Meet our FAME-ily

We are a team of five graduate students at Carnegie Mellon University completing our Master’s in Human-Computer Interaction (MHCI). With a variety of backgrounds, our team brings experience in research, design, ed-tech, journalism, and psychology to our human-centered design process.

We were supported by our client, FAME, as well as our faculty advisors Raelin Musuraca and Rachel Dzombak, and the broader faculty of the Human-Computer Interaction Institute at CMU.

Alana Mittleman

Product and Research Manager

Before this project, I earned my bachelor's degree in another field here at Carnegie Mellon, so it has been great to stay an extra year and get the HCI experience. During this project I drew on my psychology research experience to take the lead on much of our research planning and logistics, as well as interacting with stakeholders for research. I have also been grateful for the opportunity to hone my strategic thinking. After this project, I am looking to enter the educational technology industry as a ux researcher.

Leanne Liu

Product Designer and Prototyping Lead

Before I came to CMU, my most recent job was at Epic Games as a product designer. I have a strong foundation in UX and HCI, which started during my undergrad at the University of Washington in Seattle studying Human Centered Design & Engineering. During my studies, I have been a researcher designing STEM tools for families who speak English as their second language. I am interested in creating digital experiences that can help people’s dreams come true. That might be learning how to program (as per my research), or creating pipelines for more opportunities. In the future, my career goal is to become a UX/product designer that can work globally.

Marlon Mejia

User Experience Designer and Visual Design Lead

With s years experience of creating digital content, I take a user-centric and data-driven approach when pushing pixels. As a curious autodidact, I spent time teaching myself design skills and principles while receiving my undergraduate degree in Sports Communications & Digital Media at Bethany College. Upon completion of our project, I am aiming to enter the field as a UX or Product Designer.

Martina Tan

Product Manager

I recently graduated from Tufts University with a combined B.S./B.F.A and an interdisciplinary skill set that includes psychology, fine art, design, and computer science. I’ve spent the past year at MHCI refining these skills as a Product Manager and Service Designer on this project. Looking ahead, I’m eager to take what I’ve learned about human-centered design and research to push for inclusive service innovations on a cross-functional team. At any given moment, I’m usually listening to my own playlists or doodling.

Swetha Kannan

Product Designer and Communications Lead

Before the MHCI program, I worked at the Los Angeles Times as a Data and Graphics Journalist. Returning to Carnegie Mellon for my masters was almost like a homecoming since I received my Bachelors from their College of Fine Arts. After this program I’m looking forward to re-entering the industry as a product designer. In this project, I mainly took on responsibility for communications: with our faculty, with FAME, and through social media.

Meet FAME

The Fund for Advancement of Minorities through Education (FAME)

Since 1993, FAME - Fund for Advancement of Minorities through Education, has provided merit scholarships for African American students in grades 3-12 to attend our 8 independent partner schools.

FAME's mission is to educate, empower and embolden African American youth to become student ambassadors of today, leaders of tomorrow and stewards of their communities by providing access to college preparatory education at participating independent schools in the Greater Pittsburgh area through the provision of need based financial assistance.

FAME has brought their continuous work in supporting minorities in education to a program they launched this year, the FAME Teachers’ Academy. “The purpose of the FAME Teachers’ Academy is to create a pipeline of Black teachers to teach and develop as leaders in independent schools in the Greater Pittsburgh Area.”

What we did together

Helping Black educators thrive in their career

Our design team has partnered with FAME to design an intervention that can help Black Educators thrive in their career. With Lisa Owens and Marion Key as our main contacts, we have had the opportunity to meet weekly with them to check in on the status of the project. Together we created design sketches, artifacts, and shared ideas on how to position FAME as an expert in education. This partnership was fostered through our shared passion for improving the education system and advancing FAME as an organization, and could not have been done without our client’s trust in our work.

A Fellow from FAME's Teacher Academy during a class session with elementary aged students.

Our team alongside Lisa Owens and Marion Key during the Fireside Chat.

A workshop session at the conclusion of our Spring Presentation as we prepared a group Walk the Wall activity.

Darryl T. Wiley (FAME CEO) speaking during the Fireside Chat.