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About

Derek at his desk
 

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ABOUT ME

Resumé

Hi. I’m a product design leader building a new UX team at Avant, a US credit-first fintech neobank helping move financial lives forward for underserved consumers. I'm also helping drive our customer-centric culture. I previously built the design org at fintech data-aggregator, MX.

I'm passionate about designing software that stands for something and positively empowers its users. I’m a lifelong learner who doesn’t mind digging in and learning new skills or taking on new areas of ownership.

I love learning. I recently completed an MBA in the evenings from the University of Utah David Eccles School of Business, I’m fascinated by the overlap of business and design thinking.

I’ve worked in a variety of settings including creative agency, in-house digital marketing, as a self-employed UX consultant, and enterprise SaaS.

I love mentoring younger designers as part of my day job and as a volunteer through the Utah chapter of ProductHive. I occasionally guest lecture at student meetups and boot camps. I also love running, skateboarding, being outdoors, and spending time with my wife and two boys.

thoughts on design leadership