Katy is a calm and quirky person who is passionate about understanding humans and working to create a more sustainable, ethical and empathetic world. She does this by creating safe spaces for open conversation and exploration. She loves design research because of its powerful and unique ability to help people reach new perspectives. She particularly enjoys employing creative research methods with tangible elements because it incorporates her excitement for arts and crafts in the quest for the “why”.
She began her career as a photographer which lead her into the visual and interaction design world and then to design research, as she sought for deeper meaning in her work. During her Master’s in Digital Design at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Katy focused her studies on design ethics and design research. The theme that has stayed true throughout her diverse career endeavours is that she is dedicated to doing work that connects people, creates meaning and values well-being. She approaches every project with generous curiosity, an open mind and space for spontaneity.
Katy sees the world through a lens of optimism for change and believes that every effort, big or small, can make a difference. You can often find her getting into conversations about technology’s effect on mental health, frustration about single-use plastics, ideas on slow living or different kinds of soup recipes. If she wasn’t a design researcher she’d be a musician playing acoustic folk music on small, intimate stages around the world.