About
Outside of work, my passions are, first and foremost, spending time with and raising my kids, in no small part by also exposing them to my interests, like live music, being in, around, and appreciating nature, particularly hiking, camping, and fly fishing, as well as a voracious appetite for reading. I grew up playing hockey from age 4 through college, tennis fairly seriously for much of that time too, and maintain enthusiasm for following those sports, as well as a lifelong love of baseball. I still play tennis when I can find the time (I readily admit to my knees being unable to handle hockey, as much as it pains me. Literally).
Dedicated and experienced Information Architect with a strong background in product analysis and a passion for creating practical, problem-solving, intuitive user experiences. Transitioned away from a career in product analysis to focus on family, which fueled a desire to pursue Information Architecture and UX design.
Mini-Retirement
The notable gap in my professional resume is the result of a conscious decision to step away from the path of a successful product / data analysis. During my 20s, I was working tirelessly in the San Francisco Bay area, predominantly at one company, and eventually experienced significant burnout at the age of 30 during my successful time as a product & data analyst.
I took this intentional mid-career “mini-retirement” to focus on finding better balance in my life, putting down roots and building a family. During this time, I moved back to Colorado, met my wife, built our family, and eventually I continued to develop my professional skills by pursuing further education: I completed my Master’s degree in Library & Information Science in 2022, which provided a strong foundation that sparked my interest in Information Architecture and UX design. As a result, Iearned my certificate in UX & UI Design in 2023, further honing my ability to create practical, user- centric products through interface design.
This decision to take step away from a working career was deeply personal and has allowed me to be present during the formative years of my two children, even while completing my graduate school and certification course work. Being a father has been the most rewarding experience of my life thus far, and feel incredibly blessed that I’ve been allowed this period to be able to focus my energy on them in such a formative time in their lives. While continuing that ongoing project, they are old enough now (both in school full time) that I am eager to re-enter the workforce with a purpose I did not previously possess.
Toddler-> UX Designer
Parenting has honed my problem-solving and adaptability skills, which are crucial in UX design. Each day presents unique challenges that, similar to the design process, necessitate prompt thinking, creative solutions, and iterative adjustments. Whether it entails developing effective methods to promote novel behaviors or modifying routines to accommodate changing requirements, I have cultivated an approach to problem-solving characterized by empathy, resilience, and a user-centric perspective. This ability to adapt and refine strategies in response to real-time feedback directly translates into designing digital experiences that adapt to user needs.
Managing the dynamic environment of raising toddlers has given me a new appreciation for empathy and time management- a core component of effective UX design and the design process, respectively. It has reinforced the concept of considering different perspectives, anticipating (many and often emotional) potential frustrations, and a new frame of mind regarding accomplishing simplicity and clarity in design. This approach ensures that the solutions I create are not only engaging but also meaningfully functional and user-friendly.
Work History
Product Efficiency Manager, Analyst, Data Engineer at TaskRabbit
I was one of the first 5 team members creating an online marketplace that linked independent contractors with end-users through a website for handyman/concierge services and miscellaneous chores. My primary focus was optimizing the online product and analyzing data for the supply & fulfillment side, product operations, and customer service. Additionally, my role communicating between various departments ensured the implementation of business rules, best practices, and the execution of policies. I participated in Agile Dev and helped scale the organization from that initial small team to over 60 individuals, increasing product usage by over 50x in a year and 225x over three years. After this, I consulted on personal projects in 2014 before returning to Denver.
Achievements
• Vetting Process Optimization: Created and oversaw the vetting process for tens of
thousands of applicants, leading to a 50x increase in product usage within a year and a 225x increase over three years.
• Scalability and Team Growth: Helped manage the organization’s scaling efforts from one of the first 5 team members to over 60 individuals.
• Website Product Improvement: Contributed to website improvements that resulted in a >30% increase in project completion rate success rate.
My Roles & Responsibilities
• Product optimization
• Analytics for the supply & fulfillment sides of the marketplace
• Business operations, including fulfillment and customer service
• Research into and analysis of potential product changes and their effects
• Control over hiring/management of Operations team
• Management/oversight of simultaneous ongoing or multiple-week projects to inform and direct
strategy, prepare for special events & promotions
• Oversight of the scaling of processes and policies as the company and product scope expanded
Interests
Music
Fly Fishing
Hiking
General outdoors activities
Hockey
Baseball
Tennis
Reading non-fiction