When I tell someone that I am a designer, they often associate this occupation with artists. While their assumption is correct that part of my job is to make things look visually appealing, I think that the core of being a designer is to be a problem solver, and that is what I enjoy.

I migrated to the US from Japan when I was a teenager, and I remember everyday I was hit by the unfamiliarity which led me feel incompetent at times. Because of this, I am particularly passionate about enabling users to feel competent by breaking down the complexities and provide them with simple and intuitive solutions.

Over the years, my role has been slowly evolving from being a do'er to a leader. i genuinely enjoy working with other designers and helping each other grow, and i believe that the more we can do that, the better the future of design will be.