Art Min liked this
tldr - I'm taking a sabbatical to spend time with my family and define my next set of personal & professional goals. I'll be doing some writing to reflect upon my experience as a design leader, define the set of principles guiding my next chapter, and document my sabbatical process. During this time, I am open to board/advisory positions, angel investing, and fun side quests. While I'm not planning to jump directly into another full-time role, I am open to warm intros if a uniquely well-fit design leadership opportunity emerges.
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2025 was a big year professionally. I joined Base and served as Head of Design & Research in an org that lacked prior design leadership. We launched a new brand for Base, evolved Coinbase Wallet into the Base App, and incubated new team operations to be leaner, nimbler, and increasingly AI-enabled.
I've also changed significantly as a person over recent years. I had two kids and survived a major medical emergency. My values have shifted and despite my current momentum, I feel the need to make a bigger shift in my life.
I left Coinbase earlier this year so I could take an extended leave following the birth of my second child. Over the past few months, I've been creating space to reflect on my career, meditate on my role as a working mother, and form my POV on how design is evolving with AI. A few things have come into focus:
1. My prior set of professional goals were anchored as "things I want to accomplish before I have kids." 15+ years later, I'm amazed that I've accomplished everything I wished for (and more!)... I also realized I never really thought about what comes next after I hit that long-term goal.
2. The industry is changing drastically. Whatever I do next, it's the end of one chapter and the beginning of the next. I feel lucky to have experienced and worked through the rise of the internet, social media, mobile, and crypto. When I chat with younger colleagues, I realize how much historical knowledge needs to be captured and shared. Part of my sabbatical will involve writing to share my experience and extract the evergreen frameworks and toolkits that persist while technology evolves.
3. My relationship with work has changed. It no longer is a measure of what value I can bring to the world, but also what I want to role model for my children. What missions are worth pursuing, what is a healthy work-life balance, and what does it mean to "work" in general? My older child is starting to ask questions, forcing us to re-examine old habits that we've taken for granted. I want to ensure our choices are intentional and we're actively shaping a life well lived.
I feel lucky to have the rare opportunity to take a step back, and am excited to see what emerges on the other side. Stay tuned! If you're in similar shoes, I'll be sharing insights and some of the introspection frameworks I'll be developing along the way.