Danielle Sarkisian, EDI '27UI/UX, Systems Design, Product Strategy
About
Danielle is a product designer and systems thinker who blends behavioral psychology, design strategy, and creative experimentation to shape meaningful digital experiences. She is driven by a desire to solve important problems and create tangible change, and she sees design as a powerful way to understand why people do what they do—and to build products that reduce emotional friction, strengthen connection, and help people thrive.
Through the EDI program, Danielle aims to deepen her craft in UX/UI, strengthen her systems and prototyping skills, and learn how to translate complex human behavior into elegant product solutions. She cares deeply about ethical, human-centered design and sees designers as advocates for the users they are creating for.
Danielle’s philosophy centers on designing with intention, questioning assumptions, and approaching problems with curiosity and empathy. She believes that great design doesn’t just solve isolated issues—it transforms the systems around us and creates meaningful, lasting impact for the people they serve.
Portfolio
Why EDI?
Danielle’s interest in human-centered design grew from the intersection of psychology, entrepreneurship, and product design. Studying psychology taught her how people think and behave; studying entrepreneurship taught her how ideas become viable, sustainable solutions; and pursuing UX design showed her how creativity and systems thinking can translate those insights into real products. She believes the best solutions live at the intersection of these disciplines, because a design that isn’t emotionally intuitive, behaviorally grounded, or financially viable cannot create lasting impact.
She chose the EDI program because it is one of the few places that intentionally blends these worlds. EDI’s focus on interdisciplinary collaboration, systems design, and prototyping aligns with her passion for solving meaningful problems in ways that are both human-centered and strategically sound. Danielle sees EDI as the ideal environment to strengthen her ability to design digital products that are empathetic, behaviorally informed, and built to thrive in the real world.
Experience before EDI
BA, Psychology (minor entreprenuership) – University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
User Experience Certificate – UCLA Extension
Product Design Lead + PM – Quilly
Product Design Manager – trubel&co
UX/UI Design Intern – Quilly
Personal Interests
Outside of design, Danielle loves songwriting, film photography, and experimenting with interior design. She also has a soft spot for discovering up-and-coming fashion designers and falling down style rabbit holes. When she’s not doing that, she’s usually exploring Chicago with friends or doom-scrolling golden retriever videos.
