Resume
I've been managing design and information architecture resources and providing user experience and usability expertise for more than 15 years at major media organizations including the Tribune and Washington Post companies, and the Public Broadcasting Service. Currently a consultant for the global agency Sapient, I provide senior UX leadership, managing cross-discipline teams while interacting with both current and potential clients.
I present extensively at prominent user experience, interactive, and government-related conferences including the last three South by Southwest Interactive Festivals, a majority of the Information Architecture Summits, a couple of WebVisions as well as Interaction Design Association conferences.
I publish articles in trade publications and at uxcrank.com and am the founder of the popular Cranky Talk Workshop for New Speakers.
Job history
User Experience Consultant
Sapient Government Services
Arlington, Va.
November 2007 to present
Provide senior leadership for the team's user experience professionals, serve as subject matter expert on proposals, and participate in the planning of Sapient's Gov 2.0 activities. Specific projects and roles have included:
Functional Lead and User Experience Designer
Department of Homeland Security, Modernized ACRIMe Application
Led iterative requirements gathering, which included developing processes, identifying deliverables, managing three analysts, and participating in project’s leadership team planning. Designed application prototype, complex conceptual diagrams, and all wireframes.
User Experience Lead
American Museum of Natural History, Digital Wayfinding Prototype
Led cross-discipline team through iterative requirements gathering and refinement. Developed overall strategy to address requirements for a wayfinding prototype and development of a functional proof of concept. Supervised interface design and responsible for device’s interaction design. Led user and ethnographic research.
User Experience Lead
National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation, Web Site Redesign
Converted data from staff and member interviews into a set of personas and a guiding user experience strategy for the organization’s Web site. Conducted ethnographic research.
Information Architect
Federal Bureau of Investigation, Forensic Crime Lab Case Management Application
Standardized application information architecture and interaction design.
Founder and Faculty Lead
Cranky Talk Workshop for New Speakers
October 2010 (Washington, D.C.), June 2011 (Chicago)
Developed a one-day workshop to help user experience professionals create and deliver extraordinary conference presentations. Designed curriculum, created all marketing and admission materials, recruited faculty, secured venue, selected students and administrated post-graduation community.
Director of User Experience
Public Broadcasting Service
Arlington, Va.
May 2005 - November 2007
Managed the design, information architecture and Web analytics resources for PBS’ Interactive division. Responsible for the user experience of PBS.org including its overall information design and usability. As part of senior staff, developed PBS’ Internet strategy and tactics. Implemented Visual Sciences enterprise Web analytics package. Designed, facilitated, and analyzed usability testing.
Senior Information Architect/Business Analyst
K12, Inc.
McLean, Va.
April 2003 - May 2005
Provided expertise across departments of online education company. Structured information for applications, facilitated teams, conducted interviews and developed requirements. Analyzed and improved K12 internal processes.
Director of User Experience
WashingtonPost-Newsweek Interactive
Arlington, Va.
May 1998 - October 2002
Created organization's first User Experience Department to act as the company's user advocate. Initiated and managed massive effort to align the company's business and user goals. Designed and analyzed user testing.
As Design Manager before promotion to director, managed design resources for a local portal, an e-commerce product, and online Classifieds products.
Sr. Producer, Design and Production
Tribune Co.
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
December 1988 - May 1998
Launched and supervised design and production resources for sites running on both America Online and Web platforms. Before launching the Sun-Sentinel’s first Web site, worked on the print side as magazine art director and newspaper layout editor.
Graphics Editor
The Burlington Free Press
Burlington, Vt.
January 1988 - December 1988
Education
B.S., Journalism, University of Maryland, 1987
M.A., Writing, Johns Hopkins University, (expected graduation: 2011)
Professional associations
Information Architecture Institute
Interaction Design Association
Clearances held
Interim Top Secret, FBI 06/2008 – present
6C DHS Public Trust 10/2008 – present
