I’m a collaborative design leader who empowers teams through clarity and coaching, balancing creative vision with execution to deliver impact.
With 15+ years product experience and 10+ years in management roles, I specialize in building high-performing teams, shaping product strategy, and delivering scalable, user-centered design solutions across fintech, higher education, and beyond. I've worked in various industries and verticals to create products that customers love.
I’ve had the pleasure of leading design teams big and small throughout my career. I enjoy building things and driving complex design initiatives almost as much as I love typography. My work experience can be broken down by decades. The first 10 years, I worked in higher education (CSU Sacramento & UC Berkeley), publication, various design agencies and studios. The last decade I’ve been in Fintech (Intuit), embedded in product & platform teams.
I currently live in sunny San Diego, with my amazing wife, two wonderful daughters, and two derpy Frenchies. I’m an avid collector of Aloha shirts (new and old), vintage Hawaiian artifacts, and various vinyl that bridges from Motown to Classic Rock (especially vintage Hawaiian & Christmas records). In my free time, I enjoy spending way too much time and money on plants and designing/landscaping a tropical oasis in my backyard.
Experience
Freelance Designer
Various (2024 – Present)
I currently assist with a wide range of design projects, spanning from large-scale initiatives to smaller undertakings.
Group Design Manager
Intuit (2015 - 2024)
During my tenure at Intuit, I evolved from Senior Product Designer to Group Design Manager while becoming the key contributor for all Identity experiences across the platform. In my final years, I transitioned fully into leadership—building and scaling the Platform Identity design team across the U.S. and India, managing 8 designers across the US and India while overseeing 10 key capabilities such as User Management, Invitations and Authorization, Data Privacy, Consent, Ecosystem Navigation, Account Management experiences, Identity Proofing and Verified Identity Network. As a people-first leader, I provided coaching that helped my team manage expectations and stakeholders effectively while elevating craft and tech acumen. By connecting initiatives to key metrics while maintaining high design standards, I created product experiences for millions of customers and fostered a culture of growth.
See all Intuit roles on LinkedIn
Design Lead
UC Berkeley (2014 - 2015)
At UC Berkeley's University Relations Department, I led design transformation for their Advancement division, introducing early design systems to enhance the university's fundraising efforts. I redesigned their primary giving portal with two key innovations: a donation widget that simplified decision-making by having users select amounts first, and a modernized federated search providing immediate results. These improvements contributed to the Campaign for Berkeley's remarkable success—raising $3.13 billion from over 281,000 donors.
Creative Director
The War on Mars (2010 - 2017)
At The War on Mars, a multi-disciplinary design firm, I served as Creative Director guiding the company's creative vision and client experience strategy. My responsibilities included crafting compelling brand narratives, elevating visual and interaction design quality, ensuring project requirements were met within established parameters, and continually pushing creative boundaries to keep our work innovative and impactful in a competitive marketplace. Above all, our primary mission was ensuring client satisfaction and customer delight.
Art Director
Jacob Tyler Creative Group (2007 - 2010)
At Jacob Tyler, a full-service brand communication agency specializing in traditional to digital design, I served as the creative lead responsible for dictating the style and tone across all client work. I directed a team of six designers, overseeing projects from conception to completion while ensuring artistic vision and aesthetic direction drove business growth and customer loyalty. My role encompassed art direction and brand strategy across diverse sectors—from advertising and publications to film and websites—where I elevated UI quality, approved designs, managed timelines, mentored team members, and stayed current with industry trends to deliver innovative, engaging brand experiences.
Art Director
Modern Luxury (2005 - 2006)
As Art Director at Modern Luxury, I led visual storytelling across their 65+ luxury brands in 22 markets, creating connections between affluent audiences and premium partners. I directed editorial content and photography while redesigning their FrontDesk concierge guidebook. My creative direction delivered cohesive visual experiences that reinforced Modern Luxury's position as the nation's largest luxury media company, helping world-class brands connect with consumers through award-winning design.
Graphic Designer
The University Union (2002 - 2005)
During my time at CSU Sacramento, I was the primary designer for all promotional materials hosted at The University Union, the campus's student center. Additionally, I provided mentorship to student interns, guiding their professional development while fostering creativity and collaboration.