experience

• Leadership: Within first year, built & executed plan to transition ad-hoc R&D innovation & HCD training group to Experience Design Lab. Lead diverse team of five and directly own strategy, operations, group initiatives and project direction.

• Project Management: Defined 5yr project pipeline to support company transformation vision.

• User Focused Development: Implemented human-centered design methods and innovation frameworks across design, R&D, Commercial, and Strategy domains, aligning with International Motors & TRATON goals.

• Design Growth: Identified and scaled key design domains (User Research, UX/UI, SDV, & Experience Design); +500% planned personnel growth to deliver product pipeline.

• Innovation and Collaboration: Founding member of the Design Ops group and active member within Innovation Core Team, reporting to executive leadership and fostering a culture of innovation.

• Stakeholder Engagement: Established regular touchpoints with VP, Director, and Chiefs across technology and business domains, collaborated with global TRATON Partners at Scania, MAN & VW Brazil and created direct connections with Volkswagen NAR counterparts (VW / AUDI) while representing International across global and brand development governance.

• Delivered product design roadmaps detailing holistic user experiences for next gen EVs and platform based autonomous drive systems, consisting of identified user pain points, prioritized use cases, service blueprints and technology enablers (digital & physical).

• Directly led multiple diverse design groups of 6+, to identify best opportunities and create user focused solutions for the 2025 2nd Gen EV truck with projected volumes of 500k annual vehicles.

• Indirectly led dozens of designers / engineers, internal & external experts in new physical and digital technology domains, building functional prototypes and protecting IP with 6 patents filings.

• Led EV program workstream and built multitude of physical & digital assets to support user focused product proposals – resulting in 5 new-to-market future product systems and replicating development process for future vehicle development.

• Leveraged IDEO design thinking, agile methodologies, and innovative development frameworks complimented with complex storytelling to create unique product focused presentations resulting in dozens of products and features implemented.

[Customers Included] Daimler Trucks, Kenworth, Boeing, GM, Stellantis, Alstom, Siemens, B2B Distribution + more

• Led new opportunity analysis through voice of the customer research, direct customer collaboration and robust problem definition.

• Led advanced development team and implemented innovation process for new product development across business units.

• Worked with cross-functional global multi-market teams, developing product strategy direction and execution plans targeting $100mil in new product business - secured $17.2mil of new business within first year of 5 year plan.

• Created innovation ecosystem comprised of industry experts to form SME network of new technology development resources, championing innovation and design thinking methodology culture throughout company.

• Developed new manufacturing processes for aerospace grade foam, composites, silicone, and plastics.

• Launched over 10+ new products within aerospace, automotive, HD truck and agriculture.

[Customers Included] Herman Miller, Haworth, Humanscale, Poppin, Bayview, Allsteel + more

• Led new product development team of 5, implemented innovation process, crafted individual creative development plans, team charters, and owned new project & product roadmap strategies.

• Collaborated with clients and parent international companies on global new product development, engineering proof-of-concept technology protypes to deliver complex ergonomic office furniture systems.

• Standardized new manufacturing and internal systems capabilities through service blueprinting and complex systems wireframing.

• Designed and implemented prototype and new product build processes within production MFG environment – allowing for direct MFG input while safeguarding production schedule to increase speed-to-market and advancing core technology capabilities.

• Led implementation of Solidworks CAD & accompanying Product Data Management (PDM), and Microsoft Office 365 migration resulting in company-wide digital signatures, instant historical look-up, and reduced engineering change orders times by > 50%.

[Customers Included] Target, Crate & Barrel, Container Store, Canadian Tire, Walmart

• Developed, engineered, and tested products for the Blu Dot and private label brands – launching dozens of new products.

• Implemented adobe creative suite [Ps/Ai/In/Br] workflows, standardized templating, and vector image product library for streamlined product launches across entire company product catalogue & white label products

• Worked with and audited local and international product manufacturing partners including 2 trips to Asian suppliers consulting with 20+ manufacturers.