About Caitlin

I'm a strategic design leader with a knack for navigating the messy space between human needs and corporate agendas. Currently leading design for the Plan stage at GitLab, but views here are my own. I've spent two decades building digital experiences—from being on the founding team at MasterClass (back when I was pitching for Series A, before joining as employee number 3) to steering design strategy across Trello, Jira Work Management, and Confluence at Atlassian.

My superpower? Translating complex ideas into compelling narratives that make stakeholders nod while designers high-five. I'm a pragmatic, non-linear thinker who thrives in the compelling chaos between strategy and execution.

As a sixth-generation Northern Californian with ancestral ties to the Gold Rush, I can't help but see parallels between mining's boom-and-bust cycles and today's tech landscape. This perspective fuels my writing about design leadership, tech culture, and the human cost of digital extraction.

When I'm not helping teams build better products, you'll find me with pastel-colored hair, quoting Discworld at inappropriate moments, and using profanity as punctuation. My writing pulls no punches—I believe in calling bullshit on toxic practices while still celebrating what makes tech meaningful.

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