
Sonya Kotov
5.0
(11)
Coaching for Design & HCI Programs | Stanford d.school | ex-Microsoft
1,050 min coached
47 followers
Studied at Stanford University
Worked at Microsoft
Available Friday at 12:00 AM UTC
Questions? Start chatting with this coach before you get started.
Sonya's Coaching Offerings
Custom hourly · $81/hr
Get help with Essays, Secondary Review, and .
Sonya’s Master’s Programs Qualifications
As an alum of the Stanford d.school (the birthplace of design thinking!), I bring a blend of creative and analytical frames to help you navigate master's admissions. I coach students applying to design masters programs, including: - Stanford d.school's MS Design - Harvard's Masters in Design Engineering (MDE) - MIT's Media Arts and Sciences masters via the MIT Media Lab - Carnegie Mellon's Design School (several degree options) - Georgia Tech's MS in HCI or Masters of Industrial Design - University of Washington's MDes or HCDE programs - NYU's IDM - University of Michigan's Masters of Science in Information ...and many more! Whether you’re targeting design, HCI, or interdisciplinary innovation programs, I’d love to work together and tailor your application strategy to maximize your chances of success. I can help you in program selection, portfolio strategy & design, personal statements, and any program-specific requirements. Professionally, I've designed and built products at some of the largest tech companies (Microsoft, Meta) and done product and strategy work at AI startups. I've dabbled across a breadth of industries: enterprise productivity, fintech, ed-tech, gaming, accessibility, and VR. This broad exposure allows me to help applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to craft compelling, cohesive stories that position you to get into the program of your dreams! My favorite part of coaching is seeing how fast my clients make progress and I LOVE helping put together a package that feels authentic and real. Reach out and let’s make those dreams a reality!
Sonya can help with:
Essays
Secondary Review
Application Strategy
Resume
General Exploration
Interviews
Editing
School Selection
Sonya also coaches for AI for Product Development and Career Coaching. View all.
About Sonya
I grew up in Michigan to Russian immigrant parents. In college, I discovered a deep passion for building great products. That's why I've worn so many hats: PM, software engineer, UX designer, Chief of Staff. Because of these diverse interests, I've been loving the opportunities that AI affords generalists to build better, faster, and better.
Why do I coach?
As a child of immigrant parents, I relied on teachers and mentors to help me navigate higher education and my career. Their guidance was instrumental to me landing a role at Microsoft, getting admitted to Stanford, and making the most of these incredible opportunities. Mentorship and coaching open doors that talent and hard work alone will not. Today, I get to pay it forward by working with clients to achieve their dreams!
Work Experience

Product Manager
Microsoft
February 2026 - Present

Software Engineer
Microsoft
October 2018 - June 2020

Product Manager
Microsoft
August 2017 - October 2018
Sonya was also given offers to work at

Meta (Facebook)
Education

Stanford University
Master’s Degree, Design Impact
2021 - 2023

London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London
Master’s Degree, Behavioural Science
2020 - 2021

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Bachelor’s Degree, Computer Science
2011 - 2017
11 Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
Sonya has helped clients get into these companies: