WORK EXPERIENCE

December 2019 – Present User Experience Director — Credit-Suisse NY

Direct the design of enterprise digital solutions, consistently creating best in class work, through Design-Thinking. Direct the design, development, and execution of a portfolio of products, across B2B, B2C and B2E initiatives for Risk and Compliance.

Key responsibilities:

• Direct both strategic and tactical research, that considers business objectives, for both near-term deliverables and longer-term vision/roadmaps

• Lead/Facilitate design thinking workshops, working with multiple stakeholders to drive empathy for the user, and identify ways to address unmet
needs and create delight

• Transform ideas, business opportunities, and creative vision into desirable outcomes for users - establishing user needs and goals from the outset, by advocating and driving a User-Centered design process

• Connect analytical data with practical solutions in a real-world environment

• Manage the design of a complex and highly regulated ecosystem of products and services, overseeing a portfolio that serves unique customer needs

• Work with key stakeholders to oversee the budget, planning, vendor relationships, and on-boarding

• Directed Design-Thinking based UX discipline and its integration with agile development teams

September 2017 – October 2019 Associate Director of User Experience — UBS Financial Services NY

Direct the design, development, and execution of a portfolio of products, across a wide range of B2B, B2C and B2E initiatives. Direct the design of complex digital solutions, focusing on fostering a team that consistently creates best in class work, through Design-Thinking.

Key responsibilities:

• Direct both strategic and tactical research, that considers business objectives, for both near-term deliverables and longer-term vision/roadmaps

• Lead/Facilitate design thinking workshops, working with multiple stakeholders to drive empathy for the user, and identify ways to address unmet needs and create delight

• Manage the design of a complex and highly regulated ecosystem of products and services, overseeing a portfolio that serves unique customer needs

• Inspire and mentor 2 UX designers and researchers to stretch and grow their craft, and champion human-centered design across skillsets, teams, and perspectives delivering insights that drive a digital product portfolio - across all phases of design and development

• Drive the continuous improvement of the team as it builds the maturity of design functions, helping educate stakeholders and sharing best practices with peers and junior colleagues

• Partner with executives across the organization to create cohesive and impactful experiences that deliver for the business and customers

• Strategically influence senior leadership as a champion of human-centered design

• Connect analytical data with practical solutions in a real-world environment

• Work with key stakeholders to oversee the budget, planning, vendor relationships, and on-boarding

August 2016 – August 2017 Consulting Lead User Experience Designer — American Express NY

Lead UX designer responsible for the experience strategy and design of B2B, B2C and B2E responsive web applications. Lead all UX work, producing all major deliverables and artifacts, presenting them to the key stakeholders. Built artifacts including UX Strategy experience map for the UX Strategy. Designed guidance-based system that educates and leads users in Application Design Documentation production and produces materials for Credit Risk-related Digital Applications Approval Board Meeting presentations and Technical Specifications documents. Designed a budgeting tool for external business partners that uses algorithmic engines to project their budget, as well as compare the constructed, and if needed, optimized scenarios.

November 2013 – August 2016 Lead User Experience Designer — ADP, ADP Innovation Lab NY

Lead the Lean UX design of B2B, B2C and B2E experiences (UI designs, interaction models, prototypes, etc.) an agile development environment for Human Resource-based applications.

Key responsibilities:

• Designed user flows, wireframes, prototypes, user interface specifications, and final graphics

• Strategically created the vision for developing, communicating, and implementing the user experience and associated UI framework

• Initiated and managed user experience research and testing processes

• Worked hand in hand with the development team to translate UX vision into working prototypes

• Drove the development and communication of design guidelines, patterns, and libraries

• Created style guides, pattern libraries, and other design solutions that drive design

• Worked with agile development teams and their integration with Lean UX

• Lead 2 UX designers and researchers to champion human-centered design

• Critically analyzed technical trade-offs between different design options that drive overall design and technical architecture

June 2012 – November 2013 Lead User Experience Designer — Saatchi & Saatchi NY

Established the User Experience Department at a major international advertising agency. Directed the development of B2B, B2C and B2E experiences to take advantage of emergent web 2.0 technologies.

• Directed user experience design process for web presences, mobile platforms, and tablet technology

• Directed translation of site objectives into personas, site maps, user flows, wireframes, prototypes, and functional specifications for web sites, mobile and tablet platforms

• Managed UX team of 2, including hiring and firing, team allocation, education, performance reviews, oversight, etc.

• Directed user testing to research and further refine proposed designs of the site, as well as designed and developed testing strategies
Clients included:
Eukanuba Pet Food, Iams Pet Food, Fruitsnackia, Head & Shoulders Shampoo, Lucky Charms Cereal, Pillsbury Cookie Dough, Tide Detergent

August 2010 – June 2012 Senior User Experience Designer — LBi NY

Oversaw interaction design process for B2B, B2C and B2E web presences, mobile platforms, and tablet technology at a digital design agency.

• Translated site objectives into personas, site maps, user flows, wireframes, prototypes, and functional specifications used to design and develop web sites, embedded media, as well as mobile phone and tablet platforms

• Worked in tandem with art directors and digital strategists to ensure consistent usability principles are applied to all aspects of design

• Collaborated with project managers and account supervisors to manage client expectations regarding deliverables
Clients included:
Americans Elect, MasterCard, Benjamin Moore, Johnson & Johnson, Michael Kors, Forrest Labs, Novartis, Skype

March 2009 – August 2010 Senior User Experience Designer — E*Trade Financial

Designed B2B, and B2C interactive experiences for the web presence, mobile platforms, and emergent iPad technology for major financial corporations.

• Used user research, persona development, and information architecture design to develop wireframes that supported functional requirements for the development of E*Trade web site, as well as E*Trade’s mobile phone platforms

• Designed information architecture for mobile projects, including iPad applications

• Participated in user testing to further refine the proposed redesign and design of specific parts of the site

• Worked with product managers in a user-centered design process that focused on agile development

May 2002 – September 2007 Freelance User Experience Designer — Berlin Cameron/Red Cell, BBDO, Bravo, CSTV, Estée Lauder, Grey Healthcare, Gotham, Fly Communications, McCann Erickson, Young & Rubicam

Developed and evolved advertising and marketing, by creating user experiences that were applied effectively across many brands. Oversaw advertising, web design, detailed style guide creation, graphics production approaches, and design best practice.
Clients included:
Bombay Sapphire Gin, Boost Mobile Phones, Campbell Soups, Coca-Cola, College Sports TV, Crunch Fitness, Equinox Gyms, Grey Goose Vodka, Independent Film Channel, Manhattan Mini Storage, New York Jets Football Team, New York Life, Scholastic, Spike TV, Verizon Wireless

January 1996 – May 2002 Art Director — The National Basketball Association

Art directed, designed and produced interactive experiences, logos, POS, on-air graphics, web sites, and print collateral materials. Managed staff of the dedicated full time and freelance designers. Oversaw graphics production approaches, design best practices, detailed style guide creation, and delivery systems.

COMPUTER KNOWLEDGE

CSS, HTML5, Javascript, mySQL, PHP, Adobe Dreamweaver, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Omnigraffle, Axure, Sketch, Balsamiq, inVision

EDUCATION

Bentley University, Waltham, Mass, Candidate in Master of Science, Human Factors

Parsons The New School, New York, NY, Master of Fine Arts, Master of Fine Arts, Design and Technology

The School of Visual Arts, New York, NY, Master of Fine Arts, Illustration as Visual Essay

The Art Institute of Boston, Boston, MA, Certificate in Illustration

General Assembly, New York, NY

Adhouse, New York, NY

New York University, New York, NY, Certificate in Interactive Design and Production