ABOUT ME   –
Elaine simplifies complexity. Putting the user at the heart of her work, she layers her design experiences with communication, storytelling, and accessibility.
She is a solutions-focused, critical thinker, that applies empathetic design principles, driven by a love for typography and classic design. Elaine developed her experience while working between creative agencies, consulting companies, global enterprise tech, and startup environments.
She understands how to build flexible products at a global scale, by delivering design solutions with a simplicity that addresses the business requirements and meets the user needs.
BACKGROUND   –
Elaine has a background in architecture to which she attributes her rigorous thought process and structured way of thinking.
After discovering a passion for computers, she decided to switch her work focus to the digital realm and pursued a master’s in Design and Technology at Parsons School of Design.
She has worked in consulting companies, technology firms, advertising agencies, and startup environments; each was considered a top company in its category. Through this broad range of experience, she developed a distinctive ability to balance business requirements and user needs.
Her leadership role at Fabrica required her to build trusted relationships with founder/owners and business decision-makers. Understanding their core business priorities requires her to combine her consulting experience with her product design skills to exceed the clients’ expectations and business targets.
WORK   –
Dealerware
Manager, UX Design
Jul 2021 – Dec 2022
Fabrica Collective
Co-Founder Experience Design | New York
Jun 2017 – Jul 2021
Pundit Club
Founding Product Designer | New York
Jan 2016 – Jan 2019
Alphabet Inc.
Interaction Designer Level IV | New York
Jun 2014 – Dec 2015
McCann
Experience Design Lead | New York
May 2012 – Jun 2014
Adobe Inc.
Senior User Experience Designer | New York
Aug 2010 – May 2012
Sapient Corp.
Manager Information Architect | New York
Feb 2007 – Aug 2010
R/GA
Interaction Designer | New York
Aug 2003 – May 2005

Questions & Opinions

WHY DID YOU JOIN A STARTUP?   –
I had been advising entrepreneurs and ex-coworkers on different business ventures: fashion, finance, real estate, and gaming, one of which was Pundit Club. The team at Pundit Club was solid, diverse, and experienced; people with whom I’d worked in the past and trusted. I liked the product, and when they secured a round of investment, I joined.
Working at an early-stage startup exposed me to develop a series of valuable skills. I helped write the investment decks, had exposure to the conversations. Created a research strategy to get user feedback from the app. From the initial conception of the app to going live and adapting it based on feedback, I experienced the process from start to end.
WHY FABRICA?   –
My passion for solving unique problems and helping others have access to great design solutions ultimately led to creating Fabrica.
After being approached to develop a prototype to train the national youth soccer team of Sweden that gamified their learning techniques developed during training sessions, I formed Fabrica with two partners.
Since then, we have developed brand strategies, e-commerce sites, marketing websites, fixed broken apps, and developed additional prototypes.
FAVORITE APP?   –
Grammarly, I think this is a great way to apply artificial intelligence towards a common good. It empowerss users to expand their vocabulary and express themselves correctly.
I hope they develop other languages.
ON COLLABORATION   –
Most of my work involves working with people with different skill sets to create a solution.
I consider collaboration to be fundamental to delivering effective solutions. Embracing diversity of thought and opinion requires an environment that encourages active listening where all voices are heard.
As an empath my leadership style is grounded in a desire to embrace different perspectives from all members of my team. This sometimes involves encourages those shy members of the team to make their voices heard.
ON LEADERSHIP   –
I consider a strong leader one who sets their team up for success.
I am a doer, and I lead by example, but I also let my team members explore and come up with their own solutions. I believe people will outperform when being motivated and have the freedom to have their voice heard in a trustful environment. That’s what I look for myself and for the people I manage or mentor.
There is a delicate balance between giving guidance and letting others explore their style. It depends on their experience level and how comfortable they are at a given task. One person might be experienced on design but more junior on research initiatives.
STRONGEST SKILL   –
My work ethic and gritty determination, passion, and perseverance to address user needs meet business goals, and get the job done.
This usually requires me to be adaptable and comfortable with change, constantly evolving my knowledge, tools and skills.

Elaine is an experienced product designer, a problem solver with a strong passion for simplifying complexity.

An empathetic, active listener, strategic thinker, and collaborative team player.

I’ve worked at: Fabrica Collective, Google, McCann , Adobe, Sapient, R/GA, and a startup called Pundit Club.

BACKGROUND   –
Elaine has a background in architecture to which she attributes her rigorous thought process and structured way of thinking.
After discovering a passion for computers, she decided to switch her work focus to the digital realm and pursued a master’s in Design and Technology at Parsons School of Design.
She has worked in consulting companies, technology firms, advertising agencies, and startup environments; each was considered a top company in its category. Through this broad range of experience, she developed a distinctive ability to balance business requirements and user needs.
Her leadership role at Fabrica required her to build trusted relationships with founder/owners and business decision-makers. Understanding their core business priorities requires her to combine her consulting experience with her product design skills to exceed the clients’ expectations and business targets.
ABOUT ME   –
Elaine simplifies complexity. Putting the user at the heart of her work, she layers her design experiences with communication, storytelling, and accessibility.
She is a solutions-focused, critical thinker, that applies empathetic design principles, driven by a love for typography and classic design. Elaine developed her experience while working between creative agencies, consulting companies, global enterprise tech, and startup environments.
She understands how to build flexible products at a global scale, by delivering design solutions with a simplicity that addresses the business requirements and meets the user needs.
RECENT INITIATIVES   –
For the past year, I have been working with two partners on a design for social innovation project – called Back the Neighborhood. A social experiment to understand how to knit back the frayed fabric of New York’s West Village neighborhood. Years of rising rents closed local businesses, restaurants, and mom-and-pop stores. When Covid hit, over 300k people left Manhattan, and the shuttered storefront spread like the virus.
Through interviews ( qual and quant) the project sets out to identify the systemic issues and challenges that need to be overcome to knit back the neighborhood’s fabric. We are now forming partnerships with other organizations committed to the same goal and lobbying legislators and policymakers to enact changes to support residents, restauranteurs, and retailers.
WORK   –
Fabrica Collective
Co-Founder Experience Design | New York
Jun 2017 – Present
Pundit Club
Head of Experience Design | New York
Jan 2016 – Jan 2019
Alphabet Inc.
Interaction Designer Level IV | New York
Jun 2014 – Dec 2015
McCann
Experience Design Lead | New York
May 2012 – Jun 2014
Adobe Inc.
Senior User Experience Designer | New York
Aug 2010 – May 2012
Sapient Corp.
Manager Information Architect | New York
Feb 2007 – Aug 2010
R/GA
Interaction Designer | New York
Aug 2003 – May 2005