My Story

Foundations: From Signage to Interactive TV

I started in design at 18. My first work assignment was designing wayfinding signage for a hospital — an early lesson in how design shapes human experience. After graduating from Art Center, I joined a small Los Angeles agency focused on interactive television. We built prototypes for @Home Network and Telecom Italia’s Stream service, experimenting with streaming video navigation before broadband internet was available. That work taught me the power of prototyping and the thrill of solving for what had never been done before.

The Startup Wave: Idealab & eToys

When the dot-com era began, I teamed up with Bill Gross’s Idealab to become one of the founders of eToys. We prototyped and designed what became the largest online toy store in the world and, at its peak, the second most-trafficked site on the internet. eToys’ record-breaking IPO underscored the role design can play in shaping high-growth companies — and gave me a front-row seat to the value of speed, iteration, and vision at scale.

The Agency Era: Studio Archetype & SYPartners

Moving to San Francisco, I worked with Clement Mok at Studio Archetype, helping design Realtor.com and reimagine Hallmark.com in a collaboration that led to Sapient’s acquisition of the firm. Later at SYPartners, I partnered with executives at Hewlett-Packard, Herman Miller, Juniper Bank, and PwC to help articulate visions for change and align organizations around them. These years gave me a deep understanding of how to connect brand, business strategy, and customer experience — and to work with leaders on transformations that went beyond digital products.

Global Transformation: Time Out

In 2011 I joined Time Out, moving to London to lead design during the company’s transformation from a beloved print magazine into a digital-first global platform. As Group Creative Director, Head of UX, and member of the executive leadership team, I built a design practice from scratch, delivered apps and platforms across 315 cities, and launched products featured in Apple’s global campaigns. I learned firsthand the importance of vision alignment at the executive level — and how design can unify culture across markets, languages, and platforms.

Banking & Beyond: Capital One and TD

Back in the U.S., I became VP of Design at Capital One, leading 100+ designers and shaping experiences that reached tens of millions of customers. We doubled mobile banking adoption to 45 million, sustained a 4.9 app store rating, and earned multiple JD Power awards. Today, as an executive design consultant with TD Bank, I continue to help shape mobile experiences and define long-term design strategies, including AI-enabled banking.

What Drives Me

Looking back across the many chapters in my career, the common thread has been transformation — helping companies navigate moments of disruption with clarity, culture, and human-centered design. I’ve been fortunate to learn from incredible mentors and colleagues along the way. Outside of work, I spend time with my wife and son, and you can often find me racing sailboats on the San Francisco Bay.