Nice to meet you!

I’m Willow! (she/hers) I recetly moved to Seattle after graduating in May 2023 from Rutgers University with a degree in cognitive science and informatics.

As a designer, I get excited about —

Breaking down complex, ambiguous problems

I enjoy developing different frameworks to navigate the ~chaos~ of the design process. I find myself relying a lot on my background in art and illustration to transform murky ideas into clear visions for the future.

Throwing my worst ideas at the wall

For me, the most satisfying part of projects is seeing how ideas take shape after constant stages of iterations. I have fun going wide with explorations and I embrace being wrong with confidence.

Bringing out the best in my collaborators

Being Co-President of my design club has shown me how wonderful it is to work with others on something we are collectively passionate about. I’ve learned to pay attention to the strengths and work styles of others and think about what I can do to help them do their best work.

My design journey

I took a leap of faith after my first year of college and switched from nursing to product design. Even though the two paths are pretty different, I like that both involve understanding and empowering people.

As a self-taught designer, I’ve gained experience by working in distinct spaces — from being the sole designer at a student-led social startup to a research assistant at an HCI research lab to an intern at healthcare and tech companies.

These experiences have led me to value collaborative environments where I can work with inspiring, passionate people on projects that support creativity and productivity.

In order to make design education and resources more accessible at Rutgers, I helped found Rutgers Creative X in Fall 2020. As Co-President, I started an annual designation, taught design workshops, and organized industry speaker events. It’s been incredibly rewarding to watch the club grow and become a community for students interested in design.