Heather Vaughn is a Graduate Coach at InGenius Prep with more than 25 years of experience in industrial user experience research. She holds a PhD in Cognitive Psychology and Intelligent Technologies from Columbia University, an MALS from Wesleyan University, and a BA from Hampshire College.
Heather has held senior research leadership roles at organizations including JPMorgan Chase (VP of User Research), Shutterstock (Senior Director of User Research), iHeartMedia (Director of UX Research), and Bell Labs (Human Factors Manager). Alongside this industry work, she has collaborated with academic institutions on joint research, mentored undergraduate and graduate students during internships, and helped colleagues and family members navigate their own paths into graduate programs, while publishing and presenting her research internationally.
As a Graduate Coach, Heather draws on this breadth of experience across research, mentoring, and formal coaching training to guide students through the graduate admissions process, with particular depth in product development. She believes her varied background gives her a flexible, creative mindset that is quick to adapt to each student’s individual needs and goals.
