After over a dozen years of providing UX skills and leadership across digital agencies, I’ve been focusing on consulting engagements and freelance assignments since 2020. I operate under the banner of Rhizometry, my LLC, where I have specialized in enterprise design systems and governance, building on my background in UI design work and UX strategy.

DESIGN SYSTEMS Consultant

IBM — January 2021 to Present

• Provide leadership in translating the Carbon system into a robust component and template library for IBM’s marketing ecosystem. Validate requests from stakeholders, participate in cross-functional prioritization sessions and guide both design and dev backlog refinements. Manage and participate in design process, collaborating closely with dev to identify dependencies and adjust requirements and delivery, when necessary. Track work through design and accessibility approvals, development handoff, QA and delivery. 

• Set standards within design team for pattern validation and UI/functional specs. Contribute to and document cross-functional processes and contribution methods. Identify areas to improve efficiency between design and dev teams. 

• Deliver ongoing enablement to adopters through a dedicated support Slack channel and ongoing office hours (feature socialization, demos and Q&A). Stood up and maintain a comprehensive documentation site for CMS usage, components specs, content guidance for page types and visual expression standards.

• Collaborate with research team to inform and prioritize component enhancements — and identify modifications to the application of content and visual design standards across the ecosystem.

experience strategy Consultant

Instrument — July 2020 to April 2021, August to December 2021

• Apply systems thinking and deliver strategy, UX and UI solutions across diverse projects, including: envisioning a virtual/hybrid events landscape, reshaping homebuying around human needs and desires, roadmapping new ways to integrate digital and bricks-and-mortar shopping.

• Clients: Salesforce, Marriott, Foxtrot Market, Purple, Woodside Home Builders.

Vice President, Design Director (Experience design)

Leo Burnett
April 2018 to February 2020

• Built a UX/UI team to serve multiple clients and bring immersive experiences to life across responsive sites, mobile apps, social channels, and email campaigns. Integrated ecosystems with direct mail, point of sale and event marketing.

• Orchestrated the launch of a cross-portfolio design system and pattern library that addressed consistency, personalization, and speed to market. Educated internal and client audiences on experience principles, design system usage and updated processes.

• Facilitated a governance model for site functionality improvements. Collaborated with product owners to roadmap features, define user stories, and refine backlogs based on performance and business priorities.

• Integrated UX and strategy teams to better use exploratory research, usability testing and data analysis to build smarter and evidence-driven brand experiences to deliver on business objectives.

• Clients: Kellogg’s, Alcon, Marshalls, Altria, US Cellular, Samsung.

design director (Experience design)

Leo Burnett
August 2011 to April 2018

SENIOR INTERACTION DESIGNER

Leo Burnett
August 2009 to August 2011

SENIOR INFORMATION ARCHITECT

Designkitchen (WPP)
November 2007 to August 2009

• Lead UX design for e-commerce, promotional, and loyalty sites across client verticals. Developed personas, user scenarios, navigation schema and wireframes, transforming strategic vision into actionable design specs.

• Created a gaming platform to drive in-store purchase and loyalty for a QSR client. Designed and optimized bespoke functionality, including an integrated child/parent registration flow, virtual economy, avatar configuration and branded game experiences.

• Reshaped the e-commerce experience of an iconic American retailer by researching consumer journeys and identifying opportunities to build relevance, authority and continued engagement through the integration of community and shopping features.

• Clients: Burger King, Craftsman, Sears, HON, Marriott Vacation Club, LodgeWorks, Coventry Health Care. 

INTERACTIVE & Design MANAGER

American Bar Association
April 2005 to November 2007

• Art directed a new brand identity and created visual standards for use across communication channels. Provided creative oversight on marketing campaigns, email programs and outreach initiatives.

• Successfully delivered a large-scale site redesign with revamped information architecture and modernized front-end coding approach. Executed visual design and coding for site content.

• Used consumer feedback and analytics to create content calendars and strategy. Designed and delivered training workshops to guide volunteer editors to contribute digital content.

Enterprise Design Thinking Practitioner
IBM

Leading Change Workshop
Design Dept.

Design Leadership Workshop
DesignBetter.Co / Design Dept.

PMP, People Management
By-invitation Leo Burnett course conducted by Richard Jolly, London Business School

CUA, Certified Usability Analyst
Human Factors International

MAAH, Modern Art History
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (Chicago, IL)

BA, Art and Design
Grand Valley State University (Grand Rapids, MI)
Cum laude, Phi Kappa Phi