My journey into product development began, of all places, onstage! I started 

performing at the age of three, and enjoyed developing the ultimate product, a show, with my fellow castmates in Chicago for many years. When I was 15 and ready to become an actress, I enrolled in a physics class in high school, and everything changed. I had no idea up until that point that there was a science that explains everything I see, hear, and feel. After a few weeks, I found myself in a conversation with my theatre directors about the exciting subject I had just discovered. They wound up asking me if I would like to apply my new learnings and start working behind the scenes in addition to performing onstage.

 

Before I knew it, I was designing and creating sets and mechanical props for the theatre, something I would continue to do for several years. While I was making large-scale dragon puppets, designing trees to fall on cue, and constructing Cinderella’s horse-drawn carriage, I was unknowingly getting my first taste of the product development process, and I was hooked. At this point, I knew I wanted to continue making things forever, and was thus inspired to choose my college major.

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While earning my degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, I worked with Caterpillar, conducting analyses of failed parts in mining vehicles and redesigning as necessary, and with John Deere to improve the process of installing filtering mechanisms within their harvesting machines. Seeing the farmers’ perspective was a revelation; I realized that any engineering solution must be a good fit for the body and the mind. 

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This solidified my passion for human-centered design, and I made it my goal to work for a company rooted in this subject. Upon graduating in 2013, I joined Grayhill, a manufacturer of human interfaces, as a Sales Engineer. Besides acting as a liason between the technical and business divisions of the company, I oversaw and led the design of electromechanical interfaces from concept, to prototype, to production. After nearly two years in the working world, I decided to continue my education and become an expert in product development.

 

I am currently getting my master's in Engineering Design and Innovation at Northwestern University, which is an intersection of engineering, art, and psychology.

It is focused on getting inside the mind of the user in order to create optimal consumer products. I'm also a strong advocate for engineering education, and fulfill several roles that are about spreading the love.

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In a nutshell, I am a kid at heart who is endlessly curious and passionate about bettering the world through science.

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If you liked my story, I'd love to hear from you!