Sheryl Cababa
Author of Closing the Loop
Sheryl drives a human-centered design practice that is focused on systems thinking and evidence-based design, working on everything from robotic surgery experience design to reimagining K-12 education through service design. In her work with consultancies such as Substantial, frog, and Adaptive Path, she has worked with a diverse base of clients including the Gates Foundation, Microsoft, IHME, and IKEA. She holds a B.A. in journalism and political science from Syracuse University.
Sheryl is an international speaker and workshop facilitator. When she’s not in the office, she can be found at the University of Washington helping educate the next generation of Human-Centered Design and Engineering students. You might also find her biking around Seattle, or talking about her most recent complicated baking project.
Rosenverse talks by Sheryl:
" A system thinker changes how they interact with problems, going a level or two deeper into causes and connections. "
Integrating Systems Thinking Into Your Practice as a Designer
October 1, 2025
" You don’t need formal power to be a change agent; influence through alignment and stakeholder mapping is key. "
Thinking in systems to address climate with Sheryl Cababa
June 12, 2024
" Designers need to have critical conversations with stakeholders about the direction and impacts of AI. "
Day 2 Panel
June 5, 2024
" One of the challenges for designers is to orient around forces rather than only people. "
Living in the Clouds: Adopting a Systems Thinking Mindset
June 6, 2023
" Systems thinking requires collaborating with diverse stakeholders rather than working in isolation. "
Expanding your Design Lens with Systems Thinking
March 28, 2023
" Today's problems come from yesterday's solutions. "
Expanding Your Design Lens with Systems Thinking
February 23, 2023
