- Context / Problem
- A complex financial services application was failing its accessibility audit — with the DOJ watching.
- What I did
- Audited every page, documented each issue, redesigned the affected features, and worked side-by-side with engineering to test and verify every fix.
- Outcome
- Passed the DOJ audit with zero liabilities — no fines, no escalation.
Fractional Design Leader · Product & UX
Senior design leadership, on the days you need it.
Get experienced product design and UX direction without the cost of a full-time hire. Choose a monthly retainer from $2,500/mo or a fixed-scope project with one clear price.
1 retainer slot open — new engagements start December 2026
→ No full-time overhead
Senior leadership at a fraction of a design director's salary.
→ Transparent pricing
Published rates, written scope, predictable monthly billing.
→ Low-risk start
Begin with Advisory or an audit — it's credited toward more.
Track record & domain experience
Proven across regulated systems and high-growth ventures
Product categories I've led design and UX leadership in. Client names and references available on request.
- Open Source SaaS
- Pre-seed EdTech SaaS
- Fleet Management SaaS & Mobile App
- Series B Dental App
- Non-profit Professional Organization Website
- Enterprise P&C Insurance Platforms
- Enterprise Financial Services & BNPL
- Enterprise Healthcare & Tele-health Platforms
- Series B Tele-health Platform
- Pre-Seed Government Services Platform
- Context / Problem
- A tele-health mobile app was missing key functionality, putting the next round of VC investment at risk.
- What I did
- Ran research with users and clinicians to confirm what mattered, then redesigned the entire application — new branding, new features, fully HIPAA compliant.
- Outcome
- The redesign delighted investors, landed with customers, and helped win several new clients.
- Context / Problem
- A legacy government logistics application was inefficient and riddled with usability issues.
- What I did
- Redesigned the application end to end — fewer steps per task, clearer error handling, plus targeted additions like search and rich text editing.
- Outcome
- Cut task and submission time by 40% — users now process more work in less time.
Monthly retainers
An ongoing partnership embedded in your team. Pick the level of involvement that fits your stage.
Design Advisory
$2,500/mo
~15 hrs/month
- Weekly office hours
- Async design reviews
- Roadmap & priorities guidance
- Hiring input
Best for: Founders or PMs designing in-house who want a senior sounding board.
Start with AdvisoryEmbedded Designer
$4,500/mo
~30 hrs/month · 1 day/week
- Hands-on flows & prototypes
- Production-ready UI
- Team syncs
- Design crits
Best for: Startups with engineers but no senior designer.
Start with DesignerMost popular
Embedded Lead
$9,000/mo
~60 hrs/month · 2 days/week
- Everything in Embedded Designer
- Research planning
- Design system upkeep
- Mentoring designers & contractors
Best for: Growth-stage teams shipping continuously.
Start with LeadFractional UX Director
$12–15K/mo
~60–80 hrs/month · 2–3 days/week
- Design strategy & vision
- Team building & hiring
- Cross-functional leadership
- Design story for execs & investors
Best for: Companies without a full-time design leader.
Start with DirectorFixed-scope projects
A defined outcome, a set timeline, and one price.
UX Audit & Roadmap
2 weeks$4,500–6,500
You get: Heuristic review, prioritized issue list, quick wins, and a 90-day design roadmap.
Request this projectAccessibility Audit
2–3 weeks$5,000–9,000
You get: WCAG 2.1 AA & Section 508 conformance audit, severity-ranked findings, remediation guidance.
Request this projectProduct Sprint
4–6 weeks$12,000–20,000
You get: Research synthesis, user flows, high-fidelity designs, and dev-ready handoff for a feature or MVP.
Request this projectDesign System Foundation
6–8 weeks$15,000–25,000
You get: Design tokens, core component library, documentation, and usage guidelines.
Request this project
I challenge the status quo in product design, then build something better.
For 21 years I've designed digital experiences for industries where a bad experience has real consequences: government contracting, financial services, healthcare, and industrial construction. I lead UX/UI, design systems, and accessibility (WCAG 2.1 AA, Section 508) for complex products that have to work for everyone.
Since 2015 I've also founded and run my own ventures in SaaS, game design, publishing, and greeting cards — so I understand the tradeoffs between a great design and a shippable product.
What you get when we work together
- I teach new product development methods and help teams move past “that's how we've always done it”
- I recommend process improvements that make design and engineering faster and more aligned
- I fight for the best idea in the room, wherever it comes from
Fit check
Who this is (and isn't) for
A great fit if you…
- Have engineers shipping product, but no senior designer steering it
- Work in a complex or regulated space where UX mistakes carry real cost
- Want senior judgment embedded in your team, not an agency handoff
- Are ready to act on recommendations, not just collect them
- Need accessibility (WCAG 2.1 AA, Section 508) done right
Probably not a fit if you…
- Need a full-time, 40-hours-a-week hire in the seat
- Only need a logo or visual identity refresh
- Are shopping for the lowest hourly rate
- Want a large agency team rather than one senior partner
- Have no engineering capacity to build what gets designed
How we work together
Retainer minimum
3 months on Embedded & Director tiers, then month to month. Advisory is month to month.
Project payment
50% upfront, 50% on delivery. Milestone billing for longer projects.
Extra hours
$150–175/hr on Embedded tiers, $175–200/hr on Director.
Predictable billing
Retainer hours are use-it-or-lose-it each month — no surprise invoices.
Upgrade credit
One month of Advisory or a completed audit is credited toward a larger engagement.
Clear scope
Pricing is a starting point. Final scope and terms confirmed in writing.
Toolchain & engineering handoff
How I plug into your engineering and product rhythm.
Clear handoffs, no developer guesswork, and no friction adapting to the tools your team already uses.
Design & Systems
Craft, AI-accelerated workflows, and accessibility compliance.
- Figma
- Lovable AI
- Miro
- Claude AI
- Screenreaders
- WCAG 2.2
- Adobe
Engineering Alignment
Practices that end over-the-wall handoffs.
- UX Documentation & Annotation
- Collaborative development sessions
- Functional Review Testing
- CSS Refinement
- Storybook
- Defect Logging
Workflow
Where we communicate, track sprints, and stay aligned.
- Jira
- Slack
- Notion
- Teams
Before we start
Frequently asked questions
The right fit matters. Here's how I work with your team, support delivery, and keep the commitment clear.
What to expect
From first call to kickoff in days.
Book a free intro call
30 minutes to understand your team, your roadmap, and where design is slowing you down. No pitch, no obligation.
Get a written scope
Within 48 hours you receive a clear proposal: the right engagement, deliverables, timeline, and one price.
Start in days, not months
Kickoff within 3–5 business days. I'm in your Slack, your tools, and your sprint rhythm from day one.
Let's talk about what you need.
A free 30-minute call to understand your team, your roadmap, and which engagement gets you there fastest.
Not ready to book a call?
Ask a question in plain words instead — no call, no commitment. I reply within one business day.