Hazel Meraz
AI Product Manager & Human-Centered Systems
I’m Hazel Meraz — an AI product manager focused on responsible, human-centered systems. My career blends hands-on product execution, information architecture, and community-driven platforms. I founded and now scale Perritos Mexicanos, a national animal-welfare platform connecting 400+ shelters and driving measurable increases in event attendance and volunteer retention. My strengths are turning ambiguous problems into structured roadmaps, prototyping fast, and implementing AI to accelerate iteration while keeping ethics and people at the center.
Take a second to learn about me.
WHAT I BUILD
National Animal Welfare Platform
End-to-end platform connecting shelters, volunteers, and adoption events.
Chapter Web & Growth Systems
Multi-chapter website and registration systems supporting 12 concurrent local chapters.
RV Share, Everything Breaks...
Rapid prototypes and integrations that pair AI tools with real user workflows.
– Led product vision and information architecture for a network of 400+ shelters and 12 active chapters.
– Implemented registration and onboarding flows that increased event attendance 4x in key chapters.
– Built volunteer coordination tools and data pipelines to improve retention and reduce friction.
– Designed registration UX and streamlined event discovery across 12 sites, boosting attendance in top chapters from ~10–15 to 40–60.
– Cleaned and structured fragmented data; improved downstream analytics and campaign targeting.
– Implemented AI-assisted content workflows to support consistent communication across chapters.
– Built prototypes integrating AI-assisted content generation for faster iteration and improved content quality.
– Shipped lightweight dashboards and metadata-first content systems to improve discoverability and engagement.
– Experience with WordPress/Elementor, Stripe, Mailchimp, and API integrations.
How I approach product
Start with user patterns: synthesize qualitative signals into clear journey maps and hypotheses.
Design information architecture that reduces cognitive load and supports scale.
Prototype rapidly, validate with small experiments, then scale winning solutions.
Use AI to accelerate research and content creation — always with human-in-the-loop checks and governance.
I’m ready to join an early-stage product team as a Founding PM / Product Lead or Growth/Product hybrid — roles that need someone who can design systems, prioritize ruthlessly, and ship quickly.
Driven by logic, built for humans.
Hi! I’m Hazel
I’m a Product Manager and UX strategist who bridges the gap between complex data and human-centered design. Whether I’m scaling national platforms like PerriMex or optimizing digital ecosystems for 12+ chapters, I focus on one thing: turning ambiguity into growth. I build with logic, iteration, and a deep understanding of user patterns.
EXPERIENCE HIGHLIGHTS / SKILLS
- 5+ years product experience — founding & scaling platforms
- Product strategy, roadmap, and information architecture
- Responsible AI integration and human-in-the-loop workflows
- Rapid prototyping, UX, and cross-functional leadership
- Figma, WordPress/Elementor, Google Sheets, Stripe, Mailchimp
- Languages: English (C2), Spanish (Native)
Scaled adoption event attendance 4x in key chapters; maintained 90%+ retention in at least one chapter.
Let’s talk — hire me as your next Product Lead.
Founding Product Manager | Responsible AI & Human-Centered Systems | Product-led growth · Chicago ↔ Mexico