Lecturer, M.A. in Design focused on Health
Abby is a practicing anthropologist with a mission to drive research, design, business strategy and innovation towards human value. Her philosophy is that organizations create the most meaningful change when focused on human flourishing rather than mere human consumption.
With 15+ years applying anthropological frameworks to design and business challenges and more than 12,000 hours of fieldwork across five continents, Abby has consistently helped organizations reframe problems, uncover hidden opportunities, and create sustainable strategic advantage through deep insight into the human condition. Her diverse professional background spans academia, public radio, design, research, and strategy, serving clients across healthcare, financial services, automotive, consumer goods, and technology sectors.
Abby has held Research, Design and Strategy leadership roles at TIAA, Signet Jewelers, Ziba Design, projekt202, Claro Partners, and Gensler, and academic positions at Harvard University, Lewis & Clark College, Colby College, and the Art Institute of Portland. She was also a producer with Chicago Public Radio.
Currently, Abby is expanding her approach to human insight through movement coaching and practice, exploring how physical movement and adaptability connects to organizational and personal transformation. She is a trainer at the Austin Bouldering Project and is integrating this embodied understanding of human potential into her anthropological work.
Abby holds a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Pittsburgh and a BA in Japanese and Asian Studies from the University of Michigan.
Abby is a practicing anthropologist with a mission to drive research, design, business strategy and innovation towards human value. Her philosophy is that organizations create the most meaningful change when focused on human flourishing rather than mere human consumption.
With 15+ years applying anthropological frameworks to design and business challenges and more than 12,000 hours of fieldwork across five continents, Abby has consistently helped organizations reframe problems, uncover hidden opportunities, and create sustainable strategic advantage through deep insight into the human condition. Her diverse professional background spans academia, public radio, design, research, and strategy, serving clients across healthcare, financial services, automotive, consumer goods, and technology sectors.
Abby has held Research, Design and Strategy leadership roles at TIAA, Signet Jewelers, Ziba Design, projekt202, Claro Partners, and Gensler, and academic positions at Harvard University, Lewis & Clark College, Colby College, and the Art Institute of Portland. She was also a producer with Chicago Public Radio.
Currently, Abby is expanding her approach to human insight through movement coaching and practice, exploring how physical movement and adaptability connects to organizational and personal transformation. She is a trainer at the Austin Bouldering Project and is integrating this embodied understanding of human potential into her anthropological work.
Abby holds a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Pittsburgh and a BA in Japanese and Asian Studies from the University of Michigan.