Hi, I'm Kaylani!
I'm a Computer Science student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign passionate about building technology that improves how people interact with the world around them and increasing diversity in the field. My experience spans various CS fields, but I'm particularly interested in opportunities in product management, frontend engineering, project management, UI/UX design, and human-computer interaction. Feel free to reach out to chat and learn more about me from my LinkedIn or by emailing me!
Education
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with a Minor in Game Studies and Design
May 2027
- GPA: 3.8/4.0
- Relevant coursework: Web Programming, Interactive Computer Graphics, Game Development, Data Structures, Systems Programming, Algorithms & Models of Computation, Computer Architecture, Programming Languages & Compilers
- Honors: Dean’s List, James Scholar, President’s Award Program Scholarship, State Farm Computer Science Scholarship
- Campus Involvement: ACM@UIUC (Infrastructure Chair & Social Lead), HackIllinois (Co-Director), BUILT by Colorstack (Social Director), Adventure Club (Membership Director), Women in Computer Science (social team)
Work Experience
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
As a Course Assistant for CS 415: Game Development, I support hundreds of students developing games in Unreal Engine by hosting office hours and troubleshooting technical, gameplay, and design challenges. I evaluate student projects and provide actionable feedback on technical implementation, gameplay functionality, and design. I also develop exam questions and collaborate with other course staff to identify student learning gaps, address recurring development challenges, and align grading standards.
Goldman Sachs — New York, NY
As a Software Engineering Summer Analyst on the Controllers team at Goldman Sachs, I implemented a Kafka-based producer-consumer pipeline in Java that consolidated hundreds of financial exception processing jobs into a few batch operations, reducing alert volume from hundreds to single digits during downstream service outages. I also automated the quarterly regulatory fund scoping process using AI to identify in-scope investment funds across multiple data sources and consolidate separate manual processes into a single workflow, increasing reporting efficiency and accuracy. Additionally, I coordinated Kafka provisioning and security approvals with cross-functional teams to unblock critical CI/CD deployments.
Girls Who Code - Remote
As a Lead Teaching Assistant for Girls Who Code, I taught interactive daily lessons using JavaScript's p5.js library on programming fundamentals and game development principles to more than 300 high school students. I continuously evolved the curriculum to better match student needs, contributing to a 94% project completion rate. Beyond instruction, I mentored students through check-ins, feedback sessions, and collaborative activities designed to improve retention, confidence, and engagement with computer science!
Leadership Experience
Infrastructure Chair
As Infrastructure Chair for ACM at UIUC, I directed the development of ACM's internal management platform using React, TypeScript, and AWS Lambda, improving reliability to 99.9% uptime while delivering internal resources to more than 1,000 members. I led UX redesign initiatives by gathering member feedback, identifying usability improvements, and collaborating with developers to improve discoverability across ACM resources. These efforts increased resource engagement by 26% and active membership by 14%. I also established Agile/Scrum workflows and CI/CD processes across seven teams, improving coordination and streamlining release cycles.
Co-Director
As Co-Director of HackIllinois, I led more than 50 staff members in planning and executing the Midwest's largest student-run hackathon, serving more than 800 participants. I established weekly roadmap reviews and cross-team meetings to improve alignment across teams and accelerate milestone completion throughout the planning process. Additionally, I coordinated event budgeting, logistics, and execution with corporate partners, contributing to a 53% increase in sponsorship prizes.
Projects
See my programming skills in action through my passion projects, ranging from fun games to play in your downtime to ways to organize your life!
Recipe Sorter - HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
- Built a data-driven recipe management platform to simplify organization and discovery through real-time search and filtering
- Implemented dynamic filtering and sorting features based on user feedback to improve usability and personalization
- Automated data synchronization using Google Apps Script, eliminating manual updates and reducing maintenance overhead
Gamify - Java, HTML, CSS, TypeScript, Node.js, and Vue.js
- Designed and developed a productivity web app that gamifies daily task management, encouraging long-term engagement
- Created a dynamic progress tracking system that visualizes user achievements through real-time data updates and rewards
- Managed project milestones, task delegation, and feature integration to deliver a cohesive user experience
Whisper From the Forest - Unreal Engine Blueprints
- Designed gameplay systems and level progression, balancing exploration, pacing, and difficulty to improve player engagement
- Conducted playtesting sessions and incorporated player feedback to iterate on mechanics, usability, and overall experience
Skills
- Programming Languages & Libraries: C/C++, Java, Python, HTML/CSS, JavaScript, p5.js, Numpy, Pandas, SciPy
- Tools: Git/GitHub, Jira, Confluence, VS Code, IntelliJ, Docker, Notion, Canva, Figma, Unreal Engine, Unity, Devin, Excel, LaTex
- Technical Interests: Product Management, Project Management, Frontend Development, UI/UX Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Game Development, Website Development, Software Engineering