My life’s work thus far, from academia to industry, from specialist to generalist, has culminated in a passion for UX Research Leadership. In my first career, as a Professor of African art history, I studied ephemeral art that vanished and left human memory behind. The vibrancy of those memories, and the people who held them, were far more compelling than any art object. I followed that love of people, stories, and visual culture into my career as a UX Research Leader. I have worked with Fortune 100/500 organizations in government, fintech, automotive, and communications media, and insurance. I bring powerful lens shifting to my work, offering clients and organizations a competitive edge via rigorous research detail alongside broad strategic insight. In a recent project, I conducted research that coupled my deep industry-specific experience with finger on the pulse knowledge of disruptors to that industry. My team delivered a solution to our client that helped them remain competitive in a swiftly changing landscape.My diverse background means that I create powerful empathetic bridges within my team:-Between team members from different disciplines-Between my team and the client-Between my client and their usersMy extensive public speaking experience, along with improv comedy training, means I deliver presentations that are concise, engaging, and memorable.I bring a deep rooted love of learning to my work. I have a BA from Wellesley College (cum laude), MA and Ph.D. degrees in African Art History from Yale, and an MSI in Human Computer Interaction from the University of Michigan. I was a Fulbright Scholar in Nigeria where I studied women’s body and mural painting in the southeastern region of the country. Key Capabilities:-Managing and Mentoring junior team members, managing teams-UX research (benchmarking, product analytics, quantitative research, ethnography/contextual inquiry, market research, journey mapping, JTBD, interviewing)-UX Research Strategy-UX Research OperationsCover Image Credit: Julie Mehretu, Stadia II, (2004). © Julie Mehretu, courtesy of the Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh.