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Objective
To create high quality customer experiences by leveraging human-centered design and innovation strategy practices.

Experience
2013 — Present: Associate User Experience Director,  Isobar, Chicago, IL
I lead multidisciplinary teams in the design and development of mobile software solutions for our clients. Currently building new accounts in the Technology and Telecommunications industries. Clients include Motorola and Samsung.

2011 — 2013: Head of Experience Design, Telenav, Sunnyvale, CA
I defined product strategy, provided creative direction and coordinated product management of Telenav’s portfolio of mobile products on iOS, Android and Windows Phone devices. I directly supervised a team of 15 user experience professionals and lead software development efforts of 100+ engineers.

  • Scout achieved top rankings in the Navigation category in the iTunes App Store and Google Play in under a year while competing against major players including Google Maps, Apple Maps and Waze.
  • Held direct working relationships with VP and CEO level executives and was instrumental in winning multi-year, multi-million dollar new business with a major US automotive manufacturer.
  • Led the design AT&T Navigator for AT&T Wireless for all major mobile device platforms, including Windows Phone. Received high praise from Microsoft for designing one of the best applications for the platform.

2012 — 2013: Adjunct Professor, California College of the Arts, San Francisco, CA
Taught Design Research in the Design Graduate Program. Developed this fundamental course to expose aspiring design professionals to the discipline of research to identify opportunities for new innovative solutions to unmet needs in the real world.

2007 — 2011: Senior Manager, Experience Design, Sapient, Chicago, IL
Responsible for building relationships and delivering innovative solutions to complex business problems with our largest clients by leveraging ethnographic research, experience design and business strategy. International consulting experience across the agriculture, financial services, entertainment, retail and telecommunications industries.

  • John Deere – Creative director for Johndeere.com as John Deere migrates to a new content management platform to support multiple language sites around the world. Also developed conceptual designs for new software system to reinvent the farming practice via wireless data transfer from farming equipment. Included ethnographic research with farmers in Germany and Hungary.
  • Target – Led the user experience team in the design of a new Target.com as Target moves off the Amazon.com platform in 2011. This strategic initiative was the largest ecommerce project in North America in 2009. Included strict accessibility requirements.
  • Vodafone – Coordinated the user experience development of Vodafone 360, a custom touchscreen mobile device and social networking service platform for the European market. Included extensive partnership with Samsung teams in South Korea.

2009 — Present: Adjunct Professor, IIT Institute of Design, Chicago, IL
Teaching Design Analysis, Design Synthesis, Graduate Introduction to Design and Design Connoisseurship courses. Each course sits at the core of the curriculum and serves to prepare students for a future of solving complex design and business problems.

2003 — 2006: Manager, Product Design and Usability, User Experience Design group, Sprint, Overland Park, KS
Responsible for the design and usability of user experiences in the wireless industry. Led and managed teams in design for:

  • Online Shopping Experience – Led the integration of legacy Sprint and Nextel shopping experiences and ecommerce systems.
  • Sprint PCS Bill – Led 11 month redesign to bring clarity to the leading driver of customer confusion for Sprint. Reduced billing related calls to customer service by 30%.
  • Online account management – Created new design for site providing customer account setup and activity status and bill payment functionality. System serves 48 million customers.
  • Mobile Search – Specified new design for searching the wireless web on mobile phones. Increased download sales by over 25%.
  • Picture Mail – Defined second generation of picture messaging user experience, introducing carrier interoperability and making it more like email, added key features including printing. Increased usage from 100 to 400 million messages shared in one year period.

2001 — 2003: Manager, Design Standards and Sprint.com, Corporate Brand Management, Sprint, Overland Park, KS

  • Defined the brand identity and design standards for all Sprint online properties, and actively led a cross-organizational design team to collaboratively evolve the Sprint customer experience.
  • Provided counsel on the design of all types of sites, from corporate information and marketing sites to bill payment applications and customer portals.
  • Responsible for all production grade technical development and support, an enterprise level information architecture strategy based on usability research and business needs, decision making on hardware and software technology, and creative direction.

1999 — 2001: Information Technology Consultant, Black and Veatch, Inc., Overland Park, KS
Black and Veatch provides engineering and information technology consultation services. Responsibilities included:

  • Information Architecture for the planning and development of complex web–based projects, including the planning of site navigation, user interface design, and database structures.
  • Business Analysis to build client relationships, gather requirements, provide cost analysis and specify project strategies.
  • Clients included: Duncan Worldwide, Hallmark, Merck, Safety Today, Tnemec.

Education
2007: Master of Design Methods, IIT Institute of Design, Chicago, IL
2004: MBA Essentials Certificate, University of Kansas, Overland Park, KS
1999: Bachelors in Fine Arts, Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, MO
Double Major in Information Design and Photography/New Media

Affiliations
2006 — Present: Member, Design Management Institute (DMI)
2003 — Present: Member, Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
2001 — 2003: Member, American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA)
2001 — 2003: Experience Design Chair, American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) Kansas City Chapter