Listen. Learn. Create.
Sunanda is a creative strategist, passionate problem-solver, lifelong learner, and map-maker. She works at the intersection of systems thinking and human-centered design, championing the principles of service design & design research in her work.
With over 10+ years of experience in people development, Sunanda brings expertise in onboarding & operations, career development & coaching, and organizational culture, using human-centered design methodologies.
With a demonstrated track record in leading cross-functional project teams (across UX, engineering, marketing, sales, and operations), Sunanda aims to build creative and thoughtful experiences, programs, and services to inspire and drive meaningful change in people’s lives. Her core values are curiosity and compassion and she infuses her work with equal parts of rigor and delight.
Sunanda is also a writer. In her creative non-fiction work, she writes about her experiences as a transnational millennial immigrant. Sunanda also writes about technology and education. Her work has appeared in The Rumpus, The Sun, Lifehacker and more.
About Me
I was born in Mumbai, India, grew up in Jakarta, Indonesia, spent 15 years in the United States, and recently moved to Canada. These days I call Toronto home. I enjoy scavenger hunts, musical theater, exploring new cities, swimming in bodies of water, making lists, and talking to people who are passionate about what they’re working on.
From a young age, I have always been fascinated by the drivers and results of human behavior and ways in which design can shape our experience of the world. I see myself as a mapmaker—I find joy in venturing to new domains, learning all I can, and using my experiences and insights to orient and guide others.
In 2013 I received my masters in education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education graduating from the Technology, Innovation and Education program. I’ve since spent my career designing technology products, programs, and services to help adults grow & develop in their lives — from equipping carpentry students with the math skills they need to be successful carpenters to launching a performance-based certification exam on core digital literacy skills for job-seekers.
I currently work at Google, having spent the last few years leading cross-functional project teams of designers, UX-ers, and subject matter experts to build learning products and services that support Google employees in their growth and development.
My Work
Publications
In my creative non-fiction work, I explore the identity politics of transnationalism and what it means to be a millennial immigrant in America. I also write about technology more broadly and edtech.
Musings
On my blog, I write about topics at the intersection of psychology, UX, and design. I write and reflect on my own learnings from the field & respond to writers and scholars in the behavioral sciences and the tech industry. On occasion, I write more personal reflections about my life.