Hi, I’m Maya Benari.

I build and scale design systems that help teams move faster, reduce complexity, and design with clarity across platforms. I believe good design systems aren’t just about components — they’re about creating sustainable foundations that empower teams and people.

Over the past decade, I’ve led systems work across government, healthcare, and enterprise — launching the U.S. Web Design System, helping teams establish cross-platform UI architecture, and defining tokens, documentation, and tooling that scale. My work has enabled product teams to decrease duplication, increase accessibility scores, and ship features more rapidly.

Today, I focus on:

• Foundational UI architecture & design tokens
• Design systems & accessibility
• Cross-functional processes & documentation
• Mentorship, leadership, and systems operations

Speaking

• Clarity Conference · Talk
• ShopTalk Show (Ep. 209) · Podcast
• Style Guides Podcast · Podcast
• The Big Web Show (Ep. 136) · Interview
• NASA · Civic tech event
• net magazine · Interview

Selected Writing

• Building a Large-Scale Design System for the U.S. Government · Smashing Magazine
  

  How we scaled the U.S. Web Design System into an extensible platform adopted by hundreds of agencies—without compromising usability, accessibility, or implementation speed.

• Introducing USWDS 2.0: Reinvent the experience, not the wheel · USWDS / Digital.gov
  

  The launch post for a complete rethink of a national design system—focused on modularity, flexibility, and sustainability at scale.

• Introducing the U.S. Web Design Standards · 18F
  

  The foundational post that launched the U.S. Web Design Standards—marking a major shift in how digital government services are built and delivered.

• Introducing Accessibility for Teams · 18F
  

  A practical framework for weaving accessibility into team workflows—designed to empower designers, developers, and product managers alike.

• Developing the Draft U.S. Web Design Standards’ UI Components · 18F
  

  Behind the scenes on designing modular, accessible UI components to support a flexible and sustainable government-wide system.

→ View full writing archive

Featured in

• net magazine · Interview on transforming government websites
• Tragic Design (O’Reilly Media) · Interview on ethical design in government