ELLEN DONG
Hi, I’m Ellen.
I’m a startup operator with a design lens – focused on building high-impact teams and crafting products that create meaningful value for both users and the business. Currently, I’m Head of Design at Headway, leading Product Design, Creative, and Research to build products that make mental health care more accessible and affordable at scale.
2022.01 - pRESENT
Lead Design at Headway
Joining Headway as the first designer, I built and scaled a high-performing team of 15 across Product Design, Research, and Creative, transforming the function into a powerhouse that drives business impact.
2019.2 - 2021.12
Designer at Meta
Designed for teenagers and their parents on Instagram, and co-created innovative data privacy solutions with global policymakers at TTC Labs.
2016.7-2019.2
Designer/Manager at Apple
Explored personalized AI-driven experiences and co-authored Machine learning chapter on Human Interface Guideline.
2015-2016.7
Designer at Startups
Designed at various startups, including serving as Databricks' first design intern during its early growth stage.
A Personal Note on Taste and Craft
Hi there, welcome to my corner on the internet.
My career has been a journey shaped by different chapters, each teaching me something essential. At Apple, I learned systemic thinking and developed an eye for craft — where even the smallest detail carries the weight of a larger vision. At Meta, I explored the rigor of design systems and how process can scale creativity. And at Headway, a fast-growing startup making mental health care more accessible, I’ve refined my leadership approach and built the design function from the ground up. Each experience taught me how to think in systems, craft with care, and build with people and purpose.
I've had the privilege of working with many talented designers and leaders along the way.
The best of them share two qualities: taste and craft. Taste is a matter of vision — seeing beyond what's in front of us and understanding what "good" looks like. Craft is the ability to bring that vision to life through relentless execution and a commitment to excellence.
Together, these traits form what I see as the essence of great design leadership: a visionary pragmatist who moves fluidly between the present and the future.
This is the kind of team I’ve loved building — designers who aren’t just dreamers, but builders. Designers who find joy in creating thoughtful, human experiences that endure. The most fulfilling part of my work has been nurturing teams like this and watching ideas turn into lasting impact, one meaningful detail at a time.
Ellen
dongyi.ellen@gmail.com
Made in Brooklyn with 🥐