Stanford Life Design Lab Team

The Life Design Lab at Stanford teaches courses, delivers programs and tools, and conducts research applying the innovation principles of Design Thinking to the problems of life, education, and vocation. 


BILL BURNETT
Co-Founder and Executive Director

Bill is the Executive Director of the Design Program at Stanford. He holds a number of mechanical and design patents, and design awards for a variety of products including the first “slate” computer. In addition to his duties at Stanford, he is on the Board of VOZ (pronounced “VAWS – it means voice in Spanish) a social responsible high fashion startup and advises several Internet start-up companies.

DAVE EVANS
Co-Founder

Dave Evans has been on a mission to help others find and pursue theirs ever since his undergrad days at Stanford. Along the way, he co-founded Electronic Arts and introduced the computer mouse to the world while at Apple.

KATHY DAVIES
Managing Director & Studio Lead

Kathy has 15 years of experience developing electromechanical and software products, and proudly holds five patents. She consults with Silicon Valley companies, teaches design thinking, conducts ethnographic research, and develops product strategies and concepts. Kathy is also the co-creator of “Designing Your Life for Women” and a passionate advocate for design thinking as a methodology to empower social change.


Life Design Fellows & Lecturers


SHANICE WEBB
Lecturer + Fellow

Shanice is committed to helping students gain insight, clarity and motivation towards creating a meaningful life, and has spent the last three years teaching and co-creating life design curriculum within higher education.

Through the International Coaching Federation, Shanice is a certified life coach, and has worked with both young professionals and college students helping them connect their curiosities to their purpose.

Shanice is passionate about living a healthy, well-balanced life, and received her MA in Health and Wellness from Tulane University.

URMILA VENKATESH
Lecturer + Fellow

Urmila aims to help people explore the depths of their past, experience peace of mind in the present, and find delight in possible futures. Her career in higher education began as a labor organizer for graduate teachers, then as an instructional and curriculum designer, and later as a career coach and team lead for PhD students seeking meaningful work. 

Urmila is committed to integrating life design principles and to creating greater equity in design thinking practices. She brings a formal background in architecture, photography, and graphic design; her informal training includes perfecting the art of the follow-up question, opening people up by asking about their most cherished objects, and finding the right Spotify playlist for every occasion. 

DUSTIN LIU
Lecturer + Fellow

Dustin strives to inspire awe, wonder, and surprise by noticing the interconnectedness of seemingly disparate experiences, ideas, and domains.

Outside of the Life Design Lab, Dustin works as a strategist supporting performance and impact transformations for purpose-driven organizations.

He is a self-described serial hobbyist, feeling most at home when he is learning something new (currently throwing clay!) You can often find him listening to Broadway soundtracks on repeat, attempting to find the perfect lemon at his local farmer’s market, and finding the perfect bowl of noodles.


Life Design Lab Fellow Alumni


Friends of the Lab

The Stanford Life Design Lab has been touched by so many individuals who have contributed to the work as facilitators, teaching team members and collaborators.

Collaborator, Co-Instructor, Facilitators

  • ALEX GOPINATHAN (DYL SP21)

  • ALIZA HOFFMAN (DtP S17)

  • ALLIE DA CAR (DYL SP19)

  • ANA MARTINS (DYL SP21)

  • ANDRES LAZO (DtP S17)

  • ANDREW EPIFANIO (DYL W19)

  • ANDREW EPIFANIO DYL W19

  • ANDREW SATANAPONG SGSI F17, DYS F16

  • ANGIE HAWKINS DtP SP20

  • ANNIE VLECK DYL F16

  • ARAME MBODJ DYL F20

  • ASHLEY EBERLE DYS SP20

  • BLANCA VIRREY DtP SP20

  • BROOKE ARMSTRONG DYL SP19

  • CARI COSTANZO DYS F17

  • CAYLA HATTON DYL W18

  • CHIARA GIOVANNI DYL F20

  • CHRIS GOLDE DtP S17

  • CIERRA GILLISON DYS W19, DYL SU20

  • COLLEEN McCALLION DYS F16, DYS F18

  • DANIELLE WOOD DYS W19

  • DANNY ALVAREZ DYS W18

  • DAVID GLASGOW DYS S17

  • DAYO MITCHELL DYS W18

  • DENISE BENATAR DtP S17

  • DIANA SUEDBECK DYS W19

  • ELIZA KLYCE DYL S17

  • ELLIS SCHRIEFER DYL W21

  • EM HAVENS DtP S18

  • EMMA CHENG DYL F17

  • ERIC WILBURN DYL F18

  • ERIKA M WELCH DtP S18

  • ERIKA NOBLE DYL F17

  • FAWN QIU DYL SP21

  • FIONA LEE SGSI F17

  • GENAI LEWIS DYL F17, DYL W18

  • GITANJALI BHATTACHARJEE DYL F18

  • GRAY FARLEY DYS SP21

  • HAYMITCH STEVENS DYS F19, DYS F20, DtP SP20, DYL W20

  • HIROSHI ISHII-ADAJAR DYL W17

  • IRINA STHAPIT DtP SP19

  • JEREMY HUNT SGSI F17

  • JOHANNA DAY SGSI

  • JOSLYN JOHNSON DYS F18

  • JUSTIN NEIMAN DYL W17

  • KADY RICHARDSON DYL F18

  • KATHERINE NOBLES DYL W17

  • KRISTEN AZEVEDO DYS F19

  • LARA SPENCER DYS W21

  • LAURA PICKEL DtP S18

  • LEELA SRINIVASAN DtP F18

  • LESLIE GARVIN DYL SP19

  • LINGTONG SUN SGSI F17

  • MAIJA CRUZ DYL SP19

  • MANUEL RINCON CRUZ DtP S18

  • MARISA MISSION DYL SU20, DYL F20, DYS W21, DYS SP21

  • MARTA HANSEN DYL SP19

  • MARYANN TUNG DYL W18

  • MATT MISTELE DYL S17

  • MEGAN DINO DYS W18

  • MEREDITH O’HARE DtP SP20

  • MICHAEL HAHN SGSI

  • MICHELLE HULL DYL F18

  • MICK SMYER DYS W17

  • MIRANDA SHEPHERD DYS F17

  • NATHANIEL BERGER DYS F17

  • NELIA RODRIGUEZ DYL F19, DYS W20, DYL SP20, DYS F20, DYL W21, DYL SP21

  • NELSON SHUCHMACHER ENDEBO DYL W21

  • NING DE-EKNAMKUL DYS S18

  • NORA BRACKBILL DtP SP19

  • OLIVIA MARTINEZ-STEWART DtP S17

  • QUINCY MINGO DYS S18

  • RACHELLE SLOSS DYL F17

  • REBECCA ROSE DYL F17, DYL S17

  • ROY ANG SGSI, DtP SP19

  • SARAH JOELSON DYL SP20, DYL SU20

  • SHANIA SANTANA DYS SP21

  • SHANNON BIRK JIBAJA DtP S18

  • SHELLEY WILLIAMSON DYS S17

  • SUSAN BURNETT DYL F16

  • TESSA FORSHAW DYL W18

  • TRACY BRANDENBURG DtP S17

  • VANESSA OCHAVILLO DYL F17, DYL S17