Accomplished UX strategist and meticulous UI designer

I've spent the last decade helping companies find product market fit and scale their teams or get acquired (I also cofounded a startup aimed at helping people foster tech-life balance). Along the way, I've learned how to think strategically and tactically about design and business. How to make complex ideas visual and digestible. And how to help people express their true values, motivations, and needs.

My approach to software design is informed by a BA in philosophy, MA in industrial design, and various startup adventures from New York to North Carolina. I've had the opportunity to work with some amazing people and clients. From launching big media campaigns with Nikon, Pepsi, and the Brooklyn Nets to helping small startups develop new hardware and software.

I’m fascinated by the ethical and psychological impacts of technology. And how design can be used to build tools that better align with human values. My graduate studies were focused on using new methodologies and principles (such as Slow Design and Humane Tech) to help create products that prioritize mindfulness over efficiency. Overall, I'm passionate about creating digital experiences that support thoughtful decision-making, self-discovery, and moments of joy.

When not at my desk, you can find me hiking with my wife, son and daughter in the Blue Ridge Mountains, chasing black bears away from our yard, reading sci-fi and fantasy novels in the park, or sharing drinks with friends near the French Broad River (one of the oldest rivers in the world) that flows through my hometown of Asheville, NC.

Presenting Atbay, a company I started with two cofounders, at a pitch event in NC in 2018. Our product, Candle, was a smartphone charger that used light as a stimulus to help people to unplug from their phone at home. Photo by Brenden Almond Photography.