Hi, I’m Kate! A UX lead with 10 years of experience designing intuitive, user-centered products
I specialize in turning complex systems into seamless experiences, leading research, design, and strategy across B2B, B2C, and e-commerce projects.
Based in Raleigh, NC, I’m seeking hybrid and remote opportunities. Let’s connect!
Please reach out to request my resume and case study password.
“Even when requirements were ambiguous or feedback was tough, Kate would be a steady presence, with a solution-oriented attitude that set an example for me and others on the project.”
— Katie C., Content Strategy Director, Tank Design
“Kate has been both a mentor and valued collaborator to me over the years. She's generously shared her expertise to help me grow my understanding of UX design, always making time to explain her process or work through complex design problems.”
— Meghan S., Senior Visual Designer, Tank Design
Experience
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MAY 2019 - AUG 2025 (6 YRS) | SOMERVILLE, MA & REMOTE
Led and supported UX initiatives across dozens of high-profile clients and industries, guiding projects from discovery through delivery. Partnered with cross-functional teams to define user needs, design scalable systems, and launch intuitive digital experiences that drive measurable business results.
Highlights include leading a complete website and product experience redesign for a global travel and leisure brand, serving as UX lead for enterprise SaaS and higher education clients, and supporting career and e-commerce platforms with new information architectures, design systems, and usability improvements. Regularly conducted discovery research, tree testing, content strategy, and accessibility consulting, while mentoring teammates and presenting design recommendations to stakeholders.
Collaborated closely with product managers, engineers, and client leadership to build design libraries, optimize workflows, and elevate UX maturity across organizations. Recognized for proactive problem-solving and uncovering opportunities that expanded client partnerships. -
FEB 2016 - MAY 2019 (3 YRS) | CAMBRIDGE, MA
Designed and optimized responsive user experiences across healthcare, fintech, retail, automotive, and petroleum sectors, collaborating with cross-disciplinary teams in agile environments.
Contributed to Watson Health Imaging, creating intuitive EMR summarization tools to streamline decision-making for ER physicians, and supported Watson Health Cloud initiatives focused on data accessibility and usability.
Led wireframing and interaction design efforts for major clients including Hertz, including an audit and QA of the main site and app, and redesigned child brands Dollar and Thrifty for improved consistency and usability.
Participated in user research, heuristic evaluations, and design workshops to identify project goals, user pain points and translate findings into actionable design strategies.
Collaborated on early design system initiatives to ensure cohesion and scalability across multiple product teams.
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2007 - 2015
Graphic Designer & Support Roles – SavingStar, Mohawk Fine Papers, LabPrints Solutions
Beyond UX
On a typical Saturday you’ll find me immersed in a jigsaw puzzle, TV show playing, with a cup of tea nearby. I also enjoy crocheting, biking and reading — and I’m always planning my next travel adventure (ask me about the Egypt bucket-list tour!).
My curiosity for places and patterns helps me bring fresh perspectives to UX design.
My favorite UX & strategy books
Here are a few of the books that have shaped how I approach UX, strategy, and design leadership. Each one has influenced how I solve problems and collaborate with teams.
For discovery
These books really stood out to me and helped improve my own discovery methodologies. They’re well written, short, and have become a fixture in my library.
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Practical Design Discovery by Dan Brown
Brown distills discovery into a clear, linear process, making it easier to adapt and refine within real-world projects.
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Just Enough Research by Erika Hall
Hall demystifies research by showing how lightweight, well-chosen methods can strengthen product decisions without slowing teams down. (Side note: I recommend following Erika Hall on her socials!)
Best practices & how-tos
This section gathers the practical guides I turn to when I need clear methods and actionable advice. These books focus on the “how” of UX — from running research and crafting surveys to designing forms and presenting work. They’re the kinds of resources I keep within reach for sharpening skills and solving everyday design challenges.
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Surveys That Work by Caroline Jarrett
The most practical survey guide I’ve found for UX work — targeted, actionable, and far more relevant than generic online resources.
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Forms That Work by Caroline Jarrett and Gerry Gaffney
Forms That Work is a concise resource on form design that deepened my understanding of how small interaction details impact usability.
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Solving Product Design Exercises
A practical primer for preparing design interviews, especially useful for honing quick, structured problem-solving.
Information architecture
I’m passionate about information architecture, especially the challenge of shaping new systems, testing them with users, and refining through iteration. These books have deepened my understanding of IA, and I also recommend following thought leaders like Dan Klyn and Jorge Arango for ongoing insights into the practice.
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Information Architecture: For the Web and Beyond by Louis Rosenfeld, Peter Morville, Jorge Arango
The definitive IA reference, offering frameworks and toolkits for everything from research through validation.
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Everyday Information Architecture by Lisa Maria Marquis
A quick, approachable read that makes IA principles accessible for both new practitioners and product teams.
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Information Anxiety 2 by Richard Saul Wurman, Loring Leifer, David Sume, Karen Whitehouse
Though out of print, this classic offers valuable perspective on the history and practice of information architecture.
UX strategy toolkit
These books — along with NNg — are essentials in any UX strategist’s library. While real-world practice is the best teacher, they provide a solid foundation for both new and seasoned practitioners. I keep them close by for those moments when I hit a roadblock and need fresh insight to move my work forward.
Tina Fey
“You can’t be that kid standing at the top of the waterslide, overthinking it. You have to go down the chute.”
With over a decade of experience in UX design and strategy, I bring a mix of curiosity, systems thinking, and practical expertise to every project. Whether it’s simplifying complex information, leading discovery and design, or collaborating across teams, my goal is always to create intuitive, impactful experiences.
If you’d like to see more of my work, request access to my case studies, or explore how I could support your team, I’d love to connect.