my story

Product Designer turning complexity into clear, scalable experiences.

Over the past 8+ years, I’ve worked on 0β†’1 enterprise SaaS and AI platforms at Tekion, Nightfall AI, and Fiddler Labs β€” partnering closely with founders, product leaders, and engineers to turn highly technical workflows into intuitive, scalable experiences.I’m especially drawn to domains like AI, data security, and ML observability β€” spaces where clarity, trust, and thoughtful system design matter deeply.

I enjoy working from ambiguity to structure: defining architecture, refining workflows, and building design systems that help teams move faster with confidence.At my core, I care about building products that are both technically rigorous and genuinely usable.
Chaitanya Profile Pic
Designer . Mother . Photographer
I specialize in 0β†’1 product development and early-stage growth, partnering closely with founders and executive leadership to define product vision, establish scalable foundations, and drive meaningful business outcomes. My background in engineering shapes how I approach design β€” as a systems thinker who naturally gravitates toward solving deeply technical product challenges.

I’ve worked as a founding or early design leader at companies like Tekion, Nightfall AI, and Fiddler Labs, where I helped modernize legacy enterprise systems, design AI-native experiences, and architect scalable product ecosystems from the ground up. My work spans AI and machine learning platforms, data security, ML observability, automotive retail SaaS, analytics, and productivity systems.

Most recently, I led end-to-end experience design for an Explainable AI and Model Monitoring platform at Fiddler Labs, enabling enterprise data science teams to monitor, analyze, and interpret machine learning models at scale with transparency and trust. Prior to that, I led experience design initiatives at Tekion, helping transform automotive retail through a modern cloud-based dealership platform.

Throughout my career, I’ve operated across seed-stage startups and growth-stage SaaS companies β€” leading research, defining product strategy, building scalable design systems, and translating complex workflows into intuitive, high-impact user experiences. I believe strong collaboration and continuous feedback loops are essential to building products that last.I’m driven by clarity, long-term thinking, and building platforms β€” not just features. I use design as a strategic lever to create products that enhance human decision-making, inspire confidence, and simplify complexity.Outside of work, I’m passionate about sustainable organic gardening and macro and landscape photography. I live in Dublin, California, with my husband and two boys.
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01. work experience
Product Designer - Nightfall.AI

NOV 2023 - Current, Dublin, ca.

Product Design Consultant - Self-Employed

Jan 2023 - Current, Dublin ca.

Product Designer - Gem

DEC 2021 - July 2022, SF ca.

Senior Product Designer - Handshake

May 2021 - Dec 2021, SF ca.

Product Designer - Forge Studio

oct 2020 - may 2021, OAK ca.

Product Designer - Fiddler

July 2019 - OCT 2020, Palo alto ca.

Founding Designer - Tekion

JULY 2016 - MARCH 2019, SAN RAMON ca.

Senior Product Designer - FirstRain

NOV 2013 - JUN 2016, SAN MATEO ca.

UX Designer - VMware

JUN 2012 - SEP 2013, Palo alto ca.

UX Designer - Google

AUG 2011 - MAY 2012, MOUNTAIN VIEW ca.

Mobile UX / UI Designer - Walmart

JAN 2011 - AUG 2011, SAN BRUNO ca.

UX Designer - Partners HealthCare

OCT 2008 - DEC 2010, BOSTON, MA.

02. EDUCATION
Northeastern University // Boston, MA - 3.8 / 4.0 GPA

Bs in graphic design - jan 2010

Osmania University

BS in electronics - june 2001

Osmania University

Diploma in multimedia and software technology, may 1999

03. AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
Won Fast Co Honoree for "Best User Experience" for Tekion ARC.

NOV 2019.

Won Silver "The Stevie Awards" for Sales 
2.0 - FirstRain.

JUNE 2016.

Recipient of book builders association of Boston - Scholarship.

outstanding ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE | May 2008.

Dean's list of Honors

YEAR 2007 AND 2008.

My photography journey

Follow me @chaitanyamendu