How I build teams, cultivate design excellence, and drive organizational change
Over 10 years in product design and 3+ years managing distributed teams, I've developed a clear philosophy: great design comes from great teams, and great teams come from leaders who create the conditions for people to do their best work.
I believe in servant leadership, championing user-centered principles, and building collaborative environments where designers feel empowered to innovate while maintaining high craft standards.
My job as a manager is to remove obstacles, provide context, and create an environment where designers can focus on craft. I establish clear expectations and provide consistent feedback, but trust my team to own their work.
I build relationships with my team members that allow me to understand their career goals, working styles, and challenges. Everyone has different needs — some want more autonomy, others need more guidance. Great management means adapting to each person.
I advocate for design excellence through consistent design reviews, constructive feedback, and setting high standards. Quality isn't about perfection — it's about making intentional decisions and understanding the rationale behind every choice.
The best work happens when design, product, and engineering are true partners. I foster relationships across functions, create shared understanding of goals, and ensure design has a voice in strategic decisions.
Career development isn't just annual reviews — it's ongoing mentorship, stretch assignments, and honest conversations about strengths and growth areas. I invest time in helping designers level up their skills and advance their careers.
Complex problems require collaborative problem-solving. I rally teams around a shared vision while leaving space for exploration and team-led innovation. Ambiguity is an opportunity, not a threat.
When building my team, I look beyond portfolios and resumes. I'm evaluating:
I invest heavily in onboarding. New designers get a clear 30-60-90 day plan, regular check-ins, and explicit context about how the team works, what success looks like, and where they can make the biggest impact.
30 / 60 / 90 Day Onboarding Plan
Teams perform best when people feel safe to take risks, admit mistakes, and ask questions. I model vulnerability, celebrate learning from failures, and ensure everyone's voice is heard — regardless of seniority. In design reviews, I focus on understanding intent before offering critique.
As a design leader, I don't just manage my team — I work to elevate design's impact across the organization.
Design systems and review processes aren't just about efficiency — they're about creating consistency, enabling autonomy, and ensuring quality at scale. I've driven these initiatives to give teams the scaffolding they need to move fast without sacrificing craft.
I partner with product and engineering leadership to ensure design has a seat at the table when strategic decisions are made. This means:
I advocate for research, usability testing, and talking to customers — even when timelines are tight. Great products come from deeply understanding users, and I help teams make the case for that investment while balancing real business constraints.
Enterprise B2B design often means working in spaces where requirements are unclear, stakeholders have competing priorities, and the 'right answer' isn't obvious.
Before jumping to solutions, I invest time understanding what we're really trying to solve and why it matters.
I work with teams to establish a shared picture of success, even if the path to get there is uncertain.
I name assumptions, surface constraints, and clarify decision-making frameworks so everyone is working from the same foundation.
I embrace prototyping, testing, and learning. The best way through ambiguity is to make something real and get feedback.
Waiting for perfect clarity often means missing opportunities. I help teams make informed decisions with the data available, while staying open to new information.
"Great design comes from great teams, and great teams come from leaders who create the conditions for people to do their best work — ambiguity included."
Managing designers across 4 regions has taught me that distributed work requires intentional practices.
I document decisions, share context proactively, and create space for async collaboration. Regular 1:1s, team syncs, and design reviews keep everyone aligned and connected.
I find creative ways to build team culture despite geography — virtual design critiques, Slack channels for casual conversation, or occasional in-person gatherings. People need to feel part of a team, not isolated.
Distributed teams can blur boundaries. I'm thoughtful about meeting times, respect people's off-hours, and model healthy work habits. Burnout helps no one.
I'm currently pioneering AI integration in design processes — both for users and for my team's productivity.
I believe in creating environments where people do the best work of their careers.
Designers feel trusted to own their work and make decisions
Feedback is specific, actionable, and delivered with empathy
Career growth is a partnership, not a checkbox exercise
Mistakes are learning opportunities, not failures
Everyone's perspective is valued, regardless of title
We celebrate wins together and support each other through challenges
My goal is simple: I want the designers I work with to do the best work of their careers, grow in ways they didn't think possible, and look back on our time together as formative.
I'm excited about opportunities to bring this leadership approach to organizations that:
If this resonates with how you think about design leadership, I'd love to connect.