Hi, I'm Cathy 👋 I help mission-driven clients use research as a tool for envisioning and designing a better world. I’ve been called many things in my career thus far: evaluator, UX researcher, design researcher, educator, strategist… No matter the title, I get just as excited at the chance to get in the weeds and design an innovative research study as I do by the chance to step back and think about why the insights matter in a big picture sense. I’ve been lucky to have the chance to do both for many clients in the museum sector over the last decade+. Currently, I'm part of the team at Kera Collective (formerly RK&A), a boutique consultancy helping museums bring their visions to life and make a positive difference in people's lives. Over the past decade, I've worked with hundreds of clients in the United States and abroad—ranging from media and exhibition designers to national museums—to lead generative and evaluative research for everything museum audiences interact with, from exhibitions to websites to education programs and more. I also co-chaired the Human-Centered Design group for a leading museum professional organization for 3 years.I love using design research to help shape experiences that ultimately do good for people. My favorite projects today are ones where I get to challenge myself as a researcher (innovative study design, execution, and analysis) and as a strategist (leveraging the insights to design something meaningful). I’m particularly interested in these topics: interactions with the built environment; the intersection of the arts, sciences, and humanities; and civic engagement. A smattering of other things I enjoy: reading and testing recipes (cookbooks = art!), learning about space, speaking French, playing soccer, and thrifting. Though my experience thus far has been largely in the museum and informal learning sectors, I’d love to connect with folx *in any sector* who are using design research and strategy to think more deeply about serving people’s needs. I learn so much from conversations with people doing things differently than what I know.Please reach out!