I lead design teams that shape product direction.

Most recently I was Director of Product Design at Gusto, leading design for Core Experiences, the team that makes all of Gusto's product areas feel like one product. Before that I led a platform design team at Etsy on the tools sellers use to manage and fulfill orders, so buyers could trust what we promised. I started out as an engineer, and twenty years later I'm back in code (totally unexpected), building my first iOS app.

I pay attention to the things between the things, like whether people on a team feel heard, how groups work together (or don't), and where the seams start to show in the product. I notice when people say they agree but don't, and I ask the questions that bring it into the open. I help the team pick a finish line and work back from it. Context splinters a little every day, and my job is to notice where and bring everyone back to the same page.

I pair closely with my designers. We ship prototypes, build Claude skills together, debate in Figma, and craft the stories that help get buy-in. I create the conditions for people to do what they do best. I set the outcomes and trust my teams to shape them. The tricky part is always holding the balance between what the business needs and what customers need. But we judge our work by what gets better for customers.