Hello.
I’m a Product Design Lead of Braintree Merchant Experience at PayPal in Chicago.
Drop-In Mobile Payment Interface
Description
For the second iteration of Braintree’s Drop-In UI, the team went back to the beginning for a ground-up rewrite. To ensure we built the right product to solve actual needs, we included end-users throughout the process by conducting initial interviews, prototype feedback sessions and usability check-ins along the way. With this upfront discovery work, plus a tight collaboration between design and engineering, we delivered a new version of Drop-In that meets our merchants needs for modularity, feature-richness, themeablity and a platform agnostic appearance to fit into their app’s visual design.
Role
Lead Designer - 2018
Braintree, A PayPal Service
Card Expiration Date Picker
Description
When we set out to redesign our mobile drop-in product, one of the design goals was improving the accuracy of data provided by end-users. We decided to assist the input of properly formatted data the first time instead of displaying lengthy error messages. A challenge came with the input of expiration dates of cards. Our solution to that challenge was to create our own input method designed to blend in with the feel of a system keyboard. Users could only enter valid expiration dates and maintained the input rhythm of keyboard taps. As a result, we delivered a smooth experience that allowed users to enter expiration dates in 2 taps vs the typical 4-6 taps.
Role
Lead Designer - 2018
Braintree, A PayPal Service
Unified Merchant Onboarding
Description
Up until this point, merchants were boarded onto the Braintree platform with unique apps for each region. Additionally, the process to underwrite them was equally inconsistent, complex and varied by region. We discovered this to be inefficient for everyone. Over the course of 2 years, the team has worked extremely hard to introduce the first phase of a single, consistent onboarding experience for all merchants. The new system features a unified tech stack, data collection method and underwriting process that allows us to roll out new features faster across regions. At this time, we have taken 3 markets live in the new system and are currently working on more...
Role
Lead Designer - 2019
Braintree, A PayPal Service
Tip: Gratuity Calculator
Description
I've been designing apps since the App Store launched in 2008. This year, in 2019, I finally took a stab at building one myself and launched my first app on the App Store. It's a fairly simple app to calculate a tip and split it with friends. This is the first app in a side-project that focuses on providing small, simple apps that are fun to use and enhance social interactions without distracting from them.
Role
Designer and Developer - 2019
Personal Project
Chicago Type
Description
In 2010, I was commissioned by The Society of Typographic Arts to create a poster that embodied the essence of Chicago. This poster, along with other original art pieces, was auctioned off at their annual holiday party with proceeds going to help fund the education of tomorrow's designers through the Jack Weiss Student Scholarship Fund.
Role
Designer - 2010
Commissioned by The Society of Typographic Arts
See More Work Samples
View DribbbleI am native to Chicago’s south side, where tavern-style pizza is king, and now live in the Beverly neighborhood.
At PayPal, I lead product design strategy for the Braintree Merchant Experience Organization. I collaborate with Engineering and Product Management Leads to discover, conceptualize, and prototype new merchant experiences that enable best-of-class payment solutions for a global merchant base.
In my spare time, I moonlight as a father, husband, dog lover, snow carver, and weekend coffee enthusiast.
About Me
Through my 15-year career as a designer, my area of expertise has evolved to designing digital product experiences for browsers, iOS, and Android.
I began my career in 2004, practicing traditional graphic design. A few years later, my background in computer science and technical writing began to pull me towards designing brochure websites, email campaigns, and other digital content. Eventually, my focus pivoted to web and native mobile apps. I’m happy to say that I haven’t looked back.
Before PayPal, I was a Lead Product Designer for dscout and Zendesk Sell (formerly Base) during large growth periods for each company. Before that, I helped newly funded startups get their MVPs to market at Doejo, and designed various print and digital things for Crate&Barrel, JAK Graphic Design, and freelance projects.
My leadership style is personally casual yet professionally earnest with a “whatever it takes” attitude. I am known for tight collaboration between design and engineering, end-to-end design thinking, continuously learning new technologies, and always advocating for the user. I am inspired by Swiss and Scandinavian design and look for new ways to bring highly functional, simple, aesthetic experiences into the hands of users.
I also experiment with app ideas on the side. One app is a simple tip calculator currently on the App Store, and another is in the works.
Experience
Some of the nice people who use things I’ve designed
AirBnb, American Dental Association, American Express, Casper, Crate&Barrel, Dropbox, Dow Chemical Company, Everlane, Facebook, Google, Groupon, Lightbank, Pritzker Group Venture Capital, Samsung, Sartorius, Stryker, Uber, World Wildlife Fund, Yelp
Recognition
AIGA Chicago, Communication Arts, Creativity Awards, Cit/ID, Make Better Websites, Minimal Sites, Siteinspire, W3 Awards