# Laura S. > Product Design @ First Bite Location: Berkeley, California, United States Profile: https://flows.cv/lauras Design, as a craft and a toolkit, enables me to listen closely and build systems that support better decisions and better days. I’ve studied and practiced across objects, spaces, services, and screens, and my work reflects that range—co-founding a startup, collaborating with nonprofits, designing products at HP, consulting with teams large and small, including Google and Cisco Meraki—and now I’m at First Bite. Alongside my design work, I maintain an active art practice, study anthropology, and write about internet culture—how platforms and language shape identity, and the ways we learn to perform our digital selves. ## Work Experience ### Product Designer @ First Bite Jan 2025 – Present ### Senior Product Designer @ DesignMap Jan 2022 – Jan 2025 | San Francisco Bay Area My work encompassed consulting for B2B and B2C clients, driving strategic initiatives for major corporations and shaping zero to one product development for startups: - Worked with Google startup incubator A120 to design innovative products in security (Google One via “Beacon”) and fitness (Youtube via “Ghost Fitness”) - Implemented strategic initiatives within the design organization at Cisco Meraki / Cisco Networking to ensure cohesive design practices across teams - Built design systems and launched B2B MVP for ReflexAI’s “Assure” and “Prepare” products – AI simulations and quality assurance (QA) for call centers ### Visual Experience Designer (VX) @ HP Jan 2020 – Jan 2022 Led visual design on three highly rated apps within the HP's CPS design team that focus on consumer core experiences: - HP QuickDrop: a cross-platform/OS file transfer app - HP Palette: an AI-based facial recognition photo management app - Duet for HP: a multitasking screen extension app Effectively worked with cross-functional teams (UX, VX, PM, ENG) to bring designs to life and successfully ship them on millions of HP PC's worldwide ### Co-Founder @ Closegap Jan 2018 – Jan 2020 | San Francisco Bay Area Led a pivot in June 2018 from a donor-to-student giving marketplace for high-need schools to an emotional wellness platform for all kids K-12 (a non-profit at the intersection of EdTech + Mental Health): - Co-founded the startup and wore many hats, but led Product Design, Creative Direction, and Research/Analytics - When we re-launched in April 2019, we were adopted by 300 schools with a 70% retention rate - Closegap currently has over 190K student and 20K educator users across all 50 states ### Product Designer @ Closegap Jan 2018 – Jan 2018 | San Francisco, CA ### Designer and Consultant @ Unknown Jan 2015 – Jan 2019 | San Francisco Bay Area Partnered with nonprofits, schools, and creative studios on digital product design, curriculum development, and design support. Projects included: Product & UX Design – Led UX/UI for web and mobile apps at Project Giving Kids, an EdTech nonprofit. Delivered a web app connecting kids to community service opportunities (2018) and iOS/Android apps for teens (2019). Curriculum & Instruction – Designed and taught a semester-long Interaction Design course at The Urban School of San Francisco, developing hands-on curriculum for high school students. Textiles & Set Design – Worked as a textiles librarian at Holland & Sherry and assisted on set design projects, building skills in materials research and spatial design. ### Graduate Teaching Assistant @ California College of the Arts Jan 2016 – Jan 2017 Assisted in two undergraduate Interaction Design courses: Storytelling with Christina Wodtke and Design History with Barry Katz. ### Research Assistant @ Gevirtz Graduate School of Education Jan 2011 – Jan 2012 | Isla Vista Elementary School Education and Conflict Resolution: Facilitated youth-led conflict resolution at Isla Vista Elementary School using a framework created by Dr. Shane R. Jimerson as part of the Power of Play project. ## Education ### Master of Design (M.Des) in Interaction Design California College of the Arts ### ALM in Anthropology Harvard Extension School ### Business Administration and Management in General d.MBA ### Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Global Studies in Minor in Education and Applied Psychology UC Santa Barbara ### Interior Design California College of the Arts ### [IN]City Summer Intensive in City/Urban Planning University of California, Berkeley ### European and International Affairs in French Sciences Po ### Creative Coding Immersive Gray Area Foundation for the Arts ## Contact & Social - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/laurarosesanford - Portfolio: https://laurasanford.com --- Source: https://flows.cv/lauras JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/lauras/resume.json Last updated: 2026-04-13