I’m Rachael,
a user experience researcher with a background in public interest law
based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Current Projects
This design-based project focuses on improving access to information for tenants when navigating government and court systems in Washtenaw County.
Funded by the University of Michigan Library’s Anti-Racist Digital Research Institute.
Consumer Debt Filing Tool
This filing tool aims to address inequities in consumer debt cases and reduce burdens placed on courts by streamlining the creation of court forms and providing self-represented Defendants with the information they need to engage with court processes.
I’m a graduate student pursuing a Master of Science in Information at the University of Michigan, focused on User Experience Research and civic technology.
Prior to graduate studies, I worked as a paralegal and program coordinator at Legal Services of South Central Michigan, addressing civil-legal needs of low-income Washtenaw County residents. I spent my days supporting clients and attorneys to defend against eviction, maintain food assistance and health insurance, and contest disability benefit overpayments and cessations.
So often the issues we saw in our office weren’t legal at all; they were information and systems issues such as difficulty reaching a caseworker, inability to access necessary paperwork, or trouble understanding forms or application processes.
I returned to school with a desire to make an impact on the non-legal issues I saw my clients face every day. In a data driven world, I chose the field of information to learn mixed-methods approaches to complex problem solving that merge data and technology with human experience.