Designer · Researcher · Advocate
I care about redesigning broken systems.
I'm Melanie — a human-centered design and public policy student at Claremont McKenna College and a Kravis Scholar. I believe that the systems shaping people's lives — from city halls to courtrooms to shelters — deserve to be designed with as much care as we give to any product.
My work lives at the intersection of design thinking, legal innovation, and community advocacy. Whether I'm interviewing prosecutors about homelessness courts, prototyping civic engagement tools, or building frameworks for pro bono legal work, I'm always asking the same question: how can we redesign this to better serve the people it's meant for?
A digital request tracker redesigning how residents and City Hall communicate — consolidating inquiries, responses, and scheduling into one transparent system.
Exploring how design-thinking can reduce barriers to justice for immigrants through visual tools, simplified processes, and technology.
Redesigning how public systems in Anaheim collaborate to provide shelter, services, and reintegration for justice-involved individuals experiencing homelessness.
Using participatory planning to reimagine a public space with designs that center communities historically excluded from planning processes.
An investigative research project on immigration in Chicago, plus a framework for organizing pro bono legal cases developed at Dentons US LLP.
A roadmap consolidating resources for aspiring entrepreneurs at any stage — from first idea to launch.
Building a DFA chapter across the Claremont Colleges — leading collaborative teams through human-centered design to address community challenges.
Every project follows a human-centered process — grounded in empathy, shaped by research, and driven toward systemic impact.
Deep empathy through interviews, observation, and community immersion
Synthesize insights across systems, stakeholders, and lived experiences
Envision possibilities through collaborative ideation and design
Build tangible solutions and test with real people
Push for implementation, policy change, and systemic impact
I'm always open to collaborations, fellowships, research partnerships, and conversations about making systems work better for people.
[email protected]