Experience

Development Manager – BlackStrap (Bend, Oregon) 12/2024 to PRESENT

  • Executed product development strategies across short- and long-term timelines, ensuring alignment across cost, quality, and design goals were met.

  • Led and mentored cross-functional teams, fostering a collaboration and transparent culture, and continuous skill development.

  • Optimized development processes by managing seasonal capacity, streamlining workflows, and co-creating with vendors.

  • Partnered with sourcing and design teams to align vendor strategy, material development, and cost to support the brand’s strategic goals and product vision.

Director of Design – Incase (Remote) 08/2023 to 06/2024

  • Led cross-category design across hard goods, soft goods, and consumer electronics, ensuring innovation aligned with brand and user expectations.

  • Developed product strategies that supported revenue growth, brand expansion, and global market positioning.

  • Directed Asia market initiatives, leveraging premium materials and regional insights to craft culturally relevant, lifestyle-driven products.

  • Applied user-centered design methodologies to ensure products met functional needs while maintaining design integrity and brand identity.

  • Guided concept-to-production development, launching a new soft goods line in under eight months while balancing speed and quality.

  • Fostered a collaborative design culture, enhancing team performance and partnering with global supply chain teams to ensure product consistency.

Soft Goods Design Manager – Hydro Flask + OXO 05/2021 to 01/2023
Senior Soft Goods Designer – Hydro Flask 06/2018 to 05/2021
Bend, Oregon

  • Led soft goods design for Hydro Flask and OXO, contributing to a 5× business growth through thoughtful, user-driven product innovation.

  • Aligned design strategy with cross-functional teams, improving communication, execution, and cohesion across product development cycles.

  • Conducted deep user research, including ethnographic studies and focus groups, to drive insight-led design decisions grounded in real-world behavior.

  • Translated concepts into detailed CAD drawings and production-ready specs, including plastic injection and compression-molded components.

  • Managed overseas manufacturing partners, ensuring precision in execution, materials, and quality standards from prototyping to production.

  • Advocated for inclusive design and culture, serving on the DEI committee to support diverse voices and equitable programs across the organization.

Senior Industrial / Soft Goods Designer – Incipio Group 11/2013 to 05/2018
Irvine, California

  • Designed consumer electronic accessories for in-house and licensed brands including Kate Spade, TUMI, and Rebecca Minkoff, merging brand identity with functional design.

  • Created rapid concept iterations and prototypes for device and power accessories, driving user-focused innovation.

  • Developed precise CAD models for plastic injection tooling using SolidWorks, ensuring manufacturability and production efficiency.

  • Led the design of fashion soft goods, such as sleeves, folios, and wristlets, balancing aesthetic appeal with performance and usability.

  • Managed end-to-end product development, from ideation through production-ready samples, including detailed tech packs and material specifications.

  • Mentored interns, junior designers, and product managers, fostering collaboration, skill development, and cross-functional alignment.

Lead Designer / R&D Manager – Finn Technologies Inc. 06/2009 to 05/2012
Busan, South Korea

  • Led a 12-person R&D team at a product incubator in Busan, South Korea, managing design, prototyping, and production execution.

  • Designed performance footwear and welded soft goods, including outsole tooling and high-frequency welded components.

  • Directed material development and hands-on testing, ensuring feasibility and durability in real-world applications.

  • Collaborated with global innovation teams to translate advanced material concepts into production-ready designs.

  • Stepped into operational leadership, optimizing production layout and quality control processes to support successful product launches.

  • Authored a comprehensive SOP manual, detailing construction methods, testing protocols, machinery requirements, production flow, and QA standards to ensure repeatable excellence in manufacturing.

Contract Designer – LTN Design 05/2012 to PRESENT
UBCO
Designed a bag set for UBCO’s special edition e-bike tailored for outdoor utility.

  • Developed concepts, technical drawings, and manufacturing specifications.

  • Created bags that integrated into the existing bike frame, offering off-road stability, quick release, modular storage, and space to carry a pizza for delivery.

5.11 Tactical
Designed two collections for the brand’s concealed carry law enforcement customers.

  • Created and developed designs for a four-bag carry system.

  • Produced detailed designs, technical drawings, and product development specs.

Cooler Master
Created a gaming accessory product line for the brand’s core gamer audience.

  • Conducted user focus research to define features supporting fast access during high-intensity gaming translating them into product design concepts.

  • Designed and modeled headphone, mouse, and keyboard internals using SolidWorks (3D CAD).

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Science in Product Design (with Honors)
ArtCenter College of Design – Pasadena, CA

  • INSEAD Exchange Program (France): MBA coursework in marketing, product ventures, and strategy.

  • Led cross-disciplinary product innovation project during exchange.

Bachelor of Science in Psychobiology
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) – Los Angeles, CA

Textile Fundamentals Certificate
North Carolina State University – Online