I joined TpT to help force-multiply their mission of empowering teachers to teach their best by inventing a new subscription product for schools. Our “product-market-fit” team validated some key assumptions with a scrappy but functioning prototype and built the confidence the organization needed to commit to this new direction. My PM and I worked together to design and lead a process for company leadership to align on the major strategic parameters of the new product. Achieving this level of definition and alignment made it possible for me to act as the sole designer for two teams, build the new product (and design system) from scratch, and launch it to a new set of beta users only six months later.

Over 3 years I helped to build the design function, establish a design culture, and recruit new talent, growing the team to 9 designers. With a mandate to re-envision a mobile-first Meetup, I led a comprehensive design process—interviewing users, stakeholders, design sprints, etc. That culminated in a focused, exciting new direction for our complete redesign of the iOS and Android apps, and companion design system, and made possible a successful rebrand with Sagmeister & Walsh. As a member of the leadership team, I helped set overall company strategy and culture, participated in board meetings, and played a key role in establishing new company values.

I was the primary designer on a total reboot of the company's core product using (then) new technologies including responsive design, SASS, and an atomic design system. In addition to my core functions as design manager and product designer, I was a key participant in setting product strategy and prioritization, running user research and brainstorming, and contributing to front-end code and code reviews. I was on the agile process committee, and the company’s culture council, and was nominated for a peer award.

In a dual role, I both designed for our most major projects and managed our large team of product designers, marketing designers, and copywriters. In 1.5 years we launched 50 unique radio station sites, redesigned 5 major news sites including Newsone.com and TheUrbanDaily.com, and built a mobile website and many other new features for BlackPlanet.com—all while launching several custom ad campaigns per month. CEO Tom Newman said on my departure, "Your imprint is literally everywhere—from creating our mission to touching millions of consumers every day with your designs, product, and thoughtful creativity."

Instead of belonging to one account, I honed my design generalist skills as a "fireman” working with any client that had a crisis. I was counted on to fill in whatever was needed—ad concepts, illustration, site design, and flash animation—and usually at speed. It allowed me to work on many exciting projects for mega-brands such as Pepsi, Monster, Hyatt, Visa, Citibank, and Conservation International.

In the earliest years of the agency, I worked beside the now-famous co-founders to build flashy, cutting-edge, immersive, rich media experiences for superstar clients like HBO and P. Diddy's "Vote or Die.”

Fourmula was an exceptional company to work for, and due to an experienced art director, and a flexible small firm environment, I significantly expanded my skill sets and worked up to a senior designer capable of organizing projects and interfacing with clients. The majority of my of my time was spent on:- Website interface design- Identity and Branding- Icon design- Illustration- HTML production- Flash production and animation- Internal marketing and print design