I Design Products Where Mistakes Have Consequences
I'm a Lead Product Designer with 12+ years of experience designing enterprise security, communications, and education platforms that serve millions of users globally. I focus on products where one bad design decision can expose data, cost millions in revenue, or break user trust—the kind of work where you can't just iterate and hope for the best.
My approach combines strategic thinking with deep technical fluency. I bridge the gap between business objectives and user needs, collaborating closely with engineering and sales teams to deliver solutions that are both technically sound and genuinely useful. My design thinking drives user-focused innovations, guiding products through their lifecycle toward sustained growth and success.
Where I've Made Impact
TeleSign (2020-2024) - As Principal Product Designer, I led design for a global security platform processing 21+ billion annual transactions across 120+ countries. I designed fraud prevention systems (PhoneID verification, Intelligence risk scoring, SMS Country Blocking) protecting billions in daily financial transactions. I transformed enterprise onboarding from 67 days to 35 days and built multi-channel communication APIs spanning RCS, WhatsApp, Viber, MMS, and SMS. I led international UX teams contributing to 42% annual growth ($500K→$2M+ daily revenue) and a $1.3B valuation. Awarded 2019 Innovation of the Year for Phone Number Purchasing UI.
Cappex/Appily (2015-2018) - I led product design for a college search platform that scaled from 250K to 1.5M users (now 4M+ at Appily). I designed a universal college application achieving a 47% completion rate—significantly outperforming industry standards—that fundamentally changed college access for hundreds of thousands of students. I built College Greenlight, serving first-generation and underserved students with access to billions in scholarships. I created the "What Are My Chances?" calculator that became the platform's primary differentiation. I personally photographed college campuses across the country to replace staged stock imagery with authentic experiences.
Netflix (2011-2012) - I was part of the design team for Netflix's expansion into 7 international markets (Latin America, Nordic, UK, Canada, Ireland, Korea, Japan) during the company's critical shift from DVD to global streaming. I helped pioneer implementation of Netflix XP (Experimentation Platform), establishing multi-variate testing methodologies and cultural localization systems that remain fundamental to Netflix today.
HIMSS (2013-2015) - I designed conference experiences and marketing materials for the world's 5th-largest conference and largest healthcare technology event, specializing in medical device technology and healthcare innovation.
Why I Do This Work
I design products where mistakes have consequences—and I learned why that matters the hard way. In college, I witnessed something that changed my entire approach to design. I'd love to tell you the story someday. It involved a Library, an epilepsy bracelet, and a Hollister t-shirt. I'd be happy to tell you the story over a virtual coffee. My calendar is below!
There's a lot more to tell.
Let's grab a virtual coffee; talk design.
What I Bring
I have a unique cognitive wiring that makes me exceptionally effective at complex product design and engineering problems:
Anticipatory Pattern Recognition - I notice 2-pixel misalignments that signal deeper architectural issues. I spot breaks in patterns others won't catch until user testing—or production. This heightened sensitivity means I catch expensive problems when they're still cheap to fix. I don't just design interfaces; I debug systems before they're built.
Mental Simulation - I visualize complete user journeys before creating a single wireframe. I know where users will stumble, where they'll feel confident, and where edge cases will break the system. I see the ending before we get there—fewer iteration cycles, faster launches, problems solved before engineering writes code.
Systems-Level Thinking - I hold entire architectures in my head simultaneously. I see how backend constraints affect frontend design, how business logic impacts user psychology, how a change in one workflow breaks something three steps downstream. This prevents the "fix one thing, break another" problem that costs teams months.
Non-Linear Problem Solving - I make unexpected connections between security architecture, user psychology, and business constraints. I approach problems from multiple angles simultaneously and find solutions that aren't obvious through step-by-step thinking. The best product decisions rarely come from following the obvious path.
Emotional Intelligence - I'm acutely sensitive to shifts in user confidence and confusion. I sense when a flow feels too complex even when metrics look fine. I read micro-expressions in testing that reveal hidden friction. I design for the emotional experience, not just the functional workflow—the difference between a product that works and one that feels effortless.
Technical Fluency - I design with constraints in mind, propose technically elegant solutions, and communicate with engineers early to understand design constraints. No "designer threw it over the wall" problems. Just genuine collaboration that produces better outcomes faster.
Edge Case Advocacy - I design for users with slow internet, screen readers, security anxiety, and limited technical literacy. Systems break at the edges and vulnerabilities live in corner cases. Designing for the most vulnerable users creates robust systems that work better for everyone.
Data-Driven Validation - I use A/B tests, multivariate experiments, and statistical analysis to prove outcomes rather than assumptions. I understand the "why" behind the data, which means I can apply insights to future designs—not just implement winning tests blindly.
I approach design like orchestrating music—every element must serve the whole. But unlike most designers, I can hear the entire symphony before the first note is played.
My Background
I come from multiple generations of engineers—my grandfather worked on Boeing projects after WWII, another grandfather in chemical engineering at Kodak, and my father has been teaching aerospace engineering at the University of Michigan for 40+ years. I grew up around systematic problem-solving and the scientific method, introduced to computers at age 4 with an Apple II. But I also watched my mother and sister struggle with interfaces that came naturally to me. That gap—between technical capability and human frustration—shaped everything I do.
I Bridge Technical Complexity and Human Understanding - Growing up in an engineering family taught me how systems work. Watching non-technical family members struggle taught me empathy. I speak both languages fluently—I can collaborate with engineers on backend architecture while designing interfaces that feel effortless to everyday users. This rare combination means I don't just design what looks good; I design what's technically feasible and genuinely usable. I understand the constraints before I start designing, which saves time, reduces friction, and produces better outcomes.
I Build to Learn, Then Design to Scale - While still in school, my roommates and I started PlanOmatic—photographing properties and building interactive real estate websites with accurate floor plans before anyone else was doing it. We weren't just designing; we were building, hosting, troubleshooting, and iterating. That hands-on experience taught me something you can't learn in design school: how decisions ripple through entire systems. Today, PlanOmatic operates globally. That early experience of building something from nothing—and watching it scale—informs every design decision I make.
I See Patterns Before They Become Problems - I analyze everything. Traffic lights. Coffee shop layouts. Checkout flows. This constant pattern recognition isn't just a quirk—it's how I spot problems before they surface. I can visualize user flows before they exist, identify breaks in systems, and understand how changes cascade through complex architectures. Combined with rigorous A/B testing and statistical analysis (learned working with PhD statisticians at Cappex and Netflix's experimentation platform), I don't just rely on intuition—I prove what works and why.
Creative Pursuits
Recording Artist - I'm also a recording artist who worked with Grammy-winning producer Miguel Millions of Pharrell Williams. Music has always been part of my creative process—it teaches you about rhythm, timing, emotional resonance, and how individual elements combine to create memorable experiences. These same principles apply to product design.
Photography - My grandfather worked as an aerial photographer for the U.S. State Department, and my father was also passionate about photography. I've carried on this tradition, personally photographing college campuses for Cappex and developing a keen eye for composition, lighting, and visual storytelling that informs my design work.
Awards & Recognition
2019 Innovation of the Year - Phone Number Purchasing UI (TeleSign)
2018 Co-recipient Innovation of the Year - Internal Metrics Dashboard (TeleSign)
Featured: "How to Check Your Admissions Probability" - The College Fund Coach, Nov 2018
Featured: "The Cappex Application" - ThoughtCo, Oct 2020
Featured: "EAB Acquires Cappex, a Leading College Research and Decision Platform" - EAB, Sept 2020
Featured: "HIMSS19 Recap: 4 Hot Topics That Left McCormick Buzzing" - ProQuest, Apr 2018
Life in Ann Arbor
I live in Ann Arbor, Michigan (back where I started) with my spouse and two kids. When I'm not designing, you'll find me outdoors—hiking, golfing, gardening—or playing guitar and cooking with my family.
These activities inform my work: gardening teaches patience and systems thinking, music teaches rhythm and orchestration, cooking teaches experimentation and knowing when something's ready.
I can't turn off the part of my brain that analyzes experiences and asks "how could this be better?" Whether it's a traffic light timing, a coffee shop layout, or a checkout flow—I'm always thinking about how slight adjustments could dramatically improve outcomes.
And that's exactly the mindset you need when designing products where mistakes have consequences.
Let's Work Together
I'm currently seeking Senior, Principal, or Director product growth design roles in enterprise B2B SaaS—particularly security products, developer tools, authentication platforms, or communication systems where data-driven design and user trust are paramount.
If you're building products where mistakes have consequences and you need someone who can bridge business strategy, technical implementation, and user needs, let's talk.
📍 Ann Arbor, MI | Open to remote
There's a lot more to tell.
Let's grab a virtual coffee; talk design.
Speaking
Innovation Engineering - College of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI – 2024
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI – 2024
Tech Talks
Marina Del Ray, Los Angeles, CA — 2019
American Marketing Association
Grand Rapids, MI — 2015
Publications
National Library of Poetry "Dance Upon the Shore," 1997