Resume
Work Experience
Morningstar, Inc | Chicago, IL | May 2011–Present
Distinguished Designer | January 2025—Present
Senior Principal Designer | January 2024—January 2025
- Lead the design for integrating AI tools and features to help advisors more easily complete investment research, client and portfolio management, and investment planning activities
- Lead design for the migration of Morningstar’s legacy advisor software to a new platform focused on ease-of-use
- Partner closely with the leadership team to influence business strategy
- Provide mentorship and coaching for designers across the organization
Principal Designer | January 2021—January 2024
- Designed full experience for Morningstar’s first chatbot, Mo
- Built a panel of 250 advisors for user research studies
- Planned and facilitated multiple design thinking workshops
Lead Product Designer | February 2020—January 2021
- Lead design efforts for data collection and distribution products
Director, UX Design and Design Operations | August 2016—February 2020
- Lead a team of designers embedded within multiple agile teams focused on building software for financial professionals
- Lead the creation of a set of design competencies used to define Morningstar’s design career paths as well as help designers understand their own strengths and areas for growth
- Worked across the design organization to develop and refine a set of design standards and patterns to more quickly deliver design solutions
Design Manager, Product Capabilities | December 2012—August 2016
Design Manager, Mobile Solutions | September 2012—December 2013
- Lead a team of designers embedded within multiple cross-discipline agile teams focused on building software platforms and individual capabilities for use across all of Morningstar's software products
- Consulted with other teams throughout Morningstar on building mobile compatible solutions
Senior Interaction Designer/Team Lead | May 2011—September 2012
- Worked as the design lead on a cross-discipline team that built Morningstar's first iPad application
- Helped better define the approach Morningstar takes to UX design
Tanagram Partners | Chicago, IL | October 2010—April 2011
Senior User Experience Architect
- Created a concept for a next-generation, augmented reality heads-up display for firefighters as part of a research grant through the Department of Homeland Security
- Lead contextual inquiry interviews with firefighters
- Created data taxonomy, data visualizations, and interaction model, including novel method for one-haded control
- Oversaw production of a first-person video demonstrating the user interface
Tribune Interactive | Chicago, IL | June 2008—October 2010
User Experience Architect
- Provided prototypes, wireframes, user/process flows, and other standard UX deliverables for various projects including multiple CMS tools, an e-commerce site, multiple broadcast television sites, and various proof-of-concept projects
- Mentored less experienced team member, which helped to establish Tribune’s UX practice
Tanagram Partners | Chicago, IL | August 2003—June 2008
Senior Information Architect
- Designed for a variety of client projects; work included information architecture, wireframing, user/process flows, user research, and heuristic evaluations
Eduction
Illinois Wesleyan University
Bachelor of Arts, English/Creative Writing
Skills & Tools
AI-assisted prototyping, design systems, facilitation, Figma, heuristic evaluation, information architecture, journey mapping, product strategy, prototyping, qualitative research, Qualtrics, usability testing, user interviews, UX design, UX writing, wireframing