Hello, I'm Kat.
I am a Principal UX Designer who specializes in unraveling complex systems and turning dense, multi-layered data into intuitive, human-centered experiences. For the past decade, I’ve led product design at TripIt (SAP Concur), steering the user experience for millions of travelers while collaborating across fully distributed, cross-functional teams.
My Professional Philosophy
My approach to design is rooted in empathy and efficiency. Whether I’m navigating top-down executive mandates, establishing foundational design systems from the ground up, or co-leading product discovery, my goal is always to cut through the noise and deliver measurable user and business impact.
Having spent five years working on-site in San Francisco before transitioning to a fully remote role from Tucson for the last five, I am highly accustomed to driving design initiatives, facilitating alignment, and mentoring peers seamlessly across time zones.
Outside of Work
When I’m not untangling complex problems at work, I apply that same systems-thinking approach to my personal passions. I am an avid video gamer with a deep appreciation for highly complex RPGs—recent favorites include Baldur’s Gate 3 and Disco Elysium–which I admire for their ability to craft a truly unforgettable experience. For me, there is immense fulfillment in immersing myself in a brilliantly structured, complex system that creates a world you want to keep coming back to. I also act as a Game Master for a Dungeons & Dragons campaign that I run for my friends. D&D being a notoriously overwhelming system led me to begin crafting a custom UI system that allows me to reduce cognitive load for my players, letting them focus on the experience instead of the system.
My love for travel functions very similarly: I view trip planning as procedural experience design. Setting up the “most awesome trip” requires focusing on every single stage of the experience—crafting a seamless transition that removes you from daily life, allows deep immersion into a new culture or setting, creates space to partake in passions like food, art, and design, and ultimately recharges the internal battery so you return refreshed and inspired with a new perspective.
I’ve also begun a supper club called “Super Casual Supperclub” focused on bringing together family and friends to cook under one roof, with the hopes of establishing a strong sense of community while also allowing folks to explore their cultural roots and share them with others by way of food.
