Hi I'm Sharmeena, I am a designer who believes that good design goes beyond interfaces — it translates people’s lived realities, constraints, and emotions into systems that actually work for them.
Based in Toronto
Open to new opportunities
Hi I'm Sharmeena, I am a designer who believes that good design goes beyond interfaces — it translates people’s lived realities, constraints, and emotions into systems that actually work for them.
Based in Toronto
Open to new opportunities
How I (co)design.
I capture complex real-world contexts
I am a policy researcher turned designer. I take a systems-thinking approach to understand how people operate within broader social, institutional, and technical contexts. I hold space for nuance, and recognize why work-arounds exist. My work turns messy problems into solutions that work for people, not idealized personas.
I listen for what people don’t articulate clearly
Through my equity-based work in policy, I’ve seen how systems can look fine, yet fail the people they’re meant to serve. This has made me attuned to listening for where voices are missing. I apply a co-design lens not just to end users, but to clients, businesses and teams, seeing constraints as opportunities to drive unified strategic design decisions.
I listen for what people don’t articulate clearly
Through my equity-based work in policy, I’ve seen how systems can look fine, yet fail the people they’re meant to serve. This has made me attuned to listening for where voices are missing. I apply a co-design lens not just to end users, but to clients, businesses and teams, seeing constraints as opportunities to drive unified strategic design decisions.
I know how to use research meaningfully
I see research not as a fixed set of methods, but as a way to create clarity. I look beyond surface-level UX fixes to uncover underlying assumptions and alignment gaps. I adapt my research approach to the needs of the product and team, ensuring they surface insights that directly move design forward.
I know how to use research meaningfully
I see research not as a fixed set of methods, but as a way to create clarity. I look beyond surface-level UX fixes to uncover underlying assumptions and alignment gaps. I adapt my research approach to the needs of the product and team, ensuring they surface insights that directly move design forward.
I take ownership through ambiguity
My time in the non-profit and tech start-up space has given me the skill to navigate ambiguity with confidence. From facilitating co-design techniques, to presenting and leading UX direction, I am able to take ownership of my work, and have an impact in unstructured & dynamic environments.
I take ownership through ambiguity
My time in the non-profit and tech start-up space has given me the skill to navigate ambiguity with confidence. From facilitating co-design techniques, to presenting and leading UX direction, I am able to take ownership of my work, and have an impact in unstructured & dynamic environments.
Selected works.
Using a human-centered lens to redesign a multi-step e-commerce flight upgrade platform for a start-up the airline industry.
B2B2C
E-commerce white label
Platform re-design
Jan 2024 — Present
Leading designers to co-create a future-proof solution for community-driven safety patrols in Philadelphia.
SaaS
Route logistic dashboard
0-1 design
Oct 2024 — June 2025
De-mystifying and making Toronto's democracy accessible to all, through design.
Civic Tech TO
City Council processes
0-1 design
Oct 2024 — Present
Recommendations.
Sharmeena has been one of my favorite designers to work with — her leadership, thoughtfulness, and collaborative spirit make a lasting impact. As one of the co-leads for Philly Truce, she led with humility and collaboration, always seeking feedback and valuing the perspectives of others rather than making decisions in isolation. She has an exceptional eye for detail, strong technical skills, and a thoughtful approach that consistently centers the user while considering edge cases others might miss. Her ability to document and clearly communicate design decisions has helped keep our team aligned and efficient. What makes her truly stand out, though, is that she’s not only talented but also a great listener and teammate—someone who brings both clarity and kindness to every conversation.
Hope Yu
Product Designer, Philly Truce
In my 20+ years working with tech professionals, I’ve met many who are skilled and hardworking, but few who bring the combination of talent, reliability, and inspiration that Sharmeena does. She consistently delivers high-quality work, even in the midst of unexpected challenges. She works quickly without compromising attention to detail, and her follow-through is exceptional. When Sharmeena commits to something, it gets done, and done well.
What stands out most is her thoughtful approach. She doesn’t just clarify tasks, she asks insightful questions that anticipate roadblocks and elevate the final result. She also brings heart to her work. She genuinely cares about doing things the right way and has a natural ability to support collaboration and quality at the same time.
David Lederman
Mentor, DesignLab
I had the pleasure of working with Sharmeena on the Philly Truce desktop dashboard project, taking it from 0 to 1. From the very beginning, I could tell she would be a great asset—her ability to organize her case studies and tell compelling stories really stood out.
Building a project from the ground up is never easy, especially with all the ambiguity and shifting user needs along the way. I truly appreciated how Sharmeena stayed laser-focused, asked the right questions to bring clarity to the team, and consistently offered thoughtful design ideas that sparked great discussions. She’s incredibly organized and a true user advocate—any team would be lucky to have her!
Jessica Teng
Product Designer & Team Lead, Philly Truce
Sharmeena has been one of my favorite designers to work with — her leadership, thoughtfulness, and collaborative spirit make a lasting impact. As one of the co-leads for Philly Truce, she led with humility and collaboration, always seeking feedback and valuing the perspectives of others rather than making decisions in isolation. She has an exceptional eye for detail, strong technical skills, and a thoughtful approach that consistently centers the user while considering edge cases others might miss. Her ability to document and clearly communicate design decisions has helped keep our team aligned and efficient. What makes her truly stand out, though, is that she’s not only talented but also a great listener and teammate—someone who brings both clarity and kindness to every conversation.
Hope Yu
Product Designer, Philly Truce
In my 20+ years working with tech professionals, I’ve met many who are skilled and hardworking, but few who bring the combination of talent, reliability, and inspiration that Sharmeena does. She consistently delivers high-quality work, even in the midst of unexpected challenges. She works quickly without compromising attention to detail, and her follow-through is exceptional. When Sharmeena commits to something, it gets done, and done well.
What stands out most is her thoughtful approach. She doesn’t just clarify tasks, she asks insightful questions that anticipate roadblocks and elevate the final result. She also brings heart to her work. She genuinely cares about doing things the right way and has a natural ability to support collaboration and quality at the same time.
David Lederman
Mentor, DesignLab
I had the pleasure of working with Sharmeena on the Philly Truce desktop dashboard project, taking it from 0 to 1. From the very beginning, I could tell she would be a great asset—her ability to organize her case studies and tell compelling stories really stood out.
Building a project from the ground up is never easy, especially with all the ambiguity and shifting user needs along the way. I truly appreciated how Sharmeena stayed laser-focused, asked the right questions to bring clarity to the team, and consistently offered thoughtful design ideas that sparked great discussions. She’s incredibly organized and a true user advocate—any team would be lucky to have her!
Jessica Teng
Product Designer & Team Lead, Philly Truce
Previous work.
Leading user interviews to understand equitable access to green spaces for BIPOC and low-income communities in Canada.
Human-centered research
Urban tree equity
Policy design
Synhesizing farmers' perspectives on environmentally friendly agricultural practices across Ontario.
Human-centered research
Policy design
Living and working in Tkaronto, an area that has been care taken by the Anishinabek Nation, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and the Huron-Wendat for thousands of years. I come with respect for this land that I am on today, and for the people who have and do reside here.