MassMutual

Head of Innovation & Design, MMFA - Boston MA. 2019-2021

I built and managed three teams focused on “creative”, innovation services, and financial wellness for MMFA’s marketing organization. Providing strategic direction within the leadership team on reimagining and optimizing customer touch-points through identification of emerging, evidence-based strategies to connect consumer and financial advisor needs with business goals at scale.

AVP, Research & Design (MassMutual Labs) - Boston MA. 2016-2019

I was brought in to help establish and manage research and design for MassMutual’s first “digital labs” initiative for forward-looking explorations. We leveraged User-Centered Design / Design Thinking practices against emerging tech and consumer/market trends to explore and identify opportunities and new methods of enhancing customer experience and inform future development efforts while limiting risk.

In Good Company

Head of In Good Company - Brookline MA. 2019-2021

I led MassMutual’s innovative financial education initiative (In Good Company; IGC), conceptualizing community engagement for financial agencies in the future; envisioning how advisors attract, engage and work with communities and target markets. Expanded IGC’s proof of concept nationwide upon success with Boston pilot, adding 20 agencies (with 13 on waiting list) and 150+ advisors to the program, and expanding reach to customers in 30 states. Scaling our offerings and opportunities through the introduction of digital tools and channels while growing the development team from 4 to 23.

Director of Learning Experience & Design - Brookline MA. 2017-2019

Responsible for research and experimentation activities that lead to the initial business proposal and launch of this new approach to financial wellness. Lead all aspects of group’s user-centered design and implementation functions, including strategy, class content, branding, marketing & experiential touch-points, our retail space & studio, our library of workshop presentations, workbooks, instructor training materials, and more.

Staples

Sr. Manager of Design & Innovation - Framingham MA. 2015-2016

I joined Staples to help the development team enter the consumer electronics market, educate the organization on Design Thinking and User-Centered Design processes, and to introduce more robust Design Operations practices. I led a cross-functional product development team, as well as external vendors, focused on innovation, engineering, industrial and graphic design, delivering insights-driven product solutions from concept to production.

Peabody Essex Museum

Resident Maker - Salem MA. 2014-2015

As their first Resident Maker, I worked with museum leadership to envision and ideate the ideal experience for guests in a “Maker Space”. I designed, built and hosted interactive exhibits and events to teach patrons the Design Thinking process. Allowing patrons the opportunity to contribute and evolve solutions from initial ideas to rapid prototyping and branding of solutions through a hands-on engaging experience.

Speck

Lead Industrial Designer & Design Strategy - Palo Alto CA. 2012-2013

I led a forward-looking advanced development team tasked with identifying methods for entering new markets and channels. We translated research data into actionable insights and commercially successful products with emphasis on IP development. I developed a repeatable processes of innovation which informed the development pipeline and was driven by our thorough understanding of user needs, market trends, and emerging technology.

Kensington

Global Manager of Industrial Design - Redwood City CA. 2010-2012

Directed an award-winning, cross-functional design team focusing on brand, industrial design, research and prototyping. I oversaw design development efforts for 30+ product launches per year across 5 divisions, from ideation through mass production. Introduction of visual branding standards and design systems resulting in cohesion across product lines and customer touch-points.

Lead Industrial Designer - Redwood City CA. 2005-2010

Lead Designer on 3 product categories focusing on usability, design-for manufacturing and intellectual property development. Through collaborating with leadership my work often spilled over from industrial design to packaging, digital, brand and strategy. I was also positioned as a “disruptive” resource, facilitating company-wide innovation workshops and brainstorming sessions, which led to 36+ patents, multiple awards and the ability for the leadership team to build best-in class-product lines.

Discovery Channel / Beyond Productions

Conceptual Artist, Design Lead - San Francisco CA. 2008

Teamed with producers and on-screen talent of the Prototype This! television series to ideate episode topics and how the finished prototypes might function & look; my designs were used to set shoot schedules and build sequences. I conducted ideation sessions to evolve ideas and weekly build consultations to ensure prototype builds were accurate to design and existing on-screen assets.

Designed the “Get Up & Go Sleeping Pods”, “Wearable Airbags”, “Infinite Waterslide Simulator”, “Robotic Firefighter Assistant”, and more.