I have always had a deep interest in understanding how humans think and what drives their behavior. I have been an analytical person my whole life, and dreamt of becoming a therapist one day so that I could combine that interest with my passion for helping others. But what began as a path toward a career as a therapist evolved into a fulfilling career in User Experience, when a professor introduced me to Human Factors and UX research. 

In my Master’s program I had the opportunity to work as a Human Factors Researcher on various projects focused on human-machine team cognition, which sparked my passion for UX Research and began to form my perspective on the relationship between users and products or services. I conducted experiments to understand differences in team dynamics when a machine or robot teammate was introduced in different contexts. I was fascinated by the impact to cooperation, communication, and empathy when a robot was identified as a teammate, compared to an all-human team. What it taught me formed the philosophy about Experience Design and Strategy that I hold today: products and services should not just be a means to an end or a one-dimensional tool for users to interact with. Instead, they should borrow from human behavior and act as living teammates that adapt and respond to the user, improving the experience over time and providing real value, so that they become an integral part of the user’s life.

I carried these insights with me when I became an Experience Researcher at HP, working in print. I found my footing there, where I learned to balance rigorous research with real-world constraints and business objectives, and eventually stepped into leadership roles that bridged research, strategy, and design. I continued to sharpen my perspective on Experience Strategy, conducting research on both hardware and software products, and creating cohesive experiences across the two touchpoints. 

I joined Ford to revisit the interest I had discovered in my Master’s program: human and machine teams, but this time in the form of Autonomous Vehicle delivery services. I developed my skills as a strategist, owning the end to end roadmap for the service, conducting research and using insights to inform experience decisions that ensured the product was responsive and adaptable. I have worked on many products at Ford since then, and currently focus on luxury vehicle experiences within the Lincoln brand. At Ford, I have faced the challenge of navigating ambiguity, shifting priorities, and large organizational structures—ultimately discovering my superpower in building cross-functional trust and driving strategic impact. I’ve grown from a researcher eager to uncover insights into a confident strategist who knows how to tell compelling stories that influence design and business decisions. Today, I bring a rare blend of research depth and strategic vision, helping teams move from questions to clarity, and from insight to action.

Endorsements

“I worked with Emily when she was assigned as user researcher for my team. Emily is incredibly organized helping the team plan for, budget and run research across multiple programs and shifting priorities. She helped to create and maintain a spreadsheet with all the research requests and priorities for the team keeping us on track.

Emily is smart, thoughtful and collaborative with all the work she does. She does a fantastic job working with various designers to understand the intent and goals for each study. Emily is also a wonderful moderator. She is strategic and considerate in the way she approaches moderation giving the participants the space to respond and is able to get fantastic results.

Emily is patient, kind and just a pleasure to work with. I loved having Emily as part of the team and I hope I get to work with Emily again in the future.”

-Lauren Werner, Design Leader @ Intuit

“After ten years of working with incredible researchers, Emily is one of the best I have ever worked with. Her attention to detail, ability to quickly solve research problems on the fly, and her willingness to conquer anything is what sets her apart as a leader in this field.”

-Nash Stanton, Sr. User Experience Designer @ The Home Depot

“Emily has been an invaluable asset to our team since joining over a year ago. Her experience from a previous Ford project has been particularly helpful, providing a unique perspective and serving as a template for deliverables. Beyond her experience, Emily's research background has filled a critical gap in our program. She has significantly contributed to envisioning, defining, and validating UX concepts. Emily consistently demonstrates a positive attitude, responsiveness, and exceptional organizational skills, making her an extraordinary teammate and a pleasure to work with. I highly value her contributions and look forward to continuing our collaboration.”

-Claude Meyers, User Experience Lead @ Ford Motor Company