Sizzle AI
Role
Sole Product & Brand Designer
Collaborators
Jerome Pesenti (CEO)
Allison McGrath (UXR)
Engineering Team
Duration
2023-2025
I led design at Sizzle, an ed-tech startup built on the belief that AI can help students rediscover the joy of learning. I served as the company’s sole designer from beta through acquisition. Working closely with students, I translated their frustrations and ambitions into thoughtful, cohesive experiences. My work extended beyond interface into brand, research, and the articulation of vision during the company's seed stage. Operating across the full lifecycle of the product taught me how craft, clarity, and narrative come together to shape a product people choose to use. In October 2025, Sizzle was acquired by Campus.
Inspiration
AI learning tools promise speed, efficiency, and instant answers. I wanted Sizzle to take on a different stance. Inspired by Dr. Becky on The Learning Space, the identity is built on the simple truth: learning can be frustrating and that frustration is resilience forming in real time. Sizzle, the mascot, is a playful embodiment of sustained effort and the choice to stay when it would be easier to quit.
Color
The color system pairs bold, high-energy hues with thoughtful neutrals, allowing the brand to feel expressive in marketing while remaining legible and scalable in product.
Visual Language
The illustration system consists of a set of characters that represent the emotional arc of learning. Woven throughout the product, they add touches of joy, and can evolve into stickers that celebrate student milestones and small wins.
Product & Marketing
Designed every screen and state of the Sizzle app as well as other experience touch-points across the service in lock-step with engineering, growth, and marketing.
