I’m Houston,

I am a design leader, who loves to craft interfaces and inspire teams to output their best work. For the past 14+ years, my work experiences have allowed me to design brands, design & develop user interfaces, define product strategies, build design systems, deliver ROIs and scale design teams from startups to enterprise size companies. More recently I’ve been designing software for web3 companies (including Coinbase and BitPay) helping to deliver first-class experiences by simplifying the complexities of using blockchain applications.

While my background is mostly founded in graphic design, I began my career by writing font-end code for web applications through the lens of design. This experience helped me to develop an empathy for both engineers and designers and the unique mental models that are required to craft clever solutions for problems that are diffuculy to solve. It’s also the reason why I’m drawn toward products of a technical nature. I’ve been grateful for the opportunities I’ve had to work in a variety of industries over the years that have allowed me to synthesize my core skills into things I’m passionate about.

What am I passionate about? 

I love startups, financial-tech and security. Perhaps this is because I love solving people problems. Solving problems gives me a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Especially when it helps people of all different backgrounds to understand, learn or achieve something that otherwise might have seemed impossible.

Outside of work my hobbies include playing jazz piano, mentoring and skill sharing with others, reading history books, traveling the world, and attempting to create latte art.

Methodology

1. Discover people problems by either talking directly with users, or through data-informed learning.

2. Craft a variety ideas including a strategy for near-term and long-term solutions.

3. Collaborate with engineers to deliver product excellence to customers by way of lean experimentation.

Specialties: 

User interface design, user research , UX strategy, brand design, service design, motion design, interactive prototyping, design systems, Web3 applications, Web3 safety & security, blockchain theory, self-custody wallets, security design, design strategy, entrepreneurial leadership.

Coinbase

BitPay

Clevertech

Independent agency (Croché)

Georgia Instititue of Technology

At&t Wireless

Lead Product Designer

Head of Design

Lead Product Designer

Designer/Developer

Front-end developer

Design Intern

2021-2023

2015-2021

2014-2015

2009-2016

2010-2013

2008-2009


Work

Speaking


Coinbase (Web3 education)

Coinbase (Web3 education)

Rethink

Mentoring


Thinkful

Key Management for Beginners

Web3 Safety

Product Design for Web3

Design / Developer Mentor

2021-2022

12/2022

3/2022-8/2022

2015-2016

Books I love


Kim Scott

Ben Horowitz

Tom Grevor

Adam Connor & Aaron Irizarry

Tony Fadell

Eric Ries

Laura Klein

Tomer Sharon

Erika Hall

Christian Crumlish

Jim Kalbach