visionary • collaborative • intentional
Hi, I’m Rusha—a maker and builder at heart, and I like humans! I love building for them, talking to them, and hanging out with them. I design for good and I’m obsessed with good design, both digital and analog.
I’m intrigued by ideas and the use of technology to create a lasting, meaningful impact. I’m really drawn to the thinking behind the craft of design – from the processes and tools to the behaviours and culture that shape teams.
Professionally:
I am a multidisciplinary design practitioner and leader with two decades of experience, grounded in visual design and research. My passion for learning has taken me across continents and companies, through highs and lows, building my resilience, grit, and optimism.
I’ve built meaningful products and led teams across various stages, from pre-seed to Series B, Series E pre-IPO and larger organizations, consistently bringing a lean startup approach and customer-centric focus. My experience spans agencies, marketplaces, e-commerce, enterprise and SaaS.
I thrive in roles where I can shape not just the product, but also influence end-to-end experiences—collaborating with cross-functional teams to craft compelling narratives and bring a vision to life.
Personally:
I was born and raised in Mumbai, a city of 22 million+, eating mangoes and living a life in colour. I now live in Boston for the last 20 years, surviving its bitter winters by escaping to the tropics. I am a watercolour artist and ceramist, and I spend every spare moment in the studio — not crying over broken pots 😉
Family:
I have a fun and troublesome 8-year-old who is a kung-fu ninja in the making. In life, I am partnered with Daniel Bulli — a “smaht” and a very lucky guy who I give a lot of grief to… occasionally not!
Who I am
Curiosity-Driven Generalist: With a foundation in visual design (with an eye for typography), I thrive on broadening my skill set, believing that building my expertise across disciplines enriches my perspective and makes me a more versatile leader.
Insightful Researcher: We are humans and we are messy! I’m drawn to complex problems that require examining things from multiple angles. I excel at planning and leading research, distilling insights from both quantitative and qualitative data, and connecting the dots. I thrive on those "aha!" moments when insights translate into actionable strategies and innovative solutions.
Empathetic Coach: Coming from a different background, I’ve navigated my share of challenges in tech and aim to be the guide I never had. I’m driven by the opportunity to share my insights through thoughtful feedback and genuine empathy, while also helping to develop and grow design teams — it’s what keeps me energized and inspired.
My Leadership Values
Diverse Connections
I love bringing together teams where every voice counts. I’m all about creating a space where people feel seen, valued, and ready to bring their unique perspectives. Personal connections and trust are the heart of great work, and I make it a point to keep those connections strong.
Celebrating Craft
I highly value continuous feedback. I believe it fuels growth, keeps us sharp, and makes our work better every day. I celebrate the small wins that show our craft in action while holding us to high standards be it every iteration, interaction, workshop.
Empowering Growth
Mentorship and growth go hand-in-hand, and I’m passionate about helping designers find fulfilling paths that matter to them. Whether it’s personal coaching or team development, I’m committed to creating a culture where learning, support, and success are shared goals.
Designing in the Open
Transparency is key to everything I do. I believe in designing in the open to build trust, working side-by-side with cross-functional partners, and keeping communication flowing across every level. We go further together, and I make sure no one is left out of the loop.
Resilient & Adaptable
Change is constant, and I see it as an opportunity to grow. I lead with resilience, helping my team navigate challenges with confidence and purpose. Adaptability is a team superpower, and I work to cultivate it so we can thrive no matter what comes our way.
Work Experience
UnifyCX
Head of Design
2023 – 2024
2011 – 2018
Kor Group
2006 – 2012
UnifyCX transforms enterprise customer service through an intelligent, customer-first AI platform for businesses and supports over 6,000 agents globally.
My Role:
As Head of Design, I transformed the design function into a strategic driver, integrating human-centered design with AI/ML to enhance both business outcomes and customer experiences. I built collaborative frameworks, led user research for AI solutions, and shaped team culture. I also hired, coached and mentored the design team.
Wayfair
Senior Manager, Product Design
2020 – 2023
Building a new team within a larger organization with a consumer-focused approach to enterprise, I helped transform Wayfair’s business into a self-service, global experience for 27K partners with 10M+ products, driving growth across all regions.
My Role:
As the design leader for Supplier Growth, I led and managed multiple teams, fostering growth and development for designers. I established team rituals and operational practices, design thinking frameworks, and facilitated co-creation sessions with cross-org leadership, across platform, marketing, and operations.
Toast
Senior, Experience Design
2019 – 2020
At Toast, then a series E startup, I led the launch of a new 0-1 product within six months, driving significant growth in Toast’s Guest business pillar (B2C). By exceeding beta customer conversion goals, contributed over $15K in ARR in Q4.
My Role:
I played a key role in shaping guests enagagement product roadmaps, aligning cross-functional teams, and co-running large generative research to uncover new opportunities for Toast in a new domain. Additionally, I mentored UI designers, setting high standards and fostering a culture of excellence.
EnergySage
Co-founder / Director of Design (Product + Brand)
I helped accelerate the transition to clean energy by making solar more accessible, understandable, and affordable for homeowners and businesses through design contributions. A big challenge!
Through our platform, customers typically saved 20% on solar installations. The environmental impact of one home going solar with EnergySage is equivalent to planting a small forest, offsetting 168 metric tons of carbon over 20 years.
My Role:
As a design co-founder, I executed the creation of our initial 0-1 efforts to launch our B2C and B2B experiences, established the brand and then hired and supported the teams that would bring it to the next phase of growth, attracting top-tier partners and scaling our customers from 0 to ~10M over 4 rounds of funding. (Acquired by Schneider Electric).
My role evolved from being only designer to establishing design as a power-house function, managing the design team, and building + serving as the brand guardian. I championed a Design Thinking culture and fostered a collaborative, vibrant work environment.
Kor group is a strategic design firm excelling at digital and brand strategy for mid-sized clients.
My Role:
I led branding, UI/UX efforts with a focus on a responsive, mobile-first culture. I art-directed photoshoots, worked closely with developers, videographers, and writers to ensure cohesive execution. In addition to leading design workshops and presenting designs to clients, I managed relationships and ensured successful delivery of high-quality, on-budget experiences. Notable clients included Davis Museum, MGH, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Clark University, and New England Law | Boston.