I hold a Master of Design from the Glasgow School of Art and a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Design from the University of Michigan. This combination of academic excellence and creative insight allows me to merge artistic vision with strategic design principles effectively.
My journey into UX design is unique, as the field didn't exist when I was in college. But when Don Norman coined the term, I took notice. Realizing that UX design would enable me to combine my interest in psychology from Michigan with my passion for design, I fully embraced the opportunity. I dedicated myself to learning from the best in the field and have kept up with the latest trends and developments for the past 15 years.
I have led design initiatives at prominent organizations throughout my career and contributed my expertise to innovative startups.
Throughout my experiences in various fields, I have consistently dedicated my efforts to developing user-centric solutions that significantly improve interactions and outcomes. My focus has been on understanding users' unique needs to create innovative tools that enhance their overall experience and drive success in these critical areas.
Education
Masters in Design - Graduated with Honors
The Glasgow School of Art
Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Bachelors of Fine Arts & Design
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
Work History
Principal Designer, Owner
LL Design Studio LLC
July 2013 - Present
As an experienced founding product designer, I am often the first designer hired by startups to help them transform their ideas into tangible and digital products.
I provide solutions from concept to execution across various industries. Working closely with cross-functional teams, I define requirements, conduct user research, and create user-centered designs that solve complex problems and enhance user experience. My role involves developing wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity UI designs while ensuring brand consistency and alignment with stakeholder goals. Each project requires agility and creativity to deliver designs that meet user needs and business objectives.
Current Contracts: AlphaBest (AB Studios); IMPACT Behavioral Science App; Accountability App
Founding Designer
AllHere Education
Boston, MA (Remote)
July 2023 - Jul 2024
AllHere engages school districts to address the communication gap between schools and families, improving student performance.
• First design hire: designed “Ed,” an AI early education application for use by the largest school district in the US (LAUSD), executing a $9M contract.
• Products used by 545,000 students, thousands of staff, and over 1,325 schools to flag students’ performances and attendance and guide them to success via educational plans, tutoring, and other opportunities.
• Collaborated with CTO to help drive overall company strategy and product development.
• Project Managed 12+ engineers to deliver products on time and to spec.
Lead Designer
Mainstay (Admithub)
Boston, MA (Remote)
Oct 2021 - Mar 2024
Mainstay prepares students to succeed in college academically, financially, and emotionally with AI-powered, SMS-based chatbots.
• Oversaw and executed end-to-end design process for multiple products across web and mobile.
• Managed overall design system, ensuring production-ready designs included correct patterns and components, guaranteeing consistency across the platform.
• Launched 12 unique features, including generative AI platform integrations, a new web and mobile scholarship bot, and data-driven campaign tools that resulted in a 25% increase in user engagement.
• Leveraged internal and external stakeholders to explore multiple user-centered design concepts through whiteboard sessions, wireframing, prototyping, and usability studies to gather end-user feedback for constant product improvements.
• Creator and manager of Design System to help bring the product to consistency and provide more efficiency in the product and engineering teams.
Founding Designer
Kangarootime
Buffalo, NY
Oct 2021 - Mar 2024
First design hire: I led the company's production from concept to launch and helped grow it from a $2M valuation to a $90M valuation.
• Utilized visual design principles to create engaging and user-friendly product interfaces
• Designed four unique web and Android and iOS mobile products, leading to a 20% increase in B2B sales through the B2C apps.
• Collaborated with a multidisciplinary team of product managers, SMEs, developers, and other stakeholders.
• Balanced company and end-user needs using whiteboarding and user testing sessions.
• Created and maintained a design system to ensure brand consistency.
• Led cross-functional teams toward the realization of an impactful Product Vision, resulting in streamlined product development processes
Q&A Collection from Interviews
For a more detailed resume, please visit me on LinkedIn.
My Principals
Empathy-Driven Design: Focus on understanding and advocating for the user's needs and emotions in every design decision.
Collaborate and Communicate: Emphasize the importance of teamwork, clear communication, and building strong cross-functional relationships.
Adapt and Innovate: Stay flexible and open to change, always looking for ways to improve and push the boundaries of what’s possible.
Data-Informed Decisions: Leverage data insights to guide and refine design choices while balancing creativity.
Integrity and Accountability: Take ownership of work and follow through on commitments, maintaining transparency and trustworthiness.
My Publications
For an updated list of all of my writing - check out Medium.
The Heart of Product Design: Putting Users at the Center of Every Solution
The Most Effective UX Process: Insights from 15+ Years of Experience
5 Lessons I’ve Learned from Building Complex LEGO Sets
The Top 25 Books Every Product Designer Should Read: Focusing on Empathy, Agile, and Design Thinking
Leveraging AI to Expedite the Research and Discovery Phase in Product Design
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