Driving innovation through strategic UX leadership and cultivating high-performing design teams.
Creating exceptional user experiences requires a unique blend of design, research, and psychology skills. UX is a new field, and it utilizes these skillsets to solve complex user problems and deliver innovative solutions. Because everyone on the team is a different mix of these disciplines, effective collaboration becomes critical to successful outcomes and is why I am a big proponent of work culture and creating an environment of trust that allows folks to work together openly.
This line of thinking has heavily influenced my leadership philosophy, which centers on building high-performing teams and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Whether leading a team of young designers at a fast-paced creative agency or guiding a rapidly expanding UX department in a large government organization, my approach has consistently prioritized open communication, iterative problem-solving, and empowering individuals to reach their full potential. The following stories illustrate how I've applied these principles to achieve exceptional results in diverse and challenging environments. These stories show my ability to develop and implement effective strategies, build strong teams, and transform challenges into opportunities.
Internal Revenue Service (IRS), UX Manager | 2024
Switching from Pharma to the IRS was different than I expected. One thing I noticed right away was the lack of big-picture understanding among the staff. Everyone was focused on their own little piece of the puzzle. We were also rapidly expanding the UX department, doubling in size, with plans to double in size again. To help onboard new hires and improve overall team awareness, I created an org breakdown tool - I wanted to give everyone a clear view of how things fit together. It wasn't just about job titles; it showed how different teams (managers, stakeholders, designers, developers) connected, what products they supported, and even where these teams lived within the IRS structure. We used it for onboarding, but then I saw how useful it would be across the whole team. People didn't always know who to talk to, or even where their work fit into the bigger picture. Now, everyone has a better grasp of how the whole organization works, so they can better understand their own roles and how they contribute to the success of the IRS.
United BioSource Corporation (UBC), Senior Manager | 2019
I always tell my team: Mistakes happen. It's how you handle them that matters. At UBC, we worked with heavily regulated content for clinical trials-materials for both doctors and patients. One time, a website for Novartis went live before it completed their (very complex) internal review process. Not good! But instead of panicking, I immediately flagged the issue to leadership and contacted Novartis. I laid out exactly what went wrong, how many people saw it, and how we were fixing it-even providing numbers. Novartis wasn't thrilled, but they were incredibly impressed by our transparency and proactive approach. We ended up strengthening our relationship with them, proving our ability to handle even tough situations and building their confidence in our processes.
Ozean Media, Creative Director | 2010
Back when I was Creative Director at Ozean Media, I started a design internship program. It was a blast! We brought in tons of talented college students, got a huge infusion of fresh ideas, and even hired a few. But something interesting happened with these bright, young designers-they were constantly checking in with me on every little decision. I mean, every decision! So, to help them build confidence and trust their instincts, I changed things up. I had an open-door policy, meaning they could come to me with anything, anytime. But here's the twist: I asked them to come prepared with a suggested solution. It didn't always work out, sometimes we chose a different path, but the act of thinking through and proposing a solution itself built so much confidence. Pretty soon, they were making more decisions on their own and coming to me less and less. It was a successful strategy for building self-reliance and empowering my young designers.
Led and mentored UX teams across various organizations
Delivered measurable results through strategic UX initiatives
Pioneered new approaches to complex design challenges
Successfully aligned diverse stakeholder interests
Fostered open communication and collaboration across departments and with clients to drive innovation and deliver exceptional user-centered design solutions.
Nurtured the professional growth of junior designers through effective mentorship and guidance, resulting in high-performing team members and award-winning projects.
Optimized resources, including budgets and personnel, to maximize efficiency and achieve strategic UX objectives in fast-paced environments.
Analyzed complex UX challenges, making data-driven decisions, and implementing effective solutions to exceed client expectations and achieve business objectives.