In 2019–2020, Looker was preparing for its integration into Google Cloud while competing directly with Tableau. The company faced not only strategic and technical hurdles but also the uncertainty of COVID-19 and the devastating CZU Lightning Complex fires that displaced many in its Santa Cruz community. Against this backdrop, Looker Connect was conceived as more than a repository — it became a learning ecosystem designed to accelerate onboarding, adoption, and certification readiness while building community and resilience.

As Program Manager, I guided strategy, execution, and cultural stewardship. I coordinated stakeholders, vendors, and design partners to align user needs with business goals while keeping people at the center. From handwritten notes and weekly rituals to structured learning journeys and metadata-driven content design, my work balanced empathy with precision. Over the course of a year, our team delivered an MVP that unified 500+ assets, built a 300+ term taxonomy, and introduced peer-to-peer learning and contributor workflows.

The results were tangible: faster onboarding, reduced reliance on support, stronger adoption and retention, and a fortified competitive position against Tableau. The project earned an Innovative Design Excellence Award, but its deeper impact was cultural. Looker Connect reminded people of their value during a turbulent time and became a proof point that resilience, trust, and growth are possible even under extraordinary pressure. For me, it remains my most memorable project — a launch shaped not only by systems and structure, but by humanity.