We’re excited to welcome Mavis Cao to our team as a Service Designer. We did a short Q&A to introduce Mavis to you. Read on below!
Tell us your story.
I grew up in northeastern China with long winters and a culture that’s tough, humorous, and loyal. In college, I trained as a video journalist—shooting, writing, and producing everything from documentaries to ads, while experimenting with video, animation, and visual design. In 2019, I moved to California for a master’s at ArtCenter College of Design, then joined IDEO.org in San Francisco, working on human-centered design projects tackling social challenges. There, I began combining visual storytelling, rapid prototyping, and design thinking to turn ideas into experiences people can actually use.
I spent the last year organizing and fundraising in the Bay Area through artmaking—curating small exhibitions, producing design and videos, and selling work to support community causes. That work showed me how aesthetics, activism, and everyday life can weave together—and how that weaving builds momentum for change. This journey from journalism to design to grassroots organizing taught me to see design as a way of holding stories, shifting power, building relationships, and showing care. It’s both how I work and how I move through the world.
What values underpin your work and why?
Truth. Clarity. Function. Curiosity. Dignity. Delight. Context aware. Story first. Embrace tension. Ask better. Design is trust building. Consistency. Accessibility. Agency. Iterate. Iterate. Iterate.
Why are you interested in being a part of the PHL Service Design Studio?
The Service Design Studio’s work reflects the kind of design practice I believe in—rigorous, collaborative, and intentional. It carries the care I believe people should feel when moving through public systems, which draws me in as someone interested in improving how communities experience public spaces and services. I also love that this group treats both design and each other with care. I’m excited to be a part of it and grow with it!
What’s your most favorite thing to do in your down time and why?
I’m a shameless trinket hoarder. I love making them, chasing them, and piling them up. My shelves are full of handmade bits and shiny trash. Everything I enjoy is just another form of collecting: rock hunting, geocaching, Facebook Marketplace hunts, making Pinterest boards, hoarding art supplies or spiraling down internet rabbit holes. I also enjoy grabbing beers with friends and letting them info-dump about the latest books or podcasts they’re obsessed with.
