Born in Almaty, Kazakhstan, my family had immigrated to Canada when I was quite young. Having grown up in a multi-cultural and multi-lingual setting influenced not only who I am, but my design process as well. My experience in and out of OCAD University has taught me to be attentive, adaptable and action driven.My design philosophy focuses on empathy first, solutions second. I always strive to meet people where they are at, and to understand their needs to create a solid foundation for my designs. Shaped by Canada's cultural mosaic, my design process is a solutions mosaic: combining multi-disciplinary tools and approaches in a calculated and playful way.I am always looking to expand my toolkit, master new things, and learn from people of all walks of life.