A creative problem solver, designer, and leader

About Me

I’m a design leader who’s driven by solving business problems and building great products to make people’s lives easier. Design is a collaborative, repeatable process that delivers an intentional solution to problems within technical and timing constraints. I love bringing teams together in this process and delivering great UX outcomes for the users that in turn meets our business goals.

After starting a path towards astrophysics I made a switch to focus on more creative outlets. I obtained my Master’s degree in Interactive Media and now blend critical problem solving, technical skills, and creative abilities towards developing great design in technology. While focusing on product design for enterprise applications, I've also had the opportunity to work on a variety of projects in the field including research papers, branding, marketing plans, web design and development in both consumer and enterprise spaces.

Outside of work I’m an astronomy enthusiast, foodie, science nerd, hockey fan, and movie quoter. You’ll likely find me spending time with my family, reading a book, or playing a video game.

 

Areas of Expertise

Leadership

UX Strategy

UX Research

Team Scaling

Design Thinking

Design Systems

Web Accessibility

Enterprise Design

Design Workshops

User Centered Design

Management Responsibilities

  • Hiring & Growth

    I’ve been responsible for the hiring and growth of product design teams. I’ve worked to create hiring/interview process, involved closely with recruiting, and created new positions to allow for continued growth of the design team. This includes creating a team culture of growth and opportunity.

  • Mentoring & Coaching

    Helping team members work through personal and professional development is crucial to expand the capabilities of the team. I work with designers to mentor and coach them in their growth as people and designers. I’ve been lucky to grow and promote designers into positions such as Design Management and UX Strategists.

  • Design Ops

    Design is a repeatable and measured process. I’ve built and oversaw design process including documentation methods, design workshops, rituals, meetings, and best practices. I’ve also been responsible for budgeting and obtaining design tools and resources needed for our team to be successful.

  • Design Evangelism

    Since design is collaborative, I’ve worked across roles and departments to help educate others on the role and value of design. This has been done through presentations, onboarding materials, regular collaboration, and bringing other folks into the design process. Increasing design maturity is essential for making great product experiences.

  • Product Lifecycle

    In addition to working on product design process and best practices for teams, I work closely with other department roles such as Product and Engineering to ensure close collaboration during the product lifecycle. This involves an understanding of roles, responsibilities, strengths, and different perspectives to create a culture of partnership towards the goal of creating a product that delivers value.

  • Vision & Strategy

    Having a goal in mind helps set the required journey. I’ve had the opportunity to help set vision and strategy for product design teams, product roadmaps, and other initiatives such as design systems, mobile strategy, and accessibility strategy. Much of this work involves collaboration and buy in from cross functional teams across many roles and departments.

Education

  • Masters, Interactive Media

    Elon University, 2014

  • B.A. Communication Studies

    University of North Carolina, 2009

Product Certifications

  • Pragmatic Certified Product Manager

    Achieved by completing certifications for the Foundations, Focus, Design, and Build training.

  • Pragmatic Institute: Foundations

    Understanding and implementing market driven insight to solve the right problems at the right time.

  • Pragmatic Institute: Focus

    Identifying and presenting the right product strategies to build an effective vision and plan.

  • Pragmatic Institute: Design

    Fostering innovation through a user-centered design process to drive a delightful user experience.

  • Pragmatic Institute: Build

    Building targeted solutions prioritized by impact through seamless collaboration with development teams.

  • Pragmatic Institute: Market

    Building buyer expertise in order to create effective marketing campaigns that connects business to buyers.