If we’re being honest… anyone can learn service design.
I think that’s a great thing, and bodes well for our industry if more people can think critically about how systems are interconnected.
But, not every service designer understands the nuance and complexity that comes with innovating in highly structured, traditional, and risk-averse organizations.
Is it difficult to innovate in these environments?
Absolutely. Some would say impossible.
But, I don’t.
I’ve spent the last decade working with companies as small as a car wash and as large as federal governments. Every one of these companies has unique challenges preventing them from scaling and improving their bottom-line.
The reality is: It’s not enough to just whip together a service blueprint or journey map and call it a day. True innovation focuses on all stages of the problem-solving process: from problem setting, through ideation, and especially into implementation.
My specialty lies in change management, organizational transformation, and policy upheaval - to put it bluntly: I help find the things that prevent great ideas and technological improvement from becoming reality, and work with that knowledge to make organizational innovation possible.
My Story
I'm currently based in the Ithaca, NY area, but I was born in Boston, and raised in Jersey City, NJ.
(…that said, I’m a diehard Yankees fan. Sorry.)
My mother immigrated from the Philippines, and moved thousands of miles from home for the opportunity to be a nurse in America. My American father is a passionate problem solver and pharmaceutical researcher who challenges the status quo by asking great questions.
Much to their chagrin, I didn't catch the "medicine" bug, but I am still inspired by the same deep values as they are: to find opportunities and solve problems that prevent people from living and working to their fullest potential.
Since 2016, as a Senior UX Specialist with Nielsen Norman Group, my research has focused at the intersection of technology, human & organizational behavior, and economics. This work has informed articles, videos, and reports which are referenced globally by other UX professionals. It also informs the UX Certification courses and workshops that I facilitate around the world.
My consulting work spans a range of types of clients: small companies and large corporations alike from both the public and private sectors, including (but not limited to) finance, ecommerce, nonprofit, technology, education, healthcare, and government. This breadth of experience allows me to easily translate great practices across disciplines for truly innovative problem-solving
Other hats I that I wear:
Producer and host of the NN/g UX Podcast, where I interview other thought-leaders in UX about their work and how they tackle UX-related challenges.
Veteran of the US Army Reserve. I've commanded a company of drill sergeants, trained and mentored cadets, and advised full-bird colonels (O-6) on military security and mobility support operations.
Author of Excelsior Post, a hobby publication on a smattering of things I like writing about, including optimizing performance and building positive habits.
Co-owner of Lake Road Vineyards, LLC - a certified sustainable, premium Vitis vinifera vineyard on the eastern slopes of the Cayuga Lake AVA in the Finger Lakes Region of NY state.
Relevant Work Experience
O-3 Captain, US Army Reserve
(2013 - 2023)
Previous positions I've held: Company Commander and Executive Officer of a detachment of drill sergeants, Chief of Military Police Operations and Assistant Operations Officer for a Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, and Platoon Leader of an MP Company.
Freelance Web Designer, Freelance
(2014 - 2016)
On my "free" time, I took on small business clients and researched, prototyped, built, and maintained websites.
Administrative Professional, Booz Allen Hamilton
(2015)
Under the banner of the Learning and Development team, I focused on instructional design, creating UI prototypes and videos for online self-paced training, and assisted with contract requisition for cyber security training initiatives.
Graduate Assistant, University of Hawaiʻi
(2014 - 2015)
During business school, I also worked part-time for the University of Hawaiʻi system, where I supervised the on-campus graphic design studio and a team of 6 designers. I hired, evaluated, and ran bi-weekly professional development workshops for the team.
Associate UX Consultant, Microsoft Corporation
(2013 - 2014)
As my first UX role out of college, I was tasked with creating wireframes, prototypes, proofs of concept, and style guides for Sharepoint implementations and enterprise Windows 8 applications for various Fortune 500 companies.
Education & Certifications
Cornell University
BS, Information Science
University of Hawaiʻi
Master, Business Administration
Wine Society of Educators Trust (WSET)
Level 2 - Passed with Distinction
Nielsen Norman Group
UX Master Certification
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