Roots
From philosophy and psychology to new media artist
I am deeply rooted in philosophical inquiry (why is a principle sound?), cultivation of creativity (art that matters inspires), and empirical testing (how will human behavior be impacted by digital rules and experiences?). At university, I studied big ideas about ethical systems and theories of knowledge (philosophy) and cognitive science, while cultivating creativity in classical art- painting, illustrating and writing. I was fascinated by how people learn, how meaning is constructed, and how experiences—when thoughtfully designed—can change the way we see and engage with the world.
That curiosity ultimately led me into technology. Through a transformative international program in new media design supported by the creative communities of Rhode Island School of Design and the Fraunhofer Center for Research in Computer Graphics, I discovered 3D modeling, animation, and interactive experience design. Mastering creative tools expanded my creative vocabulary—and widened my view of what I could do in the world.
Shoots
From new media artist to developing new media products
Inspired by advances in animation and interactive storytelling, I began my career as a Technical Artist at LucasArts, helping build new worlds for players to explore in Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds. It was there that I first experienced the unique power of games as systems of meaning, agency, and play.
From service support to producing apps that extend the services
Over time, my work evolved from crafting assets and experiences to shaping the systems behind them. I moved into product management and platform leadership, spending over fifteen years in Bay Area creative and technology ecosystems at companies like Apple, MTV/Nickelodeon, Amazon and Sony PlayStation. Across these environments, I learned how visionary ideas become durable products—through collaboration, experimentation, and a deep respect for both consumers and craft.
At Apple, I witnessed firsthand how hard lessons from early internet services could inform the creation of entirely new product categories. Producing applications like iWork for iPhone and iPad, and helping launch iBooks 2.0 and iBooks Author, lit an enduring passion in me for zero-to-one product creation. That passion carried forward into social games, mobile gaming platforms, and large-scale ecosystems, where I led products designed to help people learn, discover, and play together.
From product managing social games to mobile social gaming platforms
After Apple, I dove into product management, initially in the domain of social gaming. Driven by a deep and lasting curiosity to distill ways kids learn through play together, I grew from optimizing social games for kids— like the award-winning MonkeyQuest— to a global social gaming platform, then a global mobile social gaming platform.
Expanding product domain to platforms leveraging big data, including ML & AI
Gravitating towards system thinking and platform development over time, my domain focus shifted to building consumer grade learning systems enhanced by emerging technologies in big data, including ML/AI elements. Products developed in this domain included: a smart-reader leveraging machine learning to deliver news feed by words and phrases, writing assistance for students and their teachers, and methods to learn new ways to play across the PlayStation ecosystem (console, mobile, web). During this time, I discovered I care deeply about building helpful, accessible and responsible learning systems.
My work at Sony PlayStation was particularly formative. Leading platform experiences during the PlayStation 5 era, I partnered closely with creative, engineering, research, and marketing teams to deliver systems that enhanced player immersion and discovery across console, mobile, and web. That experience reinforced my belief that the best player experiences emerge when creative vision is supported—not constrained—by data-informed product leadership.
Fruits
Big leaps generate big learnings
After launching several products and platforms from zero-to-one, I began reflecting on innovation leaps that framed game-changing new product introductions. Revolutionary new technology only changes industries and markets when harnessed into products that fulfill unmet human needs. Throughout leaps in roles— from technical artist to producer to product manager to head of Innovation— and across industries— from big media and high tech platform development to global consumer electronic toy manufacture— and cutures— from San Francisco to Tokyo, London and Billund— I remain focused on craft that maximizes and democratizes learning. The products I’ve built to educate, entertain and inform are the ones I’m most proud of— especially those that delight players enough to return. Making learning valuable and accessible for everyone has been a driving force throughout all my work.
At the heart of my career is a long-standing fascination with systems: how values become rules, how rules shape behavior, and how thoughtfully designed experiences can invite people to learn, adapt, and reflect. This curiosity first took form through my academic studies in philosophy, cognitive science, and art, where I explored ethical systems, theories of knowledge, and creative expression. I became deeply interested in how humans construct meaning—and how tools, stories, and environments influence what we value and how we act. What inspires us enough to return to explore more?
Building community along the journey
Because I’m a craftsman at heart, and I enjoy the craft of product design, development and management, I develop templates, techniques and talks to share with others along the journey. I began cultivating my product community by mentoring and guest lecturing at the Product School in San Francisco and San Jose. For a couple of years beginning in 2018, I spoke at The Product Event in San Francisco on Product Management & Innovation. I developed and launched a Mentorship Program for PlayStation, San Francisco on behalf of WiTS (Women in Technology @Sony) that continues to flourish. I also led the San Francisco chapter of Women@PlayStation for a year. I continue to mentor product managers, inventors, technologists and researchers at the LEGO Group, and have been building new communities focused on strategic leadership to catalyze innovation. As an Open Innovation Fellow for London & Partners and the Royal College of Art, I spoke on a symposium on corporate innovation acceleration at the Imperial College Business School.
Outside work
Outside work, I love to be outside. You might spot me gardening, reading a book in the garden, scribbling in my notebook in a field, or out and about exploring local arts and culture. In the winter: skiing.
