I grew up in a family that spoke five languages, so navigating complexity wasn’t a feature; it was the default setting. I was expected to become a doctor or an engineer, but I dreamed of being an actor or a cricketer. Neither worked out (you’re welcome, Indian cinema), so I ended up studying computer science.

My first brush with design came through Microsoft PowerPoint. I got hooked on typography and WordArt, unaware it was design. Then I discovered Photoshop and everything changed. I obsessively taught myself design.

I started off as a programmer who could design. While the debate was between Flash, Silverlight, or AJAX, I saw the bridge between tech and experience. That lens became my edge as I shifted into UX and continued to hone my craft at Apple, LinkedIn, and as the first design hire at Aerohive Networks, where I realized I had a gift for untangling complex, technical systems. My work at Juniper marked chapter two in full swing: a designer who could program.

At Salesforce, I realized my strength wasn’t just making things. The empathy I had been fostering could have a larger impact. It could enable others to thrive. That marked the start of my third chapter: a designer and enabler who knows tech. I’ve been fortunate to grow and support world-class teams at Salesforce, Meta, and most recently, Cisco.

Curiosity has been the constant, quietly guiding every chapter of my journey. I studied data visualization with Edward Tufte, product management at Berkeley Haas, and entrepreneurship with Christina Wodtke at Stanford. That same curiosity still fuels how I lead, mentor, and explore.