I find clarity in complexity —
and turn it into impact.
See what happens when design gets a seat at the table.
Impact at a glance
70%
AI-driven operational efficiency gain
$3.1M
Annual revenue increase from a single program
1.5%
Reduction in customer contacts
30%
Usability improvement from platform redesign
300+
Practitioners trained on original frameworks
What people say
“Daniel is an incredibly talented product research and design creative whose passion and empathy are unmatched. He easily navigates the 30,000 foot view and is just as comfortable overseeing the execution of the details. I would 10/10 hire him again.”
Heather Wiederstein CPO · Hiring Manager
“Dan consistently demonstrates the unique ability to go both far and short in his design approach, helping his teams build foundations that provide growth into an impactful end state. As a relentless voice for the customer, Dan always centers his thinking around their needs.”
Keith DuFresne Head of Product Design · Cross-Functional Partner
“Dan is hands-down the most caring and effective manager I've had. He's strategic yet humble, focused but attentive, and excellent at turning high-level concepts into actionable items. Not only have I learned a ton from him, but also truly enjoyed working on his team.”
Cindy Tsai VP of Product & Experience Design · Direct Report
“I admire how he sizes work against iterative quick wins while directing his team toward a lighthouse; how he champions content as integral to UX; how he consistently defuses tension by making everybody laugh. He's an incredible design thinker.”
Amanda Morrison VP of Content Design · Cross-Functional Partner
“Through Daniel's leadership, we were able to design and execute on a new user experience for professional learning, develop a long-range vision and roadmap, and create a visual design system. The impact of his work will be felt for years to come.”
Brent Hartsell Senior Director · Cross-Functional Partner
“Daniel is an exceptional UX practitioner, manager, and overall human being. The questions Daniel poses produce insights that have helped improve our products. His ability to balance the big picture and tactical work makes him an asset to any team.”
Lissy Torres Senior Lead UX Strategy & Design · Direct Report
“Daniel was a strong thought leader, pushing us to build products the right way — one that would accommodate everyone while providing a delightful experience. Daniel changed the way I think about accessibility for the better, stressing the benefits of universal design.”
Laura Bridgewater Senior PM · Cross-Functional Partner
“Dan is, hands down, one of the best managers, design strategists, team builders, and collaborators I've ever worked with. As a manager he is always in your corner, ready to tackle problems alongside you. As a design thinker he is laser sharp in his insights.”
Carina Reeves Principal Product Designer · Direct Report
“A strategic and enthusiastic leader, Dan isn't afraid to push the envelope or ask tough questions to make an experience better. He built a strong design team that he led with both expertise and heart. Always willing to jump into any complex project or nuanced user problem.”
Emily McKenna VP of Integrated Digital Marketing · Cross-Functional Partner
“He is a thoughtful, passionate and empathetic leader of his craft. I always looked to Daniel as a thought partner who could help drive change and build exceptional product experiences. Great experience and product talent is hard to come by.”
Renee Noble VP of Agile Practices · Cross-Functional Partner
“Daniel is an inspiring mentor and fearless leader who fervidly advocates for the user through accessibility and innovative design. He has a talent for understanding challenging concepts and explaining them in a way that is easily digestible and actionable.”
Tiffany LeBlanc UX Designer · Direct Report
“Daniel is a compassionate and creative professional who consistently delivered thoughtful and innovative design solutions aligned with user needs and business goals. He excelled at leading us through design exercises around large and complex problems.”
Laura Ellis VP of Content Strategy · Cross-Functional Partner
“Daniel is a true professional, possessing a unique combination of strategic vision and hands-on expertise. I characterize his leadership by a rare blend of mentorship, clear communication, and a genuine concern for the growth and well-being of the team.”
Patricio Cabrera Senior Experience Design Lead · Direct Report
“His partnership and cross-functional leadership were instrumental in helping us design a tailored investment opportunity that made complex technical processes accessible — and exciting — to the funder. He also helped drive revenue for the organization.”
Laila Khan, Ph.D. Head of Institutional Giving · Cross-Functional Partner
“Daniel successfully partnered with leadership to elevate how our cross-functional team worked together — transitioning our operation from execution-oriented to strategy-forward. He balances speed and urgency of execution with an eye for the end-state.”
Kristin Relyea Product Management Consulting · Cross-Functional Partner
“Daniel was my manager at Wayfair and I had an excellent time working with him. Great insight and real desire to help people succeed is what anyone can expect from Daniel. He is extremely smart and thoughtful, a strategic partner who pushes teammates to a higher standard.”
Mau Fontenele Principal UI/UX Designer · Direct Report
“Daniel brings a unique combination of skill and humility to his work that enables him to move ideas and teams forward. Daniel rallied teams to new paths of learning and better approaches to decision making. The results were evident in the enhanced experiences delivered.”
Mike Flynn Consultant, UX Research · Cross-Functional Partner
“Daniel is one amazingly creative personality; his keen eye for even the smallest details is very notable, without losing the big picture. He was always willing to assist in any way to help deliver the BEST product. No problem or task was too small nor too big.”
Stanislav Shikhman Sr. Director of Product Management · Cross-Functional Partner
“Daniel is a true professional keen to details without ever losing sight of the bigger picture. He is always willing to put the extra effort in any project, and to brainstorm until we reach the best solution possible. Daniel is the guy to get things done.”
Baruch Nave Founder & CEO · Cross-Functional Partner
“Daniel is a creative problem solver. He has a keen eye for details and a great understanding of the big picture. It is a pleasure to work with a UX guy that has such a good understanding of visual design. I had lots of fun working with him.”
Haim Agami Freelance Product Designer · Colleague
“We've always found his work to be above and beyond what we could have expected. He's very easy to work with and understands that those around him may need things explained in greater detail. He digs deep and makes sure requirements are right before jumping in.”
Aaron Colman CEO & Co-founder · Client
“Daniel is a genuine UX professional, understanding all the bits and pieces of an online product from the user's point of view while taking into account the complexity of design and development. He managed to juggle between different platforms and challenges like a true master.”
Lonny Szneiberg Co-Founder · Client
“Daniel has a rich imagination together with the diligence and discipline needed to make things a reality. He has a perceptive wit which is both sharp and sensitive — people will always do things for Daniel.”
Stephen Sobol Academic · Former Educator
What makes this different
Six industries wide.
Jack of all trades, master of none, though oftentimes better than master of one. The patterns that solve insurance problems also solve edtech problems.
Dyslexic designer.
Living proof of what’s possible when systems work with people, not against them. Creative thinking included. Creative spelling complimentary.
Technologies change. The thinking doesn’t.
Starts with the problem. Innovates through the constraints. Ships fast.
Still in the classroom.
Teaching systems thinking and accessibility as foundations, not electives.
Case Studies
Replacing four contractors with one AI-powered workflow
Directed the development of an AI content ingestion tool that eliminated the need for a manual contractor team, cutting curriculum processing time by 70%.
Read case study: Replacing four contractors with one AI-powered workflow
2.5 stars to 4.7 in a regulated industry
Directed the redesign of a customer insurance app across policy management, claims, and roadside assistance. Received the company’s highest individual honor.
Read case study: 2.5 stars to 4.7 in a regulated industry
27% fewer project failures through AR innovation
Identified the root cause of onboarding friction in a design services marketplace and led the team from discovery to an AR floor plan tool.
Read case study: 27% fewer project failures through AR innovation
One framework, 80+ practitioners, zero resistance
Built a Career Development Framework and Competency Model using a user-centered approach. The team helped build it, so the team adopted it.
Read case study: One framework, 80+ practitioners, zero resistance
From zero to award-winning product in under a year
Led discovery, strategy, and design that created a new product line, stood up a dedicated team, and won national recognition.
Read case study: From zero to award-winning product in under a yearHow I Work
Build the right thing.
Strategy and discovery. I translate ambiguity into structured opportunity. Before a team solves a problem well, someone needs to make sure they’re solving the right one. I stand up research operations, build insight pipelines that connect directly to executive roadmaps, and create the conditions where strategy is evidence-driven rather than opinion-driven.
Build it right.
Execution and craft at scale. I set the quality bar and build the systems that maintain it. Accessibility and inclusivity are embedded from the start, not bolted on at the end. Design systems, governance frameworks, and operational rigor that let teams ship with confidence and consistency.
Build the team that keeps building it.
The most leveraged thing a design leader can do is build an organization that produces great work without depending on any single person. Including the leader. I design the career frameworks, competency models, and coaching rhythms that make that possible.
About
Growing up dyslexic gave me firsthand experience with what happens when systems aren’t built for everyone. That’s not a footnote in my career. It’s the throughline.
It’s why accessibility isn’t a compliance checkbox for me. It’s a design principle. It’s why I build frameworks and systems rather than one-off solutions, because the right structure helps everyone, not just the people it was designed for.
That same instinct shapes how I lead teams. Everyone wants to do well. A clear mission, transparency, opportunity, and the right tools will help them get there. That philosophy shows up in the competency models I build, the research operations I scale, and the way my former reports describe working with me.
It also drives me to teach. At Husson University, I teach the next generation of designers that accessibility and systems thinking aren’t advanced topics to learn later. They’re foundational.
Based in Cumberland, Maine. Dad of two. I build furniture when I’m not building design systems. Cook Chinese-inspired food. Have a karaoke habit I’m not apologizing for.
Chairman’s Award for Excellence, Travelers, 2022
Career arc
Twenty years. Six industries. One throughline.