Cate Silva🇨🇦

About Cate Silva

Sr. Product Designer at Thomson Reuters

Hi! I’m a Lead Product Designer with hands-on experience designing large-scale software desktop systems and mobile apps. I currently work in a corporate environment, focusing on designing systems across multiple products and collaborate closely with product and engineering teams. I also help designers, career switchers, and early–mid UX designers build strong foundations and portfolios. I hold a Master’s in Computer Science and a Master’s in Human-Centered Design & Engineering from the University of Michigan.

As a mentor, I specialize in:

Personal branding and positioning Interview preparation, career positioning Portfolio reviews, revamps, and full portfolio website builds UX & UI foundations (research, layout, hierarchy, story mapping, etc..)* Changing roles or upgrading your career Vibe Coding (AI) UI motion & micro-interactions

Expertise

Sessions with Cate Silva

• Meet & Greet (15 min): This is a casual, low-pressure session to connect and learn a bit about each other. You can share your background, goals, and questions, and I’ll help you clarify next steps. Perfect if you’re looking for guidance but aren’t sure where to start yet.
• Portfolio & Resume Revamp Working Session (3x45m) (45 min): Ideal if you’re actively applying and want to deeply refine case studies, storytelling, and interview readiness. Cadence is flexible and can be intensified as needed once we begin.
• UX Research Deep-Dive (Methods & Practice) (60 min): A focused session to improve your UX research skills, including planning, interview techniques, synthesis, insights, and how to communicate findings. Ideal for designers who lack research skills or want to feel more confident running and explaining research.
• Figma & Prototyping Deep-Dive (90 min): A hands-on session focused on improving your workflow in Figma, and app or website prototyping. We’ll work through real files. This is perfect for you to learn how to build components, layout systems, responsiveness, or interaction patterns without rushing.
• 1:1 Strategic Career Coaching (60 min): This tailored session is designed around your current priorities. Goal set together if needed. Actionable feedback and concrete takeaways.
• Interview Prep (30 min): this session, we’ll focus on the topics most relevant to your role and industry—such as product, design, research, content, or business development. You’ll practice real interview questions, receive actionable feedback, and learn how to tell clear, compelling stories about your experience and impact. We’ll identify your key strengths, work through tougher questions, and refine how you present yourself as a strong fit for the role. The session is designed to feel supportive and engaging, so you leave feeling confident, prepared, and clear on your narrative.O

What mentees say

“Cate has been such a great mentor! Her advice is always thoughtful, practical, and tailored to where I am and what I’m trying to achieve. She helped me strengthen the way I tell my story as a designer, approach interviews with more confidence, and recognize the value of my own experience.”

“Working with Cate has been amazing. Her guidance played a huge part in helping me land my dream job! She’s incredibly knowledgeable, kind, and thoughtful with her feedback. Together, we were able to refine my portfolio and make sure it felt like a true reflection of who I am as a designer. Cate was also such a great source of support throughout the interview process.”

“Cate was exactly the mentor I needed. The conversation got specific fast and stayed grounded in the practical. She helped me see potential in a direction I had written off, and by the end, I had real clarity on my next steps. I came in unsure and left motivated, with a plan I can actually act on.”