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Work

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About me

Groundwork

Helping survivors of coercive control rebuild self-trust and rediscover themselves.
Summary
Leaving a controlling relationship can mean starting over with everyday choices. Groundwork is an app that explores the months after immediate safety, when people are reconnecting with their own needs and preferences.
My Contribution
I owned UI design and prototyping. I translated our shared research and concepts into the interactive Figma prototype, connecting journaling, compassionate reflection, and the mindfullness garden into one experience.
Timeline
April 2026
Team
2 Designers
1 User Researcher
Tools
Figma
Notability
Gemini
Midjourney
Skills
UI Design
Prototyping
Interaction Design
Visual Storytelling
At a Glance

An AI-assisted prior authorization tool built to help surgical clinics recover revenue lost to denied claims.

Key Highlights

2nd place

2025 Fung Engineering Health Innovation Competition, judged by leaders from Amgen, Included Health, and Moderna

7/8 clinical professionals

Said they’d find the tool valuable at their clinic after testing the working end-to-end appeal prototype.

Working AI prototype

Built the end-to-end prior authorization workflow using Figma Make, Vercel, and Claude Code
Before: No centralized view of denied claims
Prior authorization requires clinical teams to prove that a treatment is medically necessary before insurers will cover it. When prior authorization requests are denied, clinical teams must determine why, gather supporting documentation, and appeal, often under tight deadlines.
After: Centralizing an AI-Enabled Prior Authorization Workflow
A centralized dashboard brings every case, denial reason, and deadline into one place, helping healthcare professionals quickly identify what needs attention and move directly from a denied claim into an AI-assisted appeal.
Overview

A mobile companion for rebuilding a sense of self through journaling

Key Takeaways
3 user interviews
Our team spoke with two users and a psychologist to inform the direction of our app
135+ apps reviewed
A thorough competitive scan with the help of AI helped us identify a key gap around identity rediscovery for survivors.
Interactive prototype
Connected the journal, voice-mode journaling, and Community Garden in one Figma prototype.
Core User Flows
Start with a reflection
Users revisit past entries and begin a new journal entry with a guided prompt or free writing, giving them space to reflect in their own words.
Notice meaningful moments
Motto highlights moments within a journal entry and invites users to explore them further, helping them notice small experiences they might otherwise overlook.
Choose what grows
Users review suggested themes from their reflection and choose what to add to their garden or let go, keeping them in control of how their experiences are represented.
The Problem

Reaching safety is one step. Relearning what you want is another.

What we designed for
Lost preferences
Everyday choices can become difficult when personal needs have long been pushed aside.
Low mental energy
Reflection needs a gentle starting point, with prompts and room to write freely.
A critical inner voice
The experience should invite self-kindness without becoming another source of pressure.
Impact & Outcome

A prototype that brings the recovery concept into a tangible, connected experience.

We presented Groundwork at UCI Design-a-thon 2026 with an interactive Figma prototype and a research-informed design story. The result demonstrates the journey from journaling to reflection and the garden. Co-design sessions with survivors and therapists remain a next step; we have not measured recovery outcomes.
Reflection

Supporting agency starts with the small details of an interaction.

For this project, UI design meant balancing warmth with clarity: an approachable companion, readable journal screens, and a garden that gives reflection a visible form. Next, I would test whether the prompts and reframes feel supportive and whether people understand and trust the connection between their writing, values, and flowers.
Oncospark
AI-Enabled Prior Authorization
Berkeleytime
Design Systems
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