I lead product design through strategic uncertainty — turning complex constraints into clear vision.

I make my case with research and evidence, document my concerns, then commit to the chosen direction while continuing to advocate through my work. When leadership chose a Notion-like systems approach over my workflow-focused recommendation, I created a strong vision for it anyway — I didn't sabotage or disengage. I also made sure my concerns were on record. When events validated those concerns, I was positioned to help course-correct rather than say "I told you so."

I joined BEN mid-acquisition where agency teams feared software would replace them. Rather than force transformation, I started research immediately — understanding their fears, mental models, and actual needs. Through jobs-to-be-done interviews, I found shared ground: both agency and software teams cared about the same three outcomes. That became the foundation for a vision they could all support. The key is finding what people actually share, not convincing them to abandon their concerns.

When a strong design candidate was pregnant, I advocated to the CEO and HR for better parental leave policy — and the policy changed. Leadership means advocating for people, not just pixels. I also built our hiring process to be candidate-friendly: no unpaid design assignments, clear expectations, fast decisions. Candidates called it "the best hiring process they've ever experienced." The team you build reflects the values you demonstrate.

This is the reality of design leadership. At BEN, I created three major product visions as strategy evolved. Market changes (iOS 14.5 privacy shift), leadership changes, and acquisition dynamics all forced pivots. The skill isn't preventing change — it's maintaining forward momentum through it. Each vision built on research that remained valid. The direction changed; the understanding of users didn't. Now the organization is pursuing the core ideas from VisionType I, just through a different path.