Enriching lives through inclusive design

Inclusive, human-centered research rooted in anthropology—supporting design teams in building thoughtful, impactful solutions.
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Dr. Gray Abarca

I’m Gray Abarca. I use anthropological research to help teams design more inclusive, user-centered experiences.

I leverage holistic and ethnographic research methods to draw you into the world of your users and audience. My work is about unearthing deep, contextual insights that lead to thoughtful, innovative design solutions—ones that expand the reach and impact of your products or services. Whether you're building health interventions, designing government services, or creating digital tools, I can help you better understand the people you're designing for.

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Years of experience

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Projects Led

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Participants Engaged

Areas of Focus

Designing for Impactful Change

Through deep research and inclusive methods, I design with empathy—creating solutions that not only work, but truly resonate with and improve the lives of the people they serve.

  • Rooted in real-world insights
  • Human-centered, inclusive design
  • Focused on lasting results
Who I Work With

Partnering with Purpose-Driven Organizations

I collaborate with mission-focused teams to uncover meaningful insights, drive thoughtful design, and build strategies that support equity, wellbeing, and lasting, human-centered change.

  • Aligned with mission-led teams
  • Supports equity and social impact
  • Blends strategy with empathy
Dr. Gray Abarca Anthropologist and User Researcher (2)

Real Results, Real Feedback

"What consistently stood out was his remarkable ability to connect the dots between in-depth qualitative research and tangible campaign outcomes for our clients. He possessed a rare talent for not only uncovering deep insights but also for understanding their strategic implications and how to translate them into practical solutions for our project teams."
Dawnyea Jackson, PhD
Sr. Director of Research
"He’s a rare mix: an incredibly sharp qualitative researcher with a deep passion for uncovering meaningful insights and someone who truly understands the bigger picture—what clients need, what drives business impact, and how to help teams get there.”
Shiloh Beckerley, PhD
Sr. VP of Research and Evaluation
"I had the pleasure of working alongside Gray on a number of substance use-related research studies and strategies. This ranged from research with those who had been injecting opioids for many years, to adults with stigma towards those who use substances. Gray had an incredible ability to connect with those he researched with and guide the discussion in a way that revealed invaluable insights and led to stronger strategic work.”
Penny Norman
VP of Strategy and Communications

Let’s connect and create something awesome together!

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