Every month we ask one individual in our network a few questions about their way into tech, their motivation and their lessons learned.
Let’s start from the beginning. Tell us about where you’re from!
I was born in East Germany and studied Communication Design in Hamburg. In 2004 I moved to Switzerland and have been here ever since.
I started working in a design studio in Biel/Bienne and then moved in 2006 to Zurich to start working in the best Swiss ad agency Ruf Lanz. I was lucky to work together with my partner Torsten, a copywriter, who I met back in Hamburg. After 4 years at Ruf Lanz we decided to start as a Freelance Team – and now we are in our 15th year of freelancing.
What valuable advice did you get from your parents?
My mother wanted me to work in a bank. My father wanted me to study business administration. I think I learned from them to listen to myself, to go my own way and to do what really interests me: art and design. Fortunately, they accepted my decision and supported me on my path.
What I had also experienced from an early age was the equality of men and women. In East Germany, it was normal for women to work full-time and, of course, to work in technical professions. This self-image and confidence have stayed with me to this day.
How did you become interested in tech?
I have always been curious in general. As a child, I preferred books and model kits to dolls. Back in the 80s we had computer lessons in school and I had to learn BASIC.
In 1996 I went online for the first time and found it super exciting. Three years later, I had a used PowerMacintosh and I built my first website. I just wanted to know how it works. After that, I was simply a tech user for many years, but generally always interested in topics related to digitalization and society. This led me to the CAS Digital Ethics in 2019 and then to the Master’s program at the ZHdK, where I focused on the topic of AI.
What was the focus of your master’s project, and how did it explore AI?
When I started my Masters in Design, Trends & Identity in 2021, I connected a field I knew and worked in for more than 15 years with the new topic of Artificial Intelligence and wrote a trend study about “Augmented Intelligence – AI in the Creative Economy”. Based on horizon scanning, digital ethnography and interviews, it took a holistic view of the topic within the dimensions of market, creative process and aesthetics. Important was also the social context and possible strategies on how creative professionals can handle the changes triggered by the technology. One of my strategies was “Inform – Inspire – Empower” – further education with the aim of strengthening the future viability and upskilling of creative professionals.
How do you ensure that AI-generated content remains both innovative and responsible?
The responsible use of AI requires a balanced approach, not just purely efficiency- and performance-based thinking. Personally, I try to see AI tools as creative collaboration partners rather than substitutes. This means maintaining human knowledge, responsible oversight, and critical review of AI outputs. Those who understand how AI works, including its limitations and inherent biases, will likely use it more responsibly.
The most valuable AI applications in creative fields often come at the beginning of the process, opening up possibilities that might otherwise not have been considered and creating space for creative experimentation. The exciting challenge ahead is finding meaningful ways to blend AI-generated elements with human creativity and insight.
How do you think AI can be leveraged to foster diversity and inclusion?
I have a rather realistic view on this topic. While AI tools are often praised for democratizing creative capabilities, I am concerned that this accessibility comes with downsides for diversity and inclusion. Many users lack visual literacy or awareness of stereotypes and biases embedded in these systems. This could lead to a proliferation of AI-generated content that inadvertently reinforces problematic representations rather than challenging them.
When everyone can create images without understanding visual communication principles or cultural sensitivities, we risk drowning in stereotypical representations and potentially harmful deepfakes. The technology itself often reflects existing biases in its training data.
That said, there is potential for positive impact. These tools provide creative expression opportunities for people who previously lacked access to design resources.
Have you ever had a role model that inspired you on your path?
Not really, to be honest. But I think growing up in East Germany and seeing women working in all kinds of professions – engineer, doctor, IT specialist, teacher etc. – and being paid the same, had a big influence on me. So maybe you can say I had a lot of role models around me.
What aspects of your work are you proudest of?
Oh, difficult question… Currently probably my ability to pass on knowledge about generative AI with all its pros and cons to others in a clear and inspiring way. It makes me happy when I see someone’s face light up with understanding or when I can see in their creative outputs that my explanation helped them use these new technologies with more confidence. That’s deeply rewarding. It’s really about “Inform, inspire, empower,” the concept from my MA thesis.
I never thought of myself as a teacher. I was afraid of public speaking. But I’m really passionate about this topic. I think it’s important to think and speak about it – whether you like it or not. AI is here to stay, and we choose if and how we want to use it. In the end, AI education is not just about explaining how the tools work, but also encouraging critical thinking about their implications.
What drives you at work?
Curiosity and serendipity.
What has been your toughest challenge you faced while working in tech?
Especially when it comes to AI topics, it is exhausting to constantly stay up-to-date. There is so much going on at the moment and you have to keep up with it, but at the same time you have to distinguish between the hype and the really relevant things. I always get far too little sleep.
Can you share how you manage to stay up-to-date, aside from the inevitable lack of sleep?
My curiosity helps me stay up to date. I find lots of information in newsletters:
Or on Linkedin, Instagram and Twitter (often there by (algo) chance and randomness). I am always in dialogue with other creatives, colleagues from the ZHdK and collect the most important information on my own thematic research boards. I also try to try out as much as possible myself, especially in the area of creative Gen AI.
But you realise that the AI cosmos is developing at a rapid pace and sometimes you have to consciously slow down a bit to be able to distinguish between ‘noise’ and well-founded information.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast?
I love books, but do not have a single favorite one. Last christmas I got a wonderful Ellsworth Kelly monograph which I explore on the weekends.
My favorite podcast (and the only one I listen to regularly) is Die sogenannte Gegenwart from Die Zeit.
And every weekend I stream the Sternstunde Philosophie on SRFplay.
What advice would you give other women in tech?
Be courageous and trust in yourself.
And what advice would you give women not yet working in tech that want to enter the field?
Remember that tech needs all kinds of talents – not just coders and engineers, but also designers, writers, project managers, HR specialists, and people who understand human behavior and communication. Find your unique entry point that aligns with your existing skills and interests.
Let your curiosity guide you. Find things that interest you and realize your own projects. Don’t wait for others to tell you what to do.
