectural background, I take an interdisciplinary approach that blends experience design and physical prototyping principles with digital user experience. I completed my bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and went on to pursue my Master’s of Architecture at Yale University prior to attending MHCI+D. My previous work experience has primarily been within architectural design firms in NYC and San Francisco. I am particularly passionate about working within the fields of entertainment, sustainability, emerging tech, as well as health and being.

Roman Meza

I’m Roman, a product designer with a background in customer service and storytelling. I’m passionate about technology-mediated experiences that enable people to engage their creativity and shape meaningful interaction. I have a B.A. in Philosophy + Comparative Literature from The Evergreen State College and a photography practice with work published in T Magazine, Surface Mag, and Elle Decor.

Varun Narayanswamy

Hi I'm Varun, a software engeer and designer from Boulder, Colorado. My bachelor's was in Creative Technology and Design at the University of Colorado, Boulder and I worked previously as a fullstack developer at Seagate Technology. My interests lie in the intersection of technology in storytelling and education. Outside of sitting at my computer, I enjoy hiking, running, spending time with friends, and reading a book outside on a nice day.

Zihui Ni

Hi! My name is Zihui, and I’m a UX researcher. Before joining this program, I was working in clinical research at a children’s hospital. I pursued double majors in psychology and mathematics during my undergraduate studies. My professional interests lie in the intersection of UX, social equity and accessibility.

Michael Onwuchuruba

Tanu Padath

Auzeen Rahgoshay

Hi, there! I'm Auzeen, a UX Designer from Orange County, California. Prior to MHCI+D, I earned my undergraduate degrees in Criminology, Law & Society and Psychological Science from the University of California, Irvine which spurred my passion for understanding human behavior and bridging barriers to access for marginalized communities. I leverage my multidisciplinary background in law, psychology, and human-computer interaction to design intuitive, data-driven digital experiences with accessibility, diversity, and inclusion in mind. I'm most drawn to opportunities that enable me to leverage technology for social good and meaningful impact. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out on LinkedIn! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

Aarushi Sharma

Hello, I'm Aarushi, a multi-disciplinary UX designer with a background in architecture and interior design. Prior to joining the MHCID program at UW, I practiced as an architect in New Delhi, India for close to 6 years. I'm deeply passionate about experience and service design, finding the process of imbuing meaning into design challenges profoundly fulfilling and cathartic. Beyond design, I enjoy facilitating team collaboration, crafting design strategies, and mentoring others. Drawing from my architectural background, I'm particularly enjoy particiapting in discourse around philosophy of experience, a skill I continually refine during my graduate studies. I invested in the cause for equity in HCI and love to talk about it. Outside of work, I take delight in collecting books, indulging in art and appreciating nature. Feel free to drop a message on Linkedin if you wanna chat!

Shweta Sharma

Annie Song

Hi! I’m Annie. I’m a UX Researcher with a background in program management, strategy, and finance. Prior to joining MHCI+D, I worked at Samsung Electronics America in Mountain View, working on products such as the Art Store of Samsung Frame TV and Samsung Rewards. I truly believe that everyone is unique in their own way. Therefore, I strive to be the researcher who embraces diversity in people and thoughts. Outside of work, I love going to contemporary art museums and spending time with Rookie (the cutest long-haired Chihuahua in the world). If you have any questions, feel free to contact me on LinkedIn!

Kritika Sony

Tiffany Streitenberger

Hi my name is Tiffany, CogSci Machine Learning turned Product Designer! I was born in Japan and lived in the Bay Area pretty much majority of my life. I’ve worked as a Project Manager and Product Designer in edTech and transportation and hope to continue the path as a Product Designer. Besides design, I love to take pottery classes with my classmates, crafting, and taking film pictures. Happy to connect on LinkedIn for questions!

Asa Symons

Samantha Ting

Hi, I'm Sam! I'm a mixed-methods user researcher, service designer and product manager with 6 years of experience in government digital services, public policy and communications. I've also been managing a team for the last 3 years. I’m a huge nerd-at-heart - I love looking at complex problems from multiple angles and love facilitating workshops to work through problems together with others. Outside of work, I’m a dog mom and an avid home chef. I want to continue working on multi-touchpoint services in the future, across industries. Let's chat!

Ivy Tseng

Hello! I'm Ivy, a Product Designer with 7 years of experience working in the design industry. I earned my undergraduate degree from Parsons School of Design in Fashion Design (BFA), and worked as a Women's Leathergoods Designer at Coach New York where I co-designed globally distributed products. I'm most drawn to the domains of entertainment, health and wellness, accessibility, and sustainability.

Hridae Walia

I'm an Interaction Designer who likes to create experiences that reach beyond the screen. I previously studied Interaction Design at CCA in San Francisco and worked as a designer on various digital and physical projects.

Charlotte Wang

Caiya Wiltshire

Hi! I'm Caiya Wiltshire, a mechanical engineer and product designer from San Antonio, Texas! I graduated undergrad in 2023 and immediatly joined the MHCID program. I loved my previous internships designing hardware, but wanted to learn how to design products for users. I'm passionate about making technology accessible, creating memorable experiences, and helping people in any way I can!

Di Xia

Kelly Zhong

Hi, I'm Kelly! I'm a UX Designer from San Diego, California. I graduated from UCLA in 2022 with a major in Cognitive Science and Specialization in Computing and a minor in Digital Humanities. I'm interested in working within the realms of entertainment, social wellbeing, and emerging technologies.