I am a UX Design Leader with a proven track ​record of delivering innovative and impactful user ​experiences. My technical expertise enables me ​to bridge the gap between design and ​development, ensuring seamless product ​execution.

User Experience Leader...and practicioner!

Throughout my career, I have successfully guided organizations through ​transformative growth, from small teams to large-scale enterprises. I ​specialize in helping businesses of all sizes harness the power of design to ​deliver exceptional customer experiences.

Demonstrated success in....

• crafting exceptional products
  
• embracing and utilizing advanced technology
  
• building and leading successful UX teams
  
• integrating user-centered design principles and methodologies within organizations.
  

Chief of Design and UX, Tanium (2015-2024)

I was brought on at Tanium to develop and lead the design and UX practice. My ​responsibilities included crafting and executing a comprehensive UX strategy for ​the entire Tanium platform.

• Instrumental in driving the company's tenfold growth by developing a scalable UI and exceptional user ​experience, which led to a significant reduction in customer complaints about usability.
  
• Partnered with engineering and product management leadership to shape product strategy and ​roadmaps by infusing a UX-centric perspective into every phase of the product lifecycle.
  
• Developed a comprehensive UX/UI design system and code library, which led to a unified visual ​language across Tanium's product suite.
  
• Expanded the design team to a team of 11, which included a dedicated design research function. ​Additionally, built and led a team of 15 UX engineers responsible for maintaining the design system ​code library.
  
• Tanium consistently outperforms competitors in key UX metrics such as Net Promoter Score and ​System Usability Scale, placing it in the "great" category. Customers repeatedly cite Tanium's user ​experience as a core value of the Tanium product.
  

Chief of Design and UX, ClearStorydata (2012-2015)

Founding designer and key contributor to the development of a big data startup. ​Spearheaded the design and UX strategy from inception by driving product ​vision and user experience.

• Defined and executed a product and UX strategy by fostering a user-centric approach and ensuring ​seamless product experiences across the organization.
  
• Played a pivotal role in securing venture capital funding by articulating a clear and compelling product ​vision centered around exceptional user experience.
  
• Built and managed a high-performing, front-end engineering team. Expanded the company's footprint ​by establishing a new office in Chicago, including hiring and office infrastructure development.
  
• Contributed to the executive leadership team. Drove hiring initiatives, product execution, and ​company-wide strategic direction. Clearstory was acquired by Alteryx in 2019.
  

Staff Designer, Google, (2006-2012)

Led design teams in developing award-winning user experiences for high-impact ​products like AdWords, DoubleClick Search, and Google Analytics. Built and ​managed design organizations and translated user needs into innovative ​solutions.

• Managed design teams across multiple Google offices (Chicago, New York, Mountain View, Irvine) for ​AdWords and DoubleClick Search products.
  
• Led strategic UX initiatives, including AdWords Campaign’s redesign and a visual overhaul of the ​AdWords interface.
  
• Led the strategic redesign of DoubleClick Search to align with Google's design language. Oversaw all ​aspects of the user experience from design strategy to implementation, including hands-on coding ​contributions.
  
• Led design for Google Analytics. Led product growth and industry adoption. Developed design strategy ​that was used across Google Ads products.
  
• Won three company-wide awards, including The Founders Award. Finalist for company-wide innovation ​contest. Hold five design patents.
  

Additional Experiences

Design Fellows Program, Kleiner Perkins (2013-2015)

Participated in the prestigious Kleiner Perkins Design Fellows program. Attended industry-leading design conferences. ​Provided mentorship to Kleiner Perkins interns.

Lead Designer, ShopLocal.com (2004-2005)

Led the user experience redesign of ShopLocal.com. Translated the company's vision into a world-class design ​framework. Managed a design team to deliver a user experience that elevated the platform.

Interaction Designer, Intern, Microsoft (Summer of 2004)

Developed high-fidelity HTML prototypes for SharePoint Portal Server and Outlook Calendar. Conducted Flash training ​for the Microsoft Office design group.

Teacher Assistant, IIT, Institute of Design (2004)

Taught graduate-level interactive media courses, which covered Flash ActionScript and general animation techniques. ​Provided instruction on interaction design principles for online applications.

Design an UX Philosophy

Key Principles of My Management Philosophy

User-Centricity:

Place the user at the heart of every decision. Understand their needs, goals, and behaviors.

Empathy:

Build strong emotional connections with users. Understand their frustrations, challenges, and desires.

Iteration and Improvement:

Embrace a continuous improvement mindset. Encourage experimentation, learning, and adaptation.

Data-Driven Decision Making:

Use data to inform design choices and measure the impact of UX initiatives.

Collaboration:

Foster a collaborative environment where designers, developers, product managers, and stakeholders work together ​seamlessly.

Holistic Approach:

Consider the entire user journey, from initial discovery to post-purchase support.

Education

Illinois Institute of Technology, Institute of Design, Chicago, Illinois (2003-2006)

Masters of Design, Human-Centered Communication Design

Calvin University, Grand Rapids, Michigan (1997-2001)

Bachelor of Science