Kaitlyn Sallee, EDI '27Inclusive Design, Physical Product Design, Product Management
About
Kaitlyn enjoys living at the intersection of disciplines and functions, balancing big-picture thinking with intentional, detailed design. Her interest in creativity started from an early age, and it evolved into a design mindset once she discovered her passion for STEM. She comes from a large family of creatives and educators, and that interdisciplinary immersion fuels new applications of her own creative process. She believes that some of the best design lies in nature, which colors much of her inspiration.
When it comes to human-centered design, she believes in the power of understanding end users' broader environment (beyond what is explained explicitly) and in leading with personal connection. She hopes to be a designer who promotes holistic wellbeing for end users, creating more margin to enjoy life with confidence and peace of mind in ways that are accessible and practical. As a leader, she hopes to help teams understand each other and continue integrating feedback for continuous improvement.
Portfolio
Why EDI?
Through several hands-on design and clinical experiences, Kaitlyn has developed a deeper passion for collaborating with need-knowers/end users throughout the design process and creating solutions that transform the quality of life of patients and their families. Separately, her internships in medical device manufacturing and operations have highlighted the criticality of manufacturability, financial considerations, and post-market surveillance once a product leaves the development team. Through EDI, she hopes to diversify her portfolio beyond medically-centered applications while deepening her experience with advanced prototyping methods and project management throughout the full development lifecycle. She is most excited for the transdisciplinary nature of the program and can't wait to design for impact together.
Experience before EDI
B.S. Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis
Process Engineer (Intern), Abbott Nutrition
Manufacturing Engineer (Intern), Abbott Vascular
Quality Engineer (Intern), Abbott Neuromodulation
Personal Interests
Kaitlyn also serves as an Assistant Resident Director for undergraduate housing on the Evanston campus! In the role, she supports full-time staff with management and community-building in the area while directly supervising six undergraduate RAs.
