As the Head of Product and Design, my role intertwined strategic product direction with meticulous design craftsmanship. Collaborating closely with the CEO, I molded the product strategy and roadmaps, ensuring the vision was not only ambitious but firmly rooted in actionable and scalable plans. My responsibilities enveloped a blend of strategic and operational dimensions, coordinating with the Head of Engineering to scope high-impact projects and aligning them with our product milestones. Simultaneously, on the design side, I steered the team through the conceptualization and actualization of every user interface and experience on the platform. From crafting the entire design system and leading customer research to fostering relationships with immigration lawyers, every screen and user journey bore the hallmark of my commitment to delivering accessible and empathetic legal experiences. Bridging user-centric design with strategic product development, I ensured the platform not only addressed the immediate needs of our users but also aligned with the long-term vision of transforming legal experiences in the immigration sphere.

In the journey from a trio to a team of 10 at Formally, my role, while not officially managerial, was pivotal in connecting the threads of coordination and strategic alignment across the expanding team. I helped facilitate the growth of the team—now comprising six full-time and three part-time dedicated individuals. I actively steered the weekly agenda of the in-house immigration lawyer and legal researcher, ensuring a steadfast focus on priority initiatives and client commitments. My stewardship also extended into creating a structured onboarding experience for new team members, where I orchestrated the development and implementation of essential resources, ranging from introductory guides to strategic goal alignment, thus ensuring an efficient, seamless integration of new talent into the dynamic and evolving operational framework.

I piloted Formally's transition from an asylum-focused platform to a comprehensive tool supporting numerous visa workflows, including O-1As, O-1Bs, H-1Bs, and beyond. This shift not only broadened the service spectrum but also instilled a new level of versatility into the platform. Another key project was designing and implementing a system enabling a one-time data input mechanism for case stakeholders, thereby mitigating redundancy and elevating the team’s operational efficiency. Additionally, the integration of visa petition bundling and document management facilitated a seamless journey for clients through their legal processes, enhancing both user experience and case organization. Spearheading public-facing website redesigns and rebranding efforts, I ensured Formally’s external persona resonated with the company’s evolved capabilities and market position. Internally, my leadership permeated through strategic initiatives and tactical deployments, ensuring that the internal workflows and client interactions were aligned and iteratively refined toward excellence. These projects, woven together, didn’t just shape the product but paved the path from a nascent startup to a robust, client-centric platform.