I work on the important stuff with ambitious, impact-driven organizations.
What a time to be a designer, eh?
There's a new tool every week, a new process every day and new expectations every minute. Design teams are blurring and morphing across disciplines. Organizations are charting brave paths forward through the fog to a destination that no one has been able to map.
Even though it feels like someone cranked the dial to 11 yesterday, this is how it has always been. As a designer and leader, I've spent my career navigating big changes by staying focused on the most important things. I've guided my teams through new tools, new strategies, fads, mergers, acquisitions, layoffs — you name it.
My bingo card of navigating Big Scary Changes™ is nearly full — and my experiences have grounded me in what's truly important to be a good designer and a good leader.
My leadership is rooted in three important things.
Should we build this or not? Is this signal or noise? Now or later?
As AI increases velocity exponentially and enables infinite outcomes, my job is to make decisions clearer about what is a promising path to walk versus a costly detour.
IN PRACTICE
Going hands-on to rapidly create prototypes that settled a two-year long debate over surface consolidation at Square.
Re-establishing a shared foundation of research and vision on a team that was making decisions based on whim, not strategy.
Building a FuturistBot powered by AI to swiftly introduce competitive positioning, social foresight, and technology trends into planning.
Does this feel right? Is it clear? Is it beautiful enough to earn trust?
Great design doesn't just solve problems — it communicates confidence. I hold the bar high on execution because sloppy craft erodes credibility before a single word is read.
IN PRACTICE
Designing the logistics industry's first integrated manufacturer-to-consumer product — shipping to 4.5K net new accounts in six weeks with a 30% lift in bookings.
Leading the design of Capital One's next-generation associate servicing platform, lowering average call handle time by 15% and saving over $3M.
Spearheading the largest on-site, design-led research initiative in Capital One's history, producing the insights and framing that defined the bank's servicing strategy.
Who needs to grow? Who needs cover? Who needs a challenge?
Tools change. Processes change. People are the constant. I invest heavily in understanding what makes each person on my team tick — and what they need to do their best work.
IN PRACTICE
Leading teams of up to 50 designers, researchers and content designers through two reductions-in-force, inbound and outbound acquisitions, and multiple leadership changes at Shopify.
Retaining key talent through layoffs and leadership transitions with empathetic, individualized mentoring and frank performance management for managers and individual contributors alike.
Facilitating a full-day workshop on Trust and Values for a 75+ person design team, and leading a retreat that produced working norms, a team charter, and management priorities.
I work on the important stuff with ambitious, impact-driven organizations.
