Hi, I’m Kata

(he/him)

I am a UX designer driven by empathy and human centered design. I am determined to design a future where every human is empowered by the technology that surrounds them.

My career path has been a winding journey. It all started with documentary film. I traveled with burlesque circus performers on the road, recording the grit, sweat, blood, tears, and passion of working artists on the road. I then mentored, filmed, and collaborated with a tenacious group of young women from Baltimore City on their own coming of age story. Working for an extremely small production company, decisions were made as a family, every edit, every shot, was composed with humility and a reverence for the power of the camera to bear witness. I learned that being seen and heard are basic human needs, and I carry that lesson like a treasure.

Fascinated with the power of technology to uplift and transform, I headed to Grad School for a deep dive. I had love affairs with Michel Foucault, Adrian Piper, and Deleuze & Guattari, My work focused on the intersection of technology and the self. My thesis explored questions like, “where and what exactly is “I”, and to what extent does technology detract from or enhance that conception?” After school, I felt pulled in the direction of practicality and the basic needs of my immediate community in Baltimore City.

I became a Special Education Teacher over one marathon of a summer. Drawing on the roots of my creative practice, I developed innovative ways for students to experience learning and I modified curriculum based on individual student needs. Ultimately the students were my greatest teacher. I developed the humility, grit, and resilience to think on my feet, tackle difficult problems, and pull beautiful creations out of thin air! As I refined my methods for measuring and tracking student data, I began imagining and inventing new software that would revolutionize the job of a special educator.

I felt like I fully landed when I made the switch to full-time UX Design work in 2020. It is still a thrill to face new and exciting problems everyday. I believe truly excellent design is a product that’s fully imbued with the diversity of all potential users. From the first iterative sketch to the nitty-gritty spread sheets keeping track of design minutia, my work is always aimed at building something inclusive, elegant, and joyful.