Menu
Individually, we’re all quite different—and that’s the point. Ke sees the system. Emma sees the structure. Cami sees the relationships. When you put those perspectives in the same room, our clients start seeing new possibilities. We balance optimism with healthy skepticism, and creativity with rigor. We ask good questions. We listen closely. And we work alongside people, not over them.
TOGETHER, WE'RE MAGIC!
We met in 2017 in a tiny office in Palo Alto. That office became a little experiment in collaboration—whiteboard constantly in use, chairs pulled up for whoever wandered in, long conversations about systems thinking and human-centered design. Fun stuff!
That space held the earliest hints of what would become Systems Design Lab. Today, we partner with clients who want to rethink not just their strategies, but the ways they relate, learn, and lead.
We’re here to help teams slow down just enough to see clearly, and then move toward change with intention. And honestly, we just really like working together :)
OUR TEAM
Your Strategic Partners
Ke Wu /
The Negotiator
SHE/HER
CONNECT → LinkedIn
(Who like to have fun while solving complex problems!)
Ke is the negotiator—the one who can hold a whole system in her mind while helping people navigate tension, tradeoffs, and competing priorities with clarity and care.
She helps teams sort signal from noise, get clear on what matters most, and move forward without losing sight of relationships or purpose. Ke has a steady presence in complex conversations, asking grounding questions that help people see options and make decisions together.
She lives in rural New Hampshire with her spouse and three children, where the rhythms of small-town life and local food systems keep her inspired. There’s usually a meal being cooked, a kid running through the yard, and a conversation about how communities care for one another.
Analytical, adaptable, and option-oriented—help her hold urgency and compassion at the same time. She supports teams in moving toward results while honoring the complexity of the people and communities involved.
STRENGTHS
Ke’s background spans international research, teaching, public interest law, group facilitation, coaching, and improvement advising. She brings over 15 years of experience in social-sector systems and holds both a JD and an MPhil.
EXPERIENCE
Emma Parkerson /
The Architect
SHE/HER
CONNECT → LinkedIn
Emma is the architect—the one who designs the structures, processes, and experiences that help groups work together with clarity and care.
She listens closely, notices what others miss, and reflects it back through an elegant process, a clear visual, or a thoughtfully designed experience. Emma helps teams hold multiple perspectives at once and turn complexity into something people can actually move through.
Based in Vermont, Emma lives in a multigenerational home with her husband (an audio engineer), her daughter, and her mom. A long career in the nonprofit and social sectors—from Washington, D.C. to the Bay Area—taught her how to design for real people, real constraints, and real power dynamics.
Emma’s change style is “originator,” which is a fancy way of saying she loves to experiment. Some hobbies come and go. Board games and kitchen experiments seem to have stuck. She believes food is one of the simplest paths to connection.
Analytical, reserved, and inclusive—help teams feel both grounded and brave.
STRENGTHS
With a master’s in organization development and training in continuous improvement, design thinking, disruptive strategy, and project management, Emma brings a steady focus on process and relationships.
EXPERIENCE
The Sensemaker
SHE/HER
CONNECT → LinkedIn
Cami is the sensemaker—the one who helps teams make sense of complexity by identifying patterns, surfacing meaning, and translating insight into clear direction and structure.
She has a gift for working with mess—not by tidying loose ends up too quickly, but by listening for what they reveal. She’s often the first to ask, *“What’s the pattern here?”* and the one who quietly builds the structure that helps a team move forward with clarity.
Born and raised in Quito, Ecuador, and now based in Pittsburgh, Cami brings that same love of discovery to her everyday life. You’ll find her learning about urban gardening, exploring the outdoors, or taking out stacks of books from the local library.
Modest, caring, and reserved—show up in the way she leads with user-centered design and collaborative problem-solving. She helps groups see not only what’s happening, but why it matters for the people they serve.
STRENGTHS
Cami Velasquez /
Her work in Mexico, the Netherlands, and the U.S. taught her how to see systems from multiple angles. With a master’s in applied anthropology and training in behavior change, she helps teams collect, interpret, and make meaning of data so they can make better decisions.
