Where my students are from

My students came from the de Young Museum, a Tibetan retreat center, Square, SAP, the Transit Authority, a huge law firm and a food-based startup In my most recent General Assembly class. We also had a school psychologist, a wedding planner, a lodge owner, a designer and more.

It is extraordinarily gratifying to serve such a diverse student body! They genuinely seek to improve their research skills and or break into the field. Their passion inspired me to resurrect my coaching practice and develop a suite of teaching tools I continually improve and expand.

To do this—get better and better at connecting knowledge acquisition and application—I use rolling research INSIDE MY CLASSES. I continually ask, “How could this be clearer?” "What works?" "What doesn't?" Then I look for themes and apply that feedback to the materials for the next class. It's rolling because it doesn't stop; I keep researching with my target audience on a regular cadence. The result is a consistent stream of input that informs how to improve their user experience.

By approaching teaching with a growth mindset, I keep learning how to upskill my own abilities while helping others grow in more impactful and sustainable ways. It’s a virtuous cycle that keeps on giving!