Human-centered
design leadership
for enterprise platforms.

At Google, I combine strategic clarity with rigorous execution to lead teams from ambiguity to successful customer outcomes across the platform.

Executive Summary
  • Organizational Leadership & Team Health I have 12 years of formal management experience and 8 years of experience as a Senior UX Manager, managing managers. I teach fellow leaders and have a range of approaches to fit different situations. As Senior UX Manager of Storage UX, I turned around a 21-person global Storage UX team — restructured into four pods, built exec-level UX reporting from scratch. Result: +11 NPS, +6% CSAT, 94% manager approval, 100% retention. Case Study→

     

    Platform & Systems Strategy I have been designing and launching design systems for 20+ years. Leading a Google Cloud cross-platform team, I founded the team that standardized production-ready Angular blueprints across GCP's 300+ products. Result: 85 person-years saved, adopted by 192 projects, 4+ years of sustained use. Case Study→

     

    Platform AI Innovation Personally tapped by the Sr. UX Director for Google Cloud Platform to lead AI and innovation for the console. Led GCP’s first GenUI pilot, founded the AI Trust & Agency program; drove 0-1 product and design for an AI code refactoring tool built with DeepMind, now serving 4+ enterprise customers. Led design for Cloud Hub, unifying 41 APIs into one dashboard across a 194-person team (launched 2025). Cloud Hub Press Release Case Study→

     

    THOUGHT LEADERSHIP Writing on product strategy, the future of UX work, responsible and ethical AI has reached 140K readers on LinkedIn and Medium. Writing & Speaking→

It's a privilege to meet you. 

And I do mean that sincerely. You see, I wasn’t supposed to be here. At least by societal norms, I wasn’t. Back when I was a kid, when I was waking up in a different town every few months, the only thing that was promised to me was the same chaos and poverty I had known all my life. And that’s why I know it’s a privilege to be here doing this work with you. 

I have drive, focus, resilience and above all, humanity. Growing up in poverty gave me the soul-deep knowledge of what it feels like to be dehumanized. I can feel it again now with certain attitudes toward AI. There are some who see the risks AI poses to humanity and think, “Oh well, that’s the cost of progress.” Well, I think “the cost of progress” is a poor excuse for the loss of one’s humanity. 

Those of us who are tech leaders have a responsibility to usher in technological progress that works in service to humanity.

My full story→
Aug 10, 2026 Don’t lose your shirt on AI tokens. Get your strategy right before you invest in GenAI. 60 upvotes · 3 comments → Jun 8, 2026 Why traditional UI will never die GenUI is traditional UI on a very expensive conveyor belt. 159 upvotes · 4 comments → May 21, 2026 With all due respect, Mr. Nielsen, you’re wrong. UX won’t be replaced by AI. We’ll be empowered by it. 1 upvote · 1 comment → Apr 21, 2026 Build friendly helper robots, not a replacement for humanity. Move beyond AI frenzy toward designing responsible AI experiences that maximize human/AI collaboration. 430 upvotes · 10 comments → Mar 14, 2026 How to grow a set (of responsible AI principles) Now, this is what I call principled. 191 upvotes · 5 comments → Jan 14, 2026 To AI or not to AI? That is the question. Ranking AI product ideas against user needs, AI strengths and AI costs. 193 upvotes · 6 comments → Dec 17, 2025 AI is the panacea. AI is the pandemic. A polarized conversation about artificial intelligence — and what design owes to it. 6 upvotes →

Recognition & awards

I had the privilege of managing and mentoring Tobi during her time at Google, and she is one of the sharpest design leaders I have worked with. She combines strategic clarity with rigorous execution. She is particularly strong at managing through ambiguity, bringing structure and forward motion to problems that do not yet have a clear shape.

She builds trust quickly, and always listens genuinely. Any team or company fortunate enough to have Tobi will be stronger for her design and leadership talents, and her ability to guide a team toward design that is both inspired and built to last.

KATE LAWRENCE · SENIOR UX DIRECTOR · GOOGLE

Tobi has that rare blend of keen insight, bias toward action, and the ability to translate deep research into practical decisions. She took an ambiguous opportunity and rapidly built momentum around it, inspiring a team of contributors to develop new AI experience patterns, scalable frameworks, and grounded design principles. Respected by her peers, Tobi is a force multiplier, consistently making every team she's a part of more effective.

KIM REES · SENIOR UX DIRECTOR · GOOGLE

"Tobi is easily one of the most creative people I have ever had the pleasure of working with. As well as being exceptionally skilled and creative, she is a pleasure to work with."

Sr. Director · Apple

"A visionary that can work alone or in teams, with the remarkable and delightful ability to deliver a product that exceeds my original vision."

Customer Empathy Award

"She joined the agency's largest account at a critical juncture, integrating herself thoughtfully — providing space for legacy team members while infusing her own style and point of view."

Sr. Director, Global Brand · Ford

"Your generous sharing of information with all your colleagues has made a tangible difference in the way I approach highly ambiguous projects and UX strategy."

Mentee · Google Senior Designer
2026
Customer Empathy Award

Head of Design, Cloud Hub. Presented by Google Cloud CEO, Thomas Kurian.

2024
Cloud Impact Award

Sr. UX Manager, Migration Center for Google Cloud Platform

2014
CODiE Award, Best Business Directory Design

UX Lead, Digital.NYC in partnership with Cohere Studios

2009
MIN, Best of the Web

UX Lead, Sunset for Time Inc.

2009
Webby Award, Honoree for Best Magazine Website

UX Lead, Southern Accents for Time Inc.

2009
Webby Award, Honoree for Lifestyle Website

UX Lead, Cooking Light for Time Inc.

1998
Mensa Qualifier

Australia Culture Fair III, 99.5th Percentile