From economics and code to leading product design
I didn't take the traditional design route. I started in economics and logistics, which taught me to respect the complex systems that surround us everywhere. Wanting to actually build things myself, my boyfriend (who transitioned from civil engineering to a Master's in Computer Science) helped me learn to code. I moved into front-end development, spending years building web applications with React, and vanilla JavaScript before React was a thing. Over time, I realized that as much as I enjoyed coding, I was far more fascinated by designing the product: figuring out why systems work and how people actually experience them.
Traveling and living out of different Airbnbs over the past few years opened my eyes to how broken and monopolized the real estate market really is. Seeing that friction firsthand drew me to Yaca, where I've been making the final product design decisions to build solid marketplace and discovery tools, working directly alongside engineering.
Normal people things
What keeps me human when I close all my working tabs 🫠
Late-night NBA
Big basketball fan since childhood, often staying up late just to catch live games in the Portuguese time zone.
Guitar & ukulele
My dad is a multi-instrumentalist who taught me how to play because he wanted someone to jam with. I've had a guitar or ukulele nearby all my life.
Post-apocalyptic & horror
I love post-apocalyptic stories, disaster movies, and the absolute worst horrors out there. The worse the rating, the better.
The Office
My favorite series to clear my mind. I've probably watched it at least 20 times by now.
Languages & traveling
It's a bit cheesy, but I love learning new languages and cultures. I always feel bad when I meet someone and can't speak their language. Learning languages taught me that each one gives you a new personality.
Ark, Hearthstone & GTA
I fell in love with dinosaurs playing Ark with my boyfriend when the pandemic hit. I also play a lot of Hearthstone and love card games, currently waiting for GTA 6 and Ark 2 (assuming my PC can actually handle them 🫠).