My path has been unusual on purpose. I trained in architecture, then spent 15 years designing products and the systems around them.
- At AllianceBernstein, as an AVP, I led the firmwide paperless program: 3,500 employees and 2,500 contractors moved onto digital workflows, with an estimated $10M a year in savings. Later I led the Salesforce redesign for institutional advisors.
- At Lightbank in Chicago, as Designer in Residence, I led redesigns and Lean strategy work across the venture firm's portfolio and network.
- At Included, as Staff Product Designer, I built the design system for an AI people-analytics platform that won a 2023 SXSW Innovation Award and was later acquired by Phenom.
- I founded a national civic nonprofit from zero, built its brand, curriculum and fundraising, trained a cohort of 12 leaders, and stepped away once its board was in place.
Every one of these jobs taught me the same lesson. Design the environment and you change the behavior. That's what I do now for owner-led companies, with AI, brand and Lean methods.
What I do
- AI adoption. Find the three to five workflows where AI saves real hours, set them up, and train your team to use them.
- Brand and positioning. Get clear on what you sell, who it's for and why you win, then build the identity and message to match.
- Lean business building. Test ideas cheaply with real customers before you spend big.
- Product and digital experience. Websites, tools and customer journeys that convert.
Who I work with
Owners and operators of businesses with roughly 5 to 200 people, often in industrial and metals, commercial real estate, and professional services. They know AI matters. They don't have the time or the in-house team to figure out where it fits.