Hello, I’m Ben. I lead design teams.
I’ve worked in design for over 16 years, leading teams for 8 of those. I’ve worked across product, marketing, and content design for companies and agencies of varying size. I love managing and leading designers, and I consider empathy to be my superpower.
I live in Austin, TX. Outside of “the work”, I play a lot of video games, cook up a storm in the kitchen, and try to figure out why my cats are yelling at me.
My design journey is non-traditional.
I’ve worked in some form of design for a while, but it’s been far from a conventional journey. Graduating with a Journalism degree in June 2008 amidst a print decline and economic downturn meant slim job prospects for budding journalists.
Fortunately, I had already discovered my passion lay in design-driven storytelling. From wielding Photoshop to breathing life into layouts with Quark (remember Quark?!), I craved the role of A Designer™.
I got my wish. My first job out of college was as a graphic designer for a couple of small businesses in the UK. I designed everything. Logos, brochures, websites. Even the stationery the carpenters used on the factory floor.
If this was a movie, this pivotal moment would lead in to an exciting, fast-cut montage where I go on to cut my teeth at agencies of varying size and purpose, learning more about design as I go. Instead of Rocky running up a snowy mountain, it’s me Googling things like “how to write text on path photoshop.” Really exciting stuff. Then there’d be shots of me mentoring and teach others how to design stuff too. We love a growth story! Maybe the soundtrack would be Kenny Loggins’ “I’m Alright” (the one from Caddyshack).
To sum it up, from navigating the challenges of a declining print industry to discovering my passion for technology-infused storytelling, every twist and turn has shaped me into the designer I am today. As I continue to grow and learn, I look forward to embracing new challenges, mentoring others, and pushing the boundaries of design.
My job as a leader is to empower others.
My job is to empower my team with the information, tools, and resources needed to do their best work, then get out of their way.
To make that happen, I lean heavily into the following:
Providing clear objectives and expectations.
Encouraging full ownership of the work, including the presentation of it.
Removing potential barriers and roadblocks to success.
Maintaining clear lines of communication.
Fostering psychological safety.
What others are saying:
“Ben's savvy alone puts him in a separate league, but it's Ben's approach to team-building and leadership that truly made an indelible impression on me. While so many workplaces and the leaders within them tout empathy, Ben represents some of the best compassion and grace I've encountered in the tech industry. I was able to learn so much about what human-centered design means by watching Ben intelligently and emphatically advocate for both the user and for his team. He has a genuinely empathetic approach in his design decisions, and it extends naturally to everyone working with him. On top of that, Ben is a hilarious, delightful person to work with.”
Senior Content Designer, Mailchimp
“Ben's commitment to learning and growth is inspiring. He always strives to expand his knowledge and skills in order to better support his team. I can honestly say that Ben is one of the best managers I have ever had over the course of career as a designer. He is incredibly dedicated to his team and always goes above and beyond to ensure their success. Every day was a delightful experience working with him, as he had a way of making everyone feel included and engaged with the team. I feel incredibly fortunate to have worked with Ben and would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a talented and passionate design leader.”
Principal Designer, Mailchimp
“I had the pleasure of working with Ben on our design system team, where he led as a Design Director. Ben is a leader who truly understands the importance of advocating for engineering decisions. At the time I was our engineering lead and we collaborated frequently when making changes to the system. His empathy and dedication to customer experiences drove our decision-making processes. Ben guided our team through complex challenges with ease. It was amazing to work alongside someone with such passion and dedication to their craft.“