About Me

About Me

Alena Hegde

A human-centered UX/UI Designer with a background in healthcare, merging technical precision with creative problem-solving to create impactful digital experiences that drive efficiency and social growth.

A published Writer.

<a href="https://storyset.com/book">Book illustrations by Storyset</a>
<a href="https://storyset.com/book">Book illustrations by Storyset</a>

My Superpower: Storytelling

I've written and self-published a novel, honing my skills in research, principles of navigation, and character development. This experience sharpened my ability to create compelling user narratives (re: content creation) and map out intricate user journeys (re: content architecture) in product design.

I've written and self-published a novel, honing my skills in research, principles of navigation, and character development. This experience sharpened my ability to create compelling user narratives (re: content creation) and map out intricate user journeys (re: content architecture) in product design.

I've written and self-published a novel, honing my skills in research, principles of navigation, and character development. This experience sharpened my ability to create compelling user narratives (re: content creation) and map out intricate user journeys (re: content architecture) in product design.

I've written and self-published a novel, honing my skills in research, principles of navigation, and character development. This experience sharpened my ability to create compelling user narratives (re: content creation) and map out intricate user journeys (re: content architecture) in product design.

What sets me apart?

Focus on Human-Centricity

Informed by cognitive and perceptual human psychology, data driven research as well as my linguistic and scientific roots, I think -critically and creatively - of interactions that impact design.
In a nutshell, I aim to craft experiences that feel like they're tailor-made for individuals.

Diversity Factor: Unique Perspective

Diversity in viewpoints, backgrounds and ideas fosters true innovation.
I embrace my unique perspectives - validated by my experience in healthcare and my educations - to enrich my design process, leading more inclusive and fresh solutions that resonate with a wider audience.

Diversity in viewpoints, backgrounds and ideas fosters true innovation.
I embrace my unique perspectives - validated by my experience in healthcare and my educations - to enrich my design process, leading more inclusive and fresh solutions that resonate with a wider audience.

Diversity in viewpoints, backgrounds and ideas fosters true innovation.
I embrace my unique perspectives - validated by my experience in healthcare and my educations - to enrich my design process, leading more inclusive and fresh solutions that resonate with a wider audience.

Diversity in viewpoints, backgrounds and ideas fosters true innovation.
I embrace my unique perspectives - validated by my experience in healthcare and my educations - to enrich my design process, leading more inclusive and fresh solutions that resonate with a wider audience.

Emphasis on Growth and Learning

Throughout my professional journey, I've been adding, synthesizing and fine tuning my skills, creating stories through my work, and making tech more accessible and more human.
My growth catalyst is my curious mindset and creativity.

"Good design reflects empathy towards human needs and harmonizes functionality and beauty." — Creatix

"Good design reflects empathy towards human needs and harmonizes functionality and beauty." — Creatix

"Good design reflects empathy towards human needs and harmonizes functionality and beauty." — Creatix

"Good design reflects empathy towards human needs and harmonizes functionality and beauty." — Creatix

My Story (The Short Version)


Hello there! I'm a UX/UI Designer currently based in San Francisco, CA.


I identify as a creative with strong aptitude for sciences. As a child, I enjoyed asking questions, learning, writing, drawing, arts and crafts, and observe natural world.


That child is very much alive now, and I continue to do pretty much the same things. Just with more complex tools.


My formal academic background is in Linguistics & Literature and natural sciences.

Why such range of studies?

My road was not so straight-forward. I moved to the US in my student years; I brought over a book and a hunger for learning and discovering.

Here, I studied again, then applied myself in healthcare, till I understood that I need to lean into all my skills — qualitative and quantitative.


UX Design field offers the perfect arena to synthesize my abilities and enables me to design digital solutions that are not only visually appealing but also functional and aligned with business objectives.

My Story (The Short Version)


Hello there! I'm a UX/UI Designer currently based in San Francisco, CA.


I identify as a creative with strong aptitude for sciences. As a child, I enjoyed asking questions, learning, writing, drawing, arts and crafts, and observe natural world.


That child is very much alive now, and I continue to do pretty much the same things. Just with more complex tools.


My formal academic background is in Linguistics & Literature and natural sciences.

Why such range of studies?

My road was not so straight-forward. I moved to the US in my student years; I brought over a book and a hunger for learning and discovering.

Here, I studied again, then applied myself in healthcare, till I understood that I need to lean into all my skills — qualitative and quantitative.


UX Design field offers the perfect arena to synthesize my abilities and enables me to design digital solutions that are not only visually appealing but also functional and aligned with business objectives.

My Story (The Short Version)


Hello there! I'm a UX/UI Designer currently based in San Francisco, CA.


I identify as a creative with strong aptitude for sciences. As a child, I enjoyed asking questions, learning, writing, drawing, arts and crafts, and observe natural world.


That child is very much alive now, and I continue to do pretty much the same things. Just with more complex tools.


My formal academic background is in Linguistics & Literature and natural sciences.

Why such range of studies?

My road was not so straight-forward. I moved to the US in my student years; I brought over a book and a hunger for learning and discovering.

Here, I studied again, then applied myself in healthcare, till I understood that I need to lean into all my skills — qualitative and quantitative.


UX Design field offers the perfect arena to synthesize my abilities and enables me to design digital solutions that are not only visually appealing but also functional and aligned with business objectives.

Beyond design I

  • am an avid reader and I write fantasy and sci-fi

  • love adventures in nature! Hiking, swimming, kayaking etc.

  • indulge in Eastern philosophies

  • enjoy board games

  • am fluent in Russian, Spanish

Beyond design I

  • am an avid reader and I write fantasy and sci-fi (see My Creative Writing & Such)

  • love adventures in nature! Hiking, swimming, kayaking etc.

  • indulge in Eastern philosophies

  • enjoy board games

  • am fluent in Russian and Spanish

Academic Foundation

  • UX/UI Design course taught me human-centric, iterative design process.

  • B.S. in Environmental Science taught me to approach problems analytically and translate data into insights.

  • Bachelor's degree in Literature & Linguistics taught me to understand diverse perspectives and communicate ideas clearly.

"Creativity is the new productivity." — Dylan Field, Figma CEO

"Creativity is the new productivity." — Dylan Field, Figma CEO

"Creativity is the new productivity." — Dylan Field, Figma CEO

"Creativity is the new productivity." — Dylan Field, Figma CEO

Academic Foundation

  • UX/UI Design course taught me human-centric, iterative design process.

  • B.S. in Environmental Science taught me to approach problems analytically and translate data into insights.

  • Bachelor's degree in Literature & Linguistics taught me to understand diverse perspectives and communicate ideas clearly.

Academic Foundation

  • UX/UI Design course taught me human-centric, iterative design process.

  • B.S. in Environmental Science taught me to approach problems analytically and translate data into insights.

  • Bachelor's degree in Literature & Linguistics taught me to understand diverse perspectives and communicate ideas clearly.

Professional Background & Transition

  • I bring a decade of hands-on experience in the compassionate and dynamic world of healthcare (Can you get more human-centric and empathic?;)

  • I bring 2 years of freelance UX/UI Designer experience, delivering innovative, user-centered designs and out-of-the-box creative solutions that are informed by my multidisciplinary background.

Professional Background & Transition

  • I bring a decade of hands-on experience in the compassionate and dynamic world of healthcare (Can you get more human-centric and empathic?;)

  • I bring 2 years of freelance UX/UI Designer experience, delivering innovative, user-centered designs and out-of-the-box creative solutions that are informed by my multidisciplinary background.

Professional Background & Transition

  • I bring a decade of hands-on experience in the compassionate and dynamic world of healthcare (Can you get more human-centric and empathic?;)

  • I bring 2 years of freelance UX/UI Designer experience, delivering innovative, user-centered designs and out-of-the-box creative solutions that are informed by my multidisciplinary background.

My Story (The Short Version)


Hello there! I'm a UX/UI Designer currently based in San Francisco, CA.


I identify as a creative with strong aptitude for sciences. As a child, I enjoyed asking questions, learning, writing, drawing, arts and crafts, and observe natural world.


That child is very much alive now, and I continue to do pretty much the same things. Just with more complex tools.


My formal academic background is in Linguistics & Literature and natural sciences.

Why such range of studies?

My road was not so straight-forward. I moved to the US in my student years; I brought over a book and a hunger for learning and discovering.

Here, I studied again, then applied myself in healthcare, till I understood that I need to lean into all my skills — qualitative and quantitative.


UX Design field offers the perfect arena to synthesize my abilities and enables me to design digital solutions that are not only visually appealing but also functional and aligned with business objectives.

Academic Foundation

  • UX/UI Design course taught me human-centric, iterative design process.

  • B.S. in Environmental Science taught me to approach problems analytically and translate data into insights.

  • Bachelor's degree in Literature & Linguistics taught me to understand diverse perspectives and communicate ideas clearly.