Civic Tech
Sep 26, 2025
Workforce Management
Philly Truce is a Philadelphia-based nonprofit focused on community safety and reintegration. They organize peace patrol programs that provide a visible neighborhood presence while creating paid work opportunities for individuals returning to society after incarceration. Many peace patrollers are navigating parole, reentry programs, or transitional housing, and the Safe Path platform was designed to support them as they rebuild stability, earn income, and reconnect with their communities. I initially joined the project as a UX volunteer and was quickly asked to step into a UX team lead role as the scope and complexity of the work grew. The goal of Safe Path was to create a clear, accessible system that empowered peace patrollers while also strengthening trust and communication between residents, community organizers, and law enforcement.
The design work evolved across multiple phases and user groups. We began with the mobile experience for peace patrollers, focusing on straightforward login, shift visibility, time tracking, and route management. Through ongoing conversations with the founders, Steven and Mazzie, including in-person working sessions in Philadelphia, it became clear that communication and coordination were just as critical as individual task flows. This led to the design of a messaging system that allowed residents to contact Philly Truce directly, enabled peace patrollers to report updates while on route, and supported real-time coordination with administrators. As the organization scaled, we expanded the product further by designing a tablet and desktop admin experience centered around scheduling, route planning, and workforce management through a forward-looking calendar view, giving leadership clear operational visibility for the first time.
Over the course of a year, I helped guide a rotating team of volunteer designers, led user research and usability testing with peace patrollers, administrators, and community members, spear headed design efforts, and mentored newer designers on research facilitation and synthesis. This role strengthened my ability to lead collaboratively, adapt to changing constraints, and design for real-world environments where safety, clarity, and trust are essential. As the project transitioned into development, Safe Path reflected not just a set of screens, but a system grounded in lived experience and community needs. Working on Philly Truce reinforced how thoughtful design can support operational effectiveness while contributing to meaningful social impact, and it remains one of the most formative projects in my career.
