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Tech as a playbook, not as the solution
- Theme:Product building
- Topic:Strategy
- Topic:Scalability
From building large-scale software products to leading government programs that serve millions of people, Raylene Yung has the unique experience of seeing how complex systems in both public and private sectors work from the inside. Join to hear her observations on why the design principles and product approach to scaling software is often what matters more than the technology itself.
Raylene Yung
Board Member & Advisor
U.S. Digital Response
From storytelling as a PM to storytelling as a film director
- Theme:Product building
- Topic:Collaboration
- Topic:Brand
- Topic:Strategy
Great products and great films have one thing in common: they start with a powerful story. In this talk, Ebi Atawodi explores how her experience as a Product Manager shaped her journey as a film director—drawing surprising parallels between PRDs and scripts, loglines and go-to-market headlines, and cross-functional teams in tech and film. Whether you’re designing a feature or directing a scene, storytelling is at the heart of bringing a vision to life. Ebi shares her life long passion for storytelling in product through a cinematic lens.
Ebi Atawodi
Director of Product Management, YouTube Studio
YouTube
Design at the speed of startups
- Theme:Product building
- Topic:Prototyping
- Topic:Strategy
- Topic:Collaboration
This talk explores how prioritizing rapid iteration and visual artifacts can be a game-changer for designing for early-stage startups. Attendees will learn practical strategies for using design to create clarity and momentum, from quickly validating ideas to keeping cross-functional teams focused and energized. The talk highlights real-world examples of how progress takes precedence over perfection, demonstrating how early feedback, iterative improvements, and visible outcomes lead to faster innovation and stronger results. This session will arm you with actionable insights on how to leverage design as a tool for speed, alignment, and impact in the high-stakes environment of startups.
Gabriel Valdivia
Fractional Founding Designer
Valdivia Works
About the speakers
Raylene Yung
She/herBoard Member & Advisor
U.S. Digital Response
Raylene Yung is an executive who has worked across private and public sectors. She previously served in the Biden-Harris Administration, leading programs investing over $27 billion to modernize government technology and accelerate clean energy deployment. Yung is a Board Member and was founding CEO at U.S. Digital Response, a technology nonprofit that supports hundreds of government partners. Yung also led the development of large-scale software systems in Engineering and Product executive roles at Facebook and Stripe. Yung holds a B.S and M.S. in Computer Science from Stanford University.
Ebi Atawodi
She/herDirector of Product Management, YouTube Studio
YouTube
Ebi Atawodi is the Director of Product Management for YouTube Studio and a LEGO board member. Previously, she held product leadership roles at Netflix and Uber where she also launched Uber in West Africa. She is passionate about creating sustainable products that have a multi-generational impact and infusing magic into the "everyday" through the transformative power of storytelling. Earlier in her career, she founded the Etisalat Prize for Literature and worked as a full-stack engineer. Ebi holds degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computing Science, specializing in AI and Infographics.
Gabriel Valdivia
He/himFractional Founding Designer
Valdivia Works
Gabriel Valdivia has spent two decades building 0→1 products for leading tech companies. As a design leader in large organizations and a sole designer for startups, he specializes in turning ambitious ideas into impactful products. Now, he runs an independent practice partnering with early-stage teams as a fractional design leader, working with clients like Daylight Computer, Workmate, and Google Ventures. Previously, Gabriel shaped product vision and teams at Patreon, led design at CNN, developed technology for safety at Google’s Jigsaw, and explored Virtual Reality at Meta.