I'm a seasoned product design leader with more than a decade of expertise in product strategy, UX vision, and launching innovative solutions. I have a proven track record of fostering collaboration, driving meaningful progress, and aligning design efforts with strategic product goals.

Outside of work, I'm many things... houseplant accumulator, determined maker, overly eager gardener, aimless tinkerer, lapsed ceramist, restless handyman, opossum apologist, and drip irrigation aficionado.

My first real taste was in undergrad with an Industrial Design studio project. We designed software to teach children database concepts... if you've ever watched a puppy figure out how to dig, it was just like that for me.

I got my first design job in 2005 working with both print and digital graphics, but I’ve been designing software products since 2009; I'm still at it because there's an endless supply of interesting challenges and I have a (sick) love of unraveling gnarly problems.

Good problem-solving skills, meticulousness, and a well-developed sense of empathy are core; but also professional detachment to manage egos, moderation to help find buildable solutions, and versatility to navigate the unforeseeable.

You will have to work with people who don't know how to give constructive feedback; don’t take it personally. Keep in mind that your job is not about personal creative expression (unless it is, then that’s different advice altogether).

Any solution works better when you start from a solid understanding of your users, their context, and the situation that brought you to the table. Innovation for innovation’s sake can feel clever and fun (sometimes it works too), but you need to know your users to build what they need, and not just what they want.

I love working with a cross-functional team and having as much interaction with users as possible. When a group of people from different backgrounds comes together and does their part, the project can feel like it just magically progresses on its own.

I am a firm believer in the use of plain language; there's no need to subject people to unnecessary jargon. I also have my whole designer’s toolbox of methods that I’ve acquired over the years, but instead of rigidly and dogmatically adhering to any of their structures, it's more practical and valuable to grasp the insights that the methods composing those frameworks can offer.

I’m open to full-time and contract opportunities. Please reach out via email or connect with me on LinkedIn if you’re interested in working together.

Of course! There are a couple on my LinkedIn profile, but I'm happy to provide references upon request.