The UX Ladder

Nate Dumas is a design anthropologist, UX researcher, and cultural strategist who brings a human-first lens to tech and fintech innovation. With a Ph.D. from UC Berkeley and experience teaching at UC Santa Cruz, Nate is passionate about designing products that reflect real-world diversity. He’s also a health and fitness enthusiast and a vocal advocate for inclusion, always pushing for better, smarter, and more equitable design.

Researcher, actor, writer, and comedian, Denzil J Meyers’ career is rooted in curiosity, creativity, and the art of discovery. A Media & Entertainment Professional, Denzil was leading research work long before UX was even a term—shaping insights across industries like fintech, retail, fashion, and hospitality for top brands like Soho House and The Ned.

Priscilla Hung is a UX Designer at FreeWorld, where she combines her background as an Occupational Therapist with user-centered design to address generational poverty and reduce recidivism. With a deep understanding of user needs, she creates impactful, human-centered solutions. Outside of work, Priscilla enjoys volunteering, exploring new design trends, and beta testing innovative products.

A remarkable UX researcher currently in the gaming industry, Dària is known for her intelligence, curiosity, and structured approach. Driven by a self-starter attitude, Dària's background in academia and experience across various industries have honed her natural gift for understanding people and products. An adventurous world traveler and avid gamer, she's an inspiring leader with a genuine dedication to inclusion.

Andrea, a web content and digital marketing designer at Zumiez, is a creative powerhouse. With a focus on UX design, her wide range of creative pursuits bring a unique perspective to her work. Beyond her professional role, Andrea's interests shine through in her self-taught art, love for Jane Austen, and passion for ballet. A gifted storyteller and presenter, she has a knack for weaving intricate ideas and plots into captivating narratives.

A Lead Visual and UX Designer at Google, Sharona work focuses on real-world journeys. Beyond her professional role, she’s also a talented painter, leather worker, and photographer—finding beauty in unexpected places, like a crushed New York coffee cup on the sidewalk.

Jason Branch, Senior Designer at Square, is a design leader who focuses on the end-to-end experience. He has dedicated his career to making financial products accessible to underbanked and underrepresented communities. A storyteller, bookworm, and creator, Jason also leads Off

Maroun Najjar, Head of Design at Patch, drives the brand and product design teams shaping the future of carbon markets. A visionary leader and multifaceted designer, Maroun is an adventurer at heart, a globe-trotter who thrives in nature, and a passionate reader and writer.

Lotus Lee is a seasoned mixed-method researcher with a decade of experience across diverse industries including music, education, and finance. As a specialist in UX research, she thrives in creative environments and champions collaborative processes. Originally from San Francisco and now based in Brooklyn, she once rode her bike from San Francisco to Los Angeles for AIDS awareness. In her free time, she enjoys climbing and reading on a park bench with her dog, Lucy, who is often described as a cat trapped in a dog’s body.

A staff level product designer at Chronosphere with unmatched empathy, Soraya also holds an advanced degree in fashion design and grows all her own vegetables. Soraya lives by the words, "I never think about beauty, but when I have finished, if the solution is not beautiful, I know it is wrong." Years ago I posed a question to her: if you could ask anyone anything what would it be? To which she replied, what made you laugh today?