About me

Before I ever designed digital products, I was a visual storyteller. I grew up in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, with a camera constantly in hand, experimenting with photojournalism, motion design, animation, and video production. I formally built on this foundation at the American University of Central Asia, earning my B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communications. That program trained me in qualitative research, interviewing, and narrative storytelling—skills that ended up being the exact backbone I rely on today when leading user research and executive design presentations.

During my undergraduate studies, I spent an exchange semester in New York at Bard College as a scholarship recipient, focusing on graphic design and visual composition. I spent years known as the go-to multimedia specialist in my creative network before making the leap into interaction design.

My creative focus gained a deeper purpose when I began researching disability culture and accessibility. Realizing that design choices can either include or exclude people, I joined the Equal Opportunities Social Center in Kyrgyzstan. I directed educational video content for deaf children through a UNICEF initiative, produced tactile interactive books for visually impaired students, and trained in adaptive vocational systems with partners in South Korea.

When I was tasked with designing a national healthcare application for the Ministry of Health in Kyrgyzstan, I realized that technical aesthetics weren't enough. I needed a deeper scientific understanding of how humans process information, navigate complex software, and interact with screens.

To bridge the gap between creative execution and research-backed system design, I moved to California to attend Stanford University. I earned my Master’s in Learning, Design, and Technology at the Stanford Graduate School of Education as a Dean’s Fellow, becoming the first woman from Kyrgyzstan to graduate from the university. My research examined Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and scaffolded interaction models to understand how cognitive science informs accessible, enterprise-scale software design.

In my design practice, I bring a visual artist’s eye for craft together with systematic UX research. I focus on creating interfaces that respect human cognition, clear away unnecessary friction, and feel intuitive from the very first interaction.

Living in California with my family, my love for visual media is as strong as ever. As a mother of two, I've learned that managing toddlers is actually the ultimate preparation for high-stakes project management and staying grounded under pressure—to the point where slipping away to focus on work sometimes feels like a peaceful break.

We spend as much time as possible exploring and traveling across California and beyond. I document our journeys through photography and video, sharing our life and creative work on Instagram with a growing community of over 27,000 followers. Whether I’m shaping complex product interfaces, framing a shot on the road, or building Lego towers at home, I'm always looking for ways to capture clarity and bring people together.