Hello — I'm Cristal, a product designer.
At five, I navigated three miles alone in a city of 15 million — I've been designing my path ever since. Product design is where I get to turn that instinct into things people actually use.
How I learned to design
is what I learned at RISD's glassblowing studio, where heat and pressure leave little room for overthinking. Today, I bring that same mindset to product design: I prototype to think, iterate to learn, and build my way through ambiguity.
I once built a camera from scratch using handblown lenses and a Raspberry Pi. Now I build apps and websites the same way: start with an idea, prototype fast, and turn concepts into things people can actually use.
Before designing apps, I designed places. That training taught me to think in systems, flows, and human behavior — so I design the structure underneath a product before I design the screen.
As part of an SEGD Honor Award-winning team, I helped create an inclusive, sustainability-focused experience that engaged thousands during the Seattle Design Festival. It shaped how I think about design today: the best experiences don't just serve people — they build connections.
Where I've worked
Led end-to-end UX for a new digital-workspace product line — vision, MVP, and roadmap through iterative research — plus interaction patterns for a generative-UI (GenUI) framework. Visit site →
Designing a connected app that pairs smart-sensor data with mobile tracking and alerts, using AI-assisted workflows to generate UI and working prototypes fast.
Redesigned the core engagement flows on a new design system — clearer content, less cognitive friction — lifting monthly retention 30%. Case study →
Berger Partnership
Designed and prototyped an AR navigation system for 10,000+ daily campus users — context-aware routing from macro paths to the "last 100 feet," balancing ADA, brand, and environment. Executive-approved in 100 days; shipped in the My Hub app. Case study →
University of Washington
Led teaching for a design studio of 60+ students — shaping ideas, mentoring through projects, and running critiques across the term.
A little more about me
Thanks for stopping by — let's connect.
I'm looking for a product design role where curiosity, systems thinking, and a bias toward building can do real work — especially on 0→1 and AI-native products.