Design Approach

Every problem has a solution—in fact it has many.

My job is to find one that not only solves customer problems, but aligns with and ultimately achieves business goals.

There is power in the PM and Designer duo.

I prioritize energy in building a relationship with my PM partners. A healthy relationship between these two people creates the best experiences for customers by inspiring, influencing and leading those building the product.

Seek to understand by listening to those around you.

From customers to leaders to peers, I believe understanding the perspectives of the humans involved in the problem you're trying to solve leads to the most complete solution.

Background

My education is in graphic design. While in school, my instructor told us if we learned to code we’d be worth our weight in gold. I followed his advice, setting the trajectory for my career. After working as a web designer, I landed a job at a prominent midwestern start-up. I joined as an interactive designer and quickly transitioned to the product team where I spent the next 7 years "growing up", as I like to say, as a product designer. The start-up environment allowed me to practice skills across the entire design process giving me a rock solid foundation as a design generalist. The breadth of products offered by the company also provided me the opportunity to work on a variety of problem spaces.

Outside of work, I’m probably busy with family game night, adjusting the lighting in our home in attempt to find the perfect ambiance or making my kids’ Halloween costumes.