Founder
Tricia Douglas
Founder & Developmental Design Lead
Tricia Douglas is a designer, educator, strategist, and doctoral researcher whose work explores the relationship between human development and the systems we inhabit. Drawing from experience across education, organizational strategy, community development, and design, she developed Development by Design (DxD)—a framework that examines how cultures, technologies, institutions, and everyday practices shape human capacity over time.
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tricia@developmentby.design LinkedInTricia Douglas is a designer, educator, strategist, and doctoral researcher whose work explores the relationship between human development and the systems we inhabit. Drawing from experience across education, organizational strategy, community development, and design, she developed Development by Design (DxD)—a framework that examines how cultures, technologies, institutions, and everyday practices shape human capacity over time. Through DxD and Bloom Collective, she works with leaders, educators, designers, and changemakers seeking to create conditions that strengthen human flourishing in an era of increasing social, organizational, and technological complexity.
Through DxD and Bloom Collective, she works with leaders, educators, designers, and changemakers seeking to create conditions that strengthen human flourishing in an era of increasing social, organizational, and technological complexity.
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Research & Psychology
Khalima Bolden-Thompson, PhD
Clinical Research & Psychology Partner
Dr. Khalima Bolden-Thompson is a licensed clinical psychologist, educator, implementation scientist, and Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of California, Davis. Her work bridges psychology, education, and systems innovation to develop equitable approaches that strengthen the social, emotional, and cognitive well-being of children, adolescents, families, and the adults who support them.
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khalima@developmentby.design LinkedInDr. Khalima Bolden-Thompson is a licensed clinical psychologist, educator, implementation scientist, and Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of California, Davis. Her work bridges psychology, education, and systems innovation to develop equitable approaches that strengthen the social, emotional, and cognitive well-being of children, adolescents, families, and the adults who support them.
Drawing from over 15 years of experience in clinical care, research, and workforce development, Dr. Bolden-Thompson partners with schools, healthcare systems, and community organizations to translate scientific evidence into practical strategies that foster resilience, belonging, and thriving. Her expertise spans implementation science, early intervention, trauma-informed care, neurodevelopment, and organizational capacity building, with a particular emphasis on designing systems that better serve historically marginalized communities.
As both a clinician and researcher, Dr. Bolden-Thompson is passionate about helping organizations move beyond isolated programs toward sustainable cultures of well-being. Through Bloom and Narrative Integration Therapy (NIT), she works collaboratively with interdisciplinary teams to create environments where students, educators, clinicians, and communities can flourish together.
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Strategy
Kat Ward
Strategic Positioning Partner
Kat Ward is a researcher, strategist, and community builder who helps people and organizations move through complexity with greater clarity, connection, and direction. Her work spans research, design strategy, and community program design across edtech, education, nonprofit, and financial services, grounded in equity-centered thinking and a conviction that the best solutions come from understanding people in their real, messy, lived context.
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kat@developmentby.design LinkedInKat Ward is a researcher, strategist, and community builder who helps people and organizations move through complexity with greater clarity, connection, and direction. Her work spans research, design strategy, and community program design across edtech, education, nonprofit, and financial services, grounded in equity-centered thinking and a conviction that the best solutions come from understanding people in their real, messy, lived context.
As DxD's Strategy Partner, Kat brings this human-first lens to the framework's work with leaders and teams building more intentional environments for growth and collaboration. She's also currently investing in intentional in-person community across the Bay Area — convinced that something happens when people share space together.
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Bloom Collective
DxD's living laboratory
DxD is the foundational framework behind Bloom Collective—an educational practice where these ideas about developmental design are tested, refined, and activated in real community and organizational contexts. Bloom is where the theory meets the ground.
Reach out
Let's talk about what you're building
Whether you're interested in the August cohort, exploring what DxD could look like inside your organization, or just want to be in conversation—we'd like to hear from you.
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We read every message and respond within a few days. In the meantime, feel free to explore the framework or learn about the upcoming cohort.