Growing up, my mom would often draw random squiggles on napkins (usually at Chinese restaurants, where the napkins were thicker and better quality) and ask me to turn them into something. I learned to transform those meaningless lines into faces, objects, and patterns. That was my first lesson in design: finding signal in noise.

I still design for the moment before the answer is obvious. I look for the emotional potential inside friction, and I bring restraint and narrative to every project. Over time, I’ve learned to lean into imperfection. That's because real people are not predictable, and good design makes space for that.

At the University of British Columbia, I studied Cognitive Systems to understand how people perceive, misinterpret, and emotionally attach to designed things. It taught me to notice what people don't say and to trust the messy process of discovery.

Alongside my studies, I built a tech community of over 800 students in Vancouver. I believe the best design happens when more people learn to trust their own squiggles, to see potential in their roughest, most uncertain ideas.

Outside of work, you can find me doodling, exploring the countryside, or losing myself in dubstep.

— Isanna