We’re excited to welcome Melody Shar as Kira Learning’s Director of Design. With 13+ years shaping UX and product at agencies, startups, and high-growth teams like Amazon (Ring/Neighbors), Carvana, Citizen, Zeitview, and BookClub, Melody brings a builder’s mindset and a passion for mission-driven products. We sat down for a quick Q&A to introduce her to our community.
Q&A with Melody Shar
Q: Tell us a bit about your background—what brought you to Kira, and why did this opportunity resonate with you?
Melody: Design has always been part of my life. My parents are both designers, so I grew up around creativity, problem-solving, and an appreciation for how design shapes the world. That early influence turned into a career in UX and product design over the last 13+ years, leading across agencies, startups, and companies like Amazon (Ring/Neighbors), Carvana, Citizen, Zeitview, and BookClub. I’m drawn to mission-driven products where technology and human impact meet. Kira resonated with me because it pairs two things I care about—AI and empowering learners and educators—and offers a chance to help shape education culture in a new way.
Q: What are you most excited about as you start your journey here?
Melody: I’m excited to inspire other designers and to build things together that feel meaningful and impactful. Design shouldn’t happen in isolation; the best work comes from collaboration, feedback, and co-creation. I’m eager to lay the groundwork for a design foundation that scales: a thoughtful design system, clear workflows, and team rituals that let us move quickly while keeping a high bar for quality. I’m energized by the chance to shape tools that help educators and learners in new ways through AI. Most importantly, I’m here to learn from everyone—I don’t have all the answers, but I have strong curiosity.
Q: What’s something interesting or unique about you that your new colleagues might be surprised to learn?
Melody: I grew up in a family of designers, even though my parents tried to steer me away from it, so creativity was part of daily life. Also, I play a lot of video games—and I’m pretty good! I gravitate toward activities that challenge me mentally, whether that’s gaming, design, or hobbies that push me to think differently and keep learning.
Q: How do you see your role contributing to Kira’s mission of transforming education through AI?
Melody: I see my role as bridging what technology can do with what people need. My goal is to design products that don’t just function, but inspire experiences and encourage positive behavior change. I want to create intuitive experiences that make AI a trustworthy partner for educators, students, and creators. By connecting user research, design systems, and product strategy, I aim to make AI’s potential feel approachable, human, and easy to use in learning.
Q: When you’re not working, what do you love doing? Any hobbies, interests, or passion projects to share?
Melody: I love traveling, exploring new food spots, and spending time outdoors. Hobbies like aquarium-building and photography let me mix design thinking with creativity in a more personal way. I’m fascinated by generative AI, so I experiment with visuals, prompts, and new creative tools for fun. I also enjoy gaming, reading, and discovering new places.
Closing
Please join us in welcoming Melody Shar to Kira Learning. We’re excited for the clarity, craft, and collaboration she’ll bring as we build accessible, human-centered AI for classrooms. Stay tuned for more updates from Melody and the design team—and if you’re an educator, we’d love to hear what would make your day-to-day teaching simpler and more impactful.
