Hi I’m Steven!
I'm a passionate designer, strategist, engineer, and learner. I currently work as an Associate Director - Data and Technology Strategy at IA-Collaborative.
Harvard University
Master in Design Engineering Class of 2023
The Master in Design Engineering (MDE) program prepares a new generation of leaders to create transformative solutions that address societal grand challenges. The program encourages students to develop a broad understanding of what it means to design by engaging in cross disciplinary learning and intense collaborative team projects. The program is supported by esteemed advisors from across Harvard.
Harvard School of Engineering
Data Science 1
Data Visualization
Artificial Intelligence
Harvard Graduate School of Design
Integrated Frameworks for Technology and Society 1 & 2
Design Engineering Studio 1
Design Engineering Studio 2
Independent Design Engineering Thesis
Responsive Environments
Harvard Law School
Negotiations
Completed Coursework
MIT Media Lab
AI for Social Impact
Harvard Kennedy School for Government
Digital Government
Science of Behavior Change
Intro to Policy Analysis
Strategies for Social Impact
Persuasion
Product Management and Society
Harvard Business School
Strategy and Technology
Digital Technology and Innovation
Bachelors of Science: Mechanical Engineering
Class of 2016
Co-President: Behavioral Insights Student Group
One of the largest student groups at Harvard, with a network of 40+ faculty members across Harvard schools. As co-president, I directed committees, engaged with some of the foremost minds in the field, managed our team, and coordinate events such as our annual career expo and Nudge-A-Thon.
Harvard GSAS Mini-MBA
An accelerated summer-long program led by professors from Harvard Business School on foundational business topics.
Lean - Six Sigma Black Belt
Mastery in the Lean Six-Sigma body of work. Includes project that must save company upwards of $100,000 over course of a year using Lean - Six Sigma Principles. This program is regarded as one of the highest standards for manufacturing excellence.
Certificate for Excellence in Sustainable Management and Technology
Department of Business Administration, University of Illinois
Certificate for Excellence in Sustainable Management and Technology
Engineering/Design program focused on human-centered design methods, technology marketing, collaborative studio work, and leadership
Work Experience
Conducted human-centered design research and developed a user interface for scientists to communicate their scientific research goals for use in autonomous space vehicle planning algorithms. This is believed to be essential infrastructure for autonomous, AI supported, spaceflight of the future. Our use case centered on building capacity for the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover.
NASA Jet Propulsion Lab - Human Centered Design Team Product Intern
06/2022-09/2022 - Full Time
Led user interviews and participatory design with NASA scientists, engineers, and planners
Brought structure to complex topics and ambiguous prompts to deliver final proposal
Iterative prototyping and wire-framing of user interface using Figma
Extensive wizard-of-oz and talk-aloud studies with NASA Scientists
Built collaborative relationships with developers of Mars Rover user interfaces to enhance usability and features of final project
Collaborated closely with developer team to create first software prototype
Deconstructed AI operations of Perseverance rover to help inform key system inputs for human-computer interaction
NYC Mayor’s Office of the CTO - Innovation Fellow
Reviewed 10 years of historic grant funding data for trends and insights
Initiated research interviews with stakeholders at the NYC DCLA and with DEI-consultants
Performed exploratory machine learning modeling and additional data analysis using python
Took ownership of departmental systems-change strategy, synthesizing data, and making recommendations for a final presentation and report to the NYC DCLA
Created clear and legible visual aids to convey the findings of the data analytics effort
Developed key metrics to support grant funding patterns that promoted institutional values
Served as a member of the NYC Mayor’s Office of the CTO tasked with creating informed change in government operations. Liaised between data scientists and policymakers to achieve more equitable funding distribution in collaboration with the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA).
01/2021-06/2021 - 30hrs week
AUTODESK
A top computer aided design and management software company spanning competencies in construction, entertainment media, urban planning, product design. I completed two internships at the company during a year-long voluntary leave of absence from my graduate degree program.
06/2021-12/2021 - Full Time
Strategic Foresight Intern
Conducted research and delivered creative reports to support the strategic vision for the company’s five- and 10-year plans. Audiences included the C-Suite team, Research teams, and Industry Strategy teams. Assignments required extensive research interviews with strategy leaders in the company as well as facilitation of exploratory strategy workshops.
Created and extensively tested a method for bringing together industry leaders to explore industry futures and build foresight driven strategy plans for their division.
Held six virtual foresight workshops with the industry strategy leaders in the company
Created a persuasive podcast style summation of our findings including audio clips from users to sway busy executive level individuals of our foresight exercises and strategy plan
Created a visually appealing and strategically written findings report
Human Computer Interaction and Data Visualization Intern
Developed an interface for sharing innovations/best practices from the company’s HCI/Data Viz research teams with the rest of the company. Educational materials produced covered topics related to UI/UX design heuristics and resources, especially as they applied to cutting edge HCI and Data Visualization. Work required extensive collaboration with research leads at Autodesk.
Planned and scheduled requirements needed to complete project
Created pitch for senior management
Conducted extensive research into HCI and Data Viz Best Practice with leading experts
Collaboratively developed user interface wireframes using Figma
Tested interface and iterated design
0 to 1 launch of the interface for all employee use
Operations Product Quality Engineer/Mechanical Engineer
Viasat is a global satellite communications company providing connectivity in the consumer, business, government, and military industries.
Awarded Lean Six Sigma Black Belt – highest level certificate in optimizing operations processes
Oversaw manufacturing/operations coordination for product totaling over $100 Million/year
Managed manufacturing employees on production processes both internal and at suppliers
Proposed and persuaded teams to change processes at suppliers and in house
Created metrics and tracked process performance to improve product outcomes
Root cause analysis and corrective action investigations
Coordinated with diverse teams: Mechanical Eng., PTE, Supply Chain, OPM, PM, NPI, Elect Eng.
Designed and iterated several prototypes for low-earth-orbit Satellites
Engaged in agile engineering development processes to develop and document prototypes
07/2017 –07/ 2020 Full Time
Marketplace Literacy Project - Product/Project Manager
The Subsistence Marketplaces Project brings consumer, entrepreneurial, and sustainability literacy to low-income communities with a specific focus on educating women. In multiple roles, I worked closely with Business Professor Madhu Viswanathan (UIUC), aiding in research, writing, scaled implementation, web development, marketing, program development, and implementation strategy.
06/2013 – 08/2020 - part time
Conducted qualitative and quantitative research of behavioral and consumer patterns in poverty contexts; research methods included user interviews, community feedback sessions, and quantitative data surveying.
Supported program operations in India, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, United States, and Argentina
Developed an education curriculum delivered to over 5,000 women in Tanzania
Engaged in participatory/bottom-up design methodologies with individuals in subsistence settings across the globe
Developed web platform and first issue of academic journal for Subsistence Marketplaces community
Authored the book “Voices from Subsistence Marketplaces: East Africa” (VoicesEastAfrica.com)
Proposed and led development of an immersive online poverty simulation used by over 30,000 students to date; managed two undergraduate computer science students and led design
General Electric Appliances – Production & Quality Management Co-Op
Co-Op with General Electric’s Appliance dishwasher production team. This experience gave me insight into the management, precision, and continuous improvement methodologies needed to create +1000 complex products a day. I learned how to foster positive collaborative relationships with manufacturing operators who helped me understand the processes and systems I was trying to improve.
08/2015 –012/ 2015 - Full Time
Oversaw all rework activities
Creating process documents and rework methods
Managed union labor teams of up to 15 people to complete reworks
Debugged field returns and discovered issues that related to manufacturing line process failures
Created new processes for scraping 1000’s of weekly field repair reports to find quality improvement opportunities
IA Collaborative is a global design and innovation consultancy. At the forefront of design thinking, IA Collaborative combines human-centered design, strategy development and business consulting to help multinational organizations and emerging leaders address their most complex business challenges. My role at IA focuses primarily around Generative AI and has included the following roles.
IA Collaborative - Lead Data & Technology Strategist
Leading the strategic deployment of innovative data and technology solutions
Working directly with Fortune 500 clients and to develop generative AI solutions that meet their needs
Creating Gen-AI tools to support user-centered design and research practices internally
Helping clients create PoC’s and long term strategy with Gen-AI
Supporting business development at IA Collaborative
11/2023 - Present - Full Time