How I Manage Teams

Fostering Growth
‍I help people grow and succeed while encouraging them to lift others up along the way. I support my direct reports as they navigate and thrive in their careers. I genuinely care about my team, peers, and partners - not just as colleagues, but as individuals. I celebrate and recognize the great work my team does, and I strive to offer feedback that’s timely, constructive, and delivered with empathy and positivity. I’m passionate about building inclusive, diverse teams that will bring unique design skills and perspectives to the table.
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Strong Partnerships
I make sure design has a strong voice and plays a key role in shaping the product. I work to help design, product, and engineering collaborate seamlessly as one team. I champion the business and operational goals we’re all working towards and keep everyone aligned through regular check-ins and collaborative planning. I spot challenges early and tackle them together with the team. Above all, I focus on building a culture of trust, accountability, and mutual support.

Clear Process
I make sure projects align with our roadmaps, and quarterly or yearly goals. I prioritize protecting designers' time so they can focus on creating rather than being bogged down by meetings. I encourage project retrospectives to spark learning and self-awareness. I foster a shared sense of ownership for project success across design, product, and engineering. I thoughtfully use designer archetypes to match people with the right projects. In addition, I help each designer elevate their craft and make a bigger impact with their work.

My Skills and Expertise

• Leadership and Communication: Strong leadership and communication skills that foster collaboration and drive teams towards success.
• Design and Problem-Solving: Exceptional design sense and creative problem-solving abilities to develop innovative solutions.
• Facilitative Management: Collaborative leadership style that ensures everyone's involvement in decision-making processes.
• Product Strategy: Expertise in creating and implementing effective product strategies.
• Design Expertise: Proficient in various design disciplines, including product, user experience, interaction, visual, service, content, and research design.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Ability to leverage quantitative and qualitative insights to solve complex problems.
• Team Culture: Skilled at building and maintaining positive team cultures.
• Customer Focus: Deep understanding of customer needs and empathy to deliver exceptional experiences.
• Design Tools: Proficiency in industry-standard design tools and software (e.g. Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, Sketch, InVision, Miro).
• Prototyping: Expertise in creating prototypes to validate design concepts.
• Mobile and Responsive Design: Ability to design for various devices and screen sizes.
• Accessibility Design: Commitment to creating accessible and inclusive designs.
• Strategic Thinking: User-centered approach to problem-solving and strategic planning.
• Agile Methodologies: Experience working in agile environments and applying agile principles.
• Design Thinking: Deep understanding of design thinking principles, including empathy, ideation, and rapid experimentation.
• Emerging Technologies: Knowledge of emerging technologies such as generative AI and chatbots.
• Customer-Driven Innovation: Ability to identify and solve important customer problems with durable advantage.
• Delightful Experiences: Focus on designing products that exceed customer expectations and create memorable experiences.
• Boundaryless Mindset: Open and creative approach to problem-solving and innovation.

Companies and Products I've worked for

My Hobbies

Outside of work, I’m all about soaking up life with my amazing family! I’m lucky to have a wonderful wife and two incredible daughters who keep life fun and adventurous. We’re big on traveling and love everything from camping under the stars to hitting the snow, lounging by lakes, or escaping to the tropics. When we’re not off exploring, my daughters keep us busy with volleyball and softball, which is always a blast to cheer for. As for me, I’ve been surfing for over 40 years, and the thrill of catching waves never gets old!

During the summer, you’ll often find me fishing around Monterey Bay, reeling in halibut and rockfish. And when I’m not on the water, I’m at the grill. Aside from fish tacos, BBQ is my jam—especially ribs. There’s just something magical about perfecting that smoky, fall-off-the-bone goodness. Life’s a good mix of adventure, family, and great food!