Leadership Style & Culture Initiatives
MANAGEMENT PHILOS0PHY
My management philosophy for leading teams centers around a deep understanding of the organization's goals and how my department contributes to achieving them. As a leader, it is essential to align our team’s objectives with these overarching goals and clearly communicate to the team how their work adds value to the broader mission.
I also like to understand the goals of other teams within the organization, recognizing the potential for synergies and collaboration. This is typically achieved through attending leadership meetings and having one-on-one conversations with peers to share insights and strategies. I find great value in engaging with other managers to learn from their experiences and share knowledge, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
Additionally, I believe in fostering an environment where open communication, mutual respect, and support are paramount. Empowering team members by providing them with the resources and autonomy they need to succeed is key to driving both individual and collective success. Regular feedback, recognition of achievements, and opportunities for professional growth are also integral components of my management approach.
Team Structure + Partnerships
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Sr. Product Design Manager
Managed a team of remote designers: (1:1’s, Team meeting, Dept Meetings, Pillar Meetings, Design Crits)
- Recruiter product (5)
- Enterprise Jobs (3)
Led/Managed day-to-day collaboration with cross-functional teams: (1:1’s, Pillar Meetings, Design Reviews)
- Director + Principal + IC Product Managers
- Engineering Managers + IC
- UXR Managers + IC
- Product Marketing Managers
- Data Scientists
- Recruiter Subject Matter Experts
- Design + Technical Program Management
Managed Quarterly design planning cycle
- Met with designers + cross-functional partners regarding design work
- Reviewed the design scope + negotiated when needed
- Assigned designers per design pillars
- Stakeholder in product + engineering planning reviews
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Sr. Product Design Leader
Managed a team of remote designers: (1:1’s, Team meeting, Dept Meetings, Pillar Meetings, Design Crits), Design Workshop Trainings
- Government (10)
- Healthcare (4)
Led/Managed day-to-day collaboration with cross-functional teams: (1:1’s, Pillar Meetings, Design Reviews)
- Business Consultants
- Engineering Managers + IC
- Sales Managers + IC
- Clients (Tier 1 level- 100 Million, annual spend)
Managed the Client design planning
- Met with designers + cross-functional partners regarding client needs and design opportunities
- Coached the design thinking strategy planning
- Collaborated in client presentations
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Director- Digital Experience
Managed a COE team of onsite + remote designers, engineers + product: (1:1’s, Team meeting, Dept Meetings, Pillar Meetings, Design Crits)
- UX Designers + UXR (8)
- UI Architect/ Software Engineers (7)
- Manager- Corporate Websites (1)
- Corporate Website Product Analyst (1)
- Design Program Manager (1)
- COE Product Managers (2)
Led/Managed day-to-day collaboration with cross-functional teams: (1:1’s as needed, Pillar Meetings, Design Reviews)
- Chief Engineer Architect + Principals + IC’s
- Technology Director peer stakeholders across pillar teams ( Overall 70)
- Product/ Business pillar stakeholders
Managed Yearly planning cycle w/ Quarterly checkpoints
- Met with Executive level stakeholders in Technology + Product/ Business
- Met with designers + cross-functional partners regarding design work
- Strategy + Funding + OKR’s
Design Team Management
Communication & Collaboration
I promote clear communication, skill development, cross-functional collaboration, iterative feedback, and a user-centric approach. This approach fosters a team culture that is not only driven by excellence but also committed to delivering impactful and user-centric design solutions.
Design Excellence
I foster a culture of collaboration, continuous learning, and attention to detail. I encourage the team to become trusted partners in every aspect of the product. Keeping the user first during any trade-off discussions, understanding the design system and application standards to ensure high-quality outputs, and having a comprehensive understanding of the entire product lifecycle are paramount.
Partnership & Transparency
I emphasize the importance of building strong partnerships and have observed that the best outcomes occur when design, product, and engineering collaborate from the outset, promoting open and transparent conversations. I encourage my teams to ask questions, share ideas, and proactively identify and address risks throughout the process.
Company Culture Initiatives
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Company Culture Initiatives 〰️
LinkedIn Culture Initiatives
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Team Building Workshops
Remote employees would come together for team-building exercises to foster stronger connections. This image captures a tie-dye event we participated in as a group.
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Campus Experience
Employees had the opportunity to immerse themselves in the company's office culture and environment. This image features an illusion hallway that the team enjoyed walking through and taking photos in.
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Managers' Initiatives
As a manager, I had the opportunity to plan experiences for my team. Since we were all foodies, we enjoyed exploring new restaurants during my visits. We also took walks around the Stanford campus and had lunch at the park across from the famous houses featured in the TV show "Full House." This image shows a welcome document the team created for me, filled with sticky notes, when I arrived.
IBM Culture Initiatives
The team believed it would be beneficial to establish a working agreement, similar to what we did for our clients, to gain practical experience. To support this working agreement, the team created the Buddy Program. Each team member was paired with two teammates for a period of three months. It went over extremely well and the team started to reach out to designers on other teams to participate.
To support this working agreement, the team created the Buddy Program. Each team member was paired with two teammates for a period of three months. It went over extremely well and the team started to reach out to designers on other teams to participate.
Build Rapport
Employees would be paired to get to know each other and provide support.
Share Experiences
Buddies would share client engagement experiences and best practices.
Design Chat
Buddies would help each other learn about different design areas and practices.
CSX Culture Initiatives
DigiX Team and Company Engagement
Over the 7 year span at CSX I was able to create initiatives by collaborating with the team and our partners for embedded engagement:
UXU and DevU
Code Bytes and UX Bytes
DigiX team outings and mini hackathons
Co-led the first technology hackathon for tech, design and business partner participation. AWS + Microsoft sponsored events
Community meetups
