Hi, I’m Sara

I’m a designer + information architect with 10+ years of experience working on high-impact issues in complex industries like government & healthcare.

Currently, I help millions of Veterans manage their healthcare online as a staff product designer and information architecture (IA) lead for the VA's patient-facing health portal. I was previously part of the VA's Design System Governance Team responsible for ensuring a high-bar for experience quality, accessibility, and consistency.

I've also worked with the GSA on expanding search.gov & helped the International Trade Administration spin up a 0-to-1 product that got early stage trade leads in front of U.S. businesses as fast as possible.

View my portfolio →

Areas of focus:

Design leadership

  • Visioning north star experiences

  • Strategic planning

  • Problem framing

  • Connecting with stakeholders early and often

  • Workshop and meeting facilitation

  • Breaking down siloes + aligning teams

  • Connecting dots

Information architecture

  • Navigation and wayfinding

  • Data modeling and architecture

  • Wireframing and prototyping

  • Taxonomy and ontology management

  • Multi-method research

  • Omnichannel and cross-product consistency

  • Sitemaps and diagrams

  • OOUX

Ops + governance

  • Design systems

  • Systems thinking

  • Content strategy

  • Component and pattern design

  • API logic modeling

  • Planning for scale

  • Developing standards

  • Documentation

About me:

The way for UX to lead is always through research. I like to help teams zoom out and focus on problem framing. Once we’re aligned on needs, problems, or user expectations, we can prioritize discovery and design ideas that will lead to outcomes that matter - at scale.

I have a bias toward ruthlessly simple, accessible, and human experiences that lower the cognitive load of decision making & enable more people to access products and services they need.

I live with my family in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I enjoy art, gardening, visiting museums, and digging holes in the backyard with my kids.

Recent talks: