Work Experience
10/2021 - 10/2024 | Principal UX Strategist
OpenEye Scientific (Now Cadence-OpenEye Molecular Sciences) - Remote
Led the redesign of OpenEye’s Orion platform, transforming a powerful but opaque molecular-modeling system into a scientist-centered experience. Established user research practice from scratch, introduced a cross-product design system, redesigned documentation ecosystem, and defined a north-star vision still guiding development today. Served as the company’s entire UX function, translating between engineers, scientists, and executives daily.
Key Achievements:
- Redesigned Orion’s 3D modeling and data visualization interfaces
- Established repeatable user-research practice with field research around the world
- Created cross-product design system that could evolve without breaking legacy infrastructure
- Re-architected documentation experience around three layers: Theory, API/SDK, and Recipes
- Led special executive projects in strategy visualization and prototyping
1/2022 - 7/2022 | Design Lead
Augintel - Remote
Led product design and user research for an NLP platform supporting child welfare agencies. Focused on making the software feel humane and trustworthy while ensuring insights were genuinely fair and interpretable—reducing bias, clarifying visuals, and creating a design system that helped caseworkers focus on what matters most: the families they serve.
Key Achievements:
- Conducted in-depth field interviews with child welfare leaders and front-line workers
- Established repeatable user research practice and cross-functional synthesis methods
- Created cohesive design system to unify fragmented UI and accelerate development
- Redesigned case summary and “facts of interest” workflows
- Collaborated with NLP engineers to surface model blind spots and edge cases
4/2021 - 1/2022 | UX Designer
McMaster-Carr - Chicago, Illinois
Helped the UX team design visual and structural systems for one of the world’s largest industrial catalogs. Focused on creating a data-driven framework for 3D imagery—defining how fidelity, lighting, and scale adapt across contexts—while introducing strategies that balanced rendering quality, computational efficiency, and perceptual clarity.
Key Achievements:
- Defined levels of detail and lighting rules for 3D renderings across interface tiers
- Developed T-shirt sizing system for imagery (XS–XL) that standardized render resolutions
- Established specular reflection thresholds and material guidelines
- Helped design data-driven review process linking visual changes to measurable outcomes
- Contributed foundations for design handbook and system
7/2018 - 12/2021 | Senior/Lead Product Designer
Allstate Insurance - Chicago, Illinois
Served as Senior Product Designer embedded within Pivotal-style XP teams. Work spanned tier-one enterprise sales applications, advanced NLP solutions for claims processing, and liability analysis workflow tools. Also led the “Design Hackers Guild,” an extracurricular group dedicated to interdisciplinary code/design projects using Human-Centered Design (HCD) methods.
Key Projects:
- Claims Digital Transformation Omnichannel Design Project
- ‘Rosella’ Project - Bespoke NLP solution for Allstate
- ‘LAT’ Project - Liability Analysis Tool for insurance adjusters
Key Achievements:
- Led design for tier 1 enterprise sales applications
- Established NLP strategy and implementation for claims organization
- Created workflow tools that improved adjuster efficiency
- Founded and led Design Hackers Guild, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration
- Mentored teams and guided ideas from concept to reality
7/2014 - 7/2018 | Senior/Lead UX Designer
Motorola Solutions - Chicago, Illinois
Worked initially as Senior UX Designer and later taking on a lead role, contributing to both UX and UI development. Primary focus was on enterprise radio network infrastructure tools, serving engineers and Land Mobile Radio (LMR) system administrators. Also involved in digital transformation strategy and development of comprehensive design system.
Key Projects:
- Network Config Tool (NGT) - Large-scale consolidation of over 32 legacy tools
- MyView Portal - UX architecture and design for enterprise managed service portal
- Gator LMR Management Tool - UX design for critical LMR system management tool
- LMR Deployment and Asset Management Tool
- Dynamic Beat Mapping - UX for dynamic mapping application
- SELS Summit Design Thinking Workshop - Planned and led workshop for 300+ professionals
Key Achievements:
- Consolidated 32 legacy tools into unified tool suite
- Improved data integrity and usability for radio network infrastructure engineers
- Accelerated training speed for new engineers
- Established design system foundations
- Led digital transformation strategy initiatives
2/2013 - 5/2014 | Associate Designer and Developer
Wiegand Associates - La Grange Park, Illinois
UX research & design, front-end development (primarily with WordPress sites), print design.
4/2011 - 5/2012 | Print and Media Designer
Wearable Collections - Brooklyn, New York
Outreach/campaign strategy. Web design. Digital content & social media management. Print material/merchandise/display design.
11/2008 - 2/2009 | Skilled Papermaking Intern
Dieu Donné - New York, NY
Tech/artist assistance (planning and production). Co-teacher of beginner papermaking courses, pulp-painting courses.
3/2006 - 6/2006 | Ecological and Educational Intern
Chabot Space & Science Center - Oakland, California
Curriculum development and facilitation for K-6 aged children and their families.
1/2006 - 6/2006 | Architecture & Design Intern
Tsui Design and Research - Emeryville, California
Architectural renderings, RFP review and response.
Core Competencies
Design Strategy, Journey Mapping, Information Architecture, Wireframing & Layout, Rapid Prototyping, Frontend Development, UI Component Reusability, User Research, Project Planning, Requirement Planning & Documentation, WordPress & CMS, Service Design, Design Systems, Documentation Strategy.
I am always learning, and I strive to keep up to date with the latest technology.
Languages/Frameworks
Fluent in: JavaScript, jQuery, Semantic HTML5, Dynamic CSS3, Vue3.
Proficient in: React, Node, JSX, XML, JSON, MongoDB/Mongoose/Firebase, SQL, PHP.
Familiarity with: .NET / C#, C++ and Java.
UX Tools
Figma, Adobe Illustrator, inVision Studio, Sketch, Balsamiq, Mural, Miro, Atlassian Suite, and more.
Education
2017-2018 - Full Stack Coding Certification - Northwestern School of Professional Studies
2012-2016 - Undergraduate Computer Science - College of DuPage and NEIU
2004-2009 - BFA - The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
Please feel free to check out my design process and my design philosophy.