Senior Product Designer & Co-Founder

Sharon Pothan

I turn complex, high-stakes systems into experiences that feel like they couldn't have been any other way. Some call that product design. I call it years of productive stubbornness and a truly unreasonable number of iterations.

See my work
Sharon Pothan

A Psychology degree taught me that people rarely do what they say — and design is really just applied human behavior. It started at Facebook, now Meta, where watching brilliant colleagues struggle with their own internal tools sparked a question I couldn't let go of: what does it feel like to use something that actually works?

Seven years later designing in health, safety, and social impact, that obsession hasn't let up. I've designed AI cardiac tools used in over a million patient diagnoses, rebuilt medical apps that quadrupled engagement, and now I'm co-founding a mobile app startup — leading design from zero to one alongside two brilliant, slightly chaotic co-founders.

Being a naturally curious person has also fostered a sense of constant learning and growth — that's what pushed me to finally ditch Squarespace and build this portfolio from scratch, with Claude as my coding partner. Going from clunky templates to full creative control has been such an exciting side project in itself — I wrote about that experience here.

When I'm not designing, you'll find me cooking up new vegan recipes, dancing, going to basketball games (Go Warriors & Valkyries!) or exploring somewhere new — with Jalebi, my cat, waiting impatiently at home.

Reach out to me and let's create something together!

End-to-End Product Design AI & Intelligent Systems Design Design Systems User Research & Usability Testing Accessibility (WCAG 2.1 AA) Rapid Prototyping
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“Sharon consistently brought thoughtful, creative solutions grounded in real user needs. Her willingness to take on challenging new projects and dive into unfamiliar problem spaces made her an invaluable asset to our team. Beyond her design skills, Sharon is a genuinely kind and positive presence in any workspace.”
Mark Bauer Head of Product Design & UX Research
“Sharon approaches every project with empathy, ensuring that the end user’s experience is not only visually engaging but also functional and accessible to all. Her ability to balance creativity with a strong understanding of usability makes her a standout in any design team”
Nada Ibrahim Product Strategist & Design Mentor
“As a product designer, Sharon brought a blend of creativity, curiosity, and deep user empathy to every challenge….Beyond her design skills, she was an incredible representative of the UX team, helping bridge gaps between design, research, and the broader organization.”
Elena Scheer-Moser Senior Research & Insights Manager
“She is a thoughtful and vocal contributor in discussions, often bringing up insightful questions that help shape design decisions. She is passionate about inclusive design and ensuring that our digital experiences are built with all users in mind.”
Joanna Chan Product Designer
“Sharon brings her unique design perspective and passion into each product she works on. Her personal passion for making each product accessible to all of its users helped raise accessibility efforts across other programs. The impact of accessibility will continue on with the strong foundation that was built.”
Annie Pugliese Product Design Manager
“Sharon invested time in our scalable marketing tools in designing the look-and-feel of our learning pages and updating them each month after initial design. Sharon brings a very collaborative personality to teams, she adapts well to daily challenges and solicits feedback to make improvements in her approach.”
Julio Herrera Head of Learning & Development

I love a good conversation.

Some of my best work started with "we have no idea what we're doing." If you've got a hard problem, a half-baked idea, or just want a second opinion — I'd love to hear it. Let's make something good.