Thanks to a random series of events, I found UX in 2014. Since 2021, I’ve been a design manager focused primarily on servant leadership, organizational structure, and team building.
I have an unfailing belief in people’s ability to grow—but growth can be scary. I believe it is paramount as a leader to establish a foundation of trust, allowing people to ask vulnerable questions, or fail softly, or try something new. That’s when growth happens.
Establishing this foundation takes intentional work, which in turn drives the creation of great products.
A (non-exhaustive) List of Career Moments I’m Proud of:
Succeeding as a team of one as UX Director at a small digital agency, building the UX practice from scratch. (Shoutout to Leah Buley.)
Establishing a digital product team at that same agency, adding revenue streams through digital products.
Being on the ground floor of Granular’s flagship digital product: Granular Insights, a sales enablement tool for Pioneer sales reps. (I was sole designer for the native mobile app, scouting experience, and Nitrogen experience.)
Guiding product designers through massive change management as we merged from Granular into Corteva, maintaining our culture as a team and retaining all talent.
Proposing and implementing Granular’s first-ever design internship program.
Establishing a Design Culture Team that builds authenticity and camaraderie within our international design team (product design, user research, design systems, education & content design).
Applying for & completing YIELD, a leadership program at Corteva run by the Dale Carnegie Foundation.
Setting vision and strategy for a new, cutting-edge portfolio of digital offerings at Corteva, along with an engineering and product counterpart.
In any role, building cross-functional relationships with engineers, product managers, project managers, APO groups, and relevant stakeholders. Great products don’t happen in isolation.
Leadership Styles: DiSC & Meyers Briggs
DiSC Style: Steadiness (S)
Supporting my team and coworkers is invaluable to me. As a DiSC style S, I do this by fostering a consistent environment of communication and vulnerability, whether about career desires, workload, or team conflict.
Meyers Briggs: The Advocate (INFJ)
To me, INFJ is about creating fulfillment for my org in a way that feels authentic. This means taking time as a group to establish values and purpose, including how best to serve our customers.