Design Management & Publishing Experience
Design Manager
Monolith Productions | 2022 - 2023
Design Manager
As Design Manager at Monolith Productions, I joined during a period of significant transition, the studio head and senior leadership had recently departed, and the studio was navigating the need to pitch and get a new project greenlit. I played a key role in stabilizing the internal design team, rebuilding trust and execution focus, and contributed to the successful internal pitch that led to publisher greenlight for Wonder Woman.
Leadership Goals
- Maintain team cohesion and morale.
- Secure publisher greenlight for Wonder Woman to ensure project continuity and future viability.
- Co-Lead the executive recruitment process to identify and onboard a new studio head capable of guiding long-term studio strategy.
Process & Systems
- Conducted extensive 1:1 conversations to assess individual strengths, career goals, and team alignment, particularly with long-tenured staff (10–20+ years at the studio).
- Collaborated directly with the Game Director to identify evolving project needs and implement strategies to strengthen the existing design department and to understand future staffing needs.
- Prioritized team effectiveness by aligning personal aspirations with project demands, ensuring both individual fulfillment and studio productivity.
Team Composition & Structure
- Managed a team of 28 direct reports, maintaining regular and ad-hoc check-ins to support individual growth and team alignment.
- Co-led the Design department alongside the Game Director, ensuring smooth production workflows and consistent cross-functional collaboration.
- Maintained a department-wide focus on stability, communication, and delivery throughout a period of significant organizational change.
- Maintained a strong cross-functional collaboration with Production, Art, Programming, Studio Leadership, and the Executive Producer of our Publishing Partner to ensure alignment on staffing plans, project planning, and evolving project priorities.
Lessons & Philosophy
- Gained firsthand experience with the pitch process and greenlight criteria of a major publisher, deepening understanding of external stakeholder alignment.
- Supported emerging leaders by providing mentorship and guidance in people management, helping them better support their teams.
- Adopted a soft leadership approach, prioritizing 1:1 conversations to understand individual needs and foster happiness and productivity across the team.
- Focused on empathetic leadership as a stabilizing force during organizational transition, emphasizing trust-building and individualized support.
Undead Labs | 2019- 2021
Senior Design Manager
I joined Undead Labs post-acquisition by Microsoft as a Senior Design Manager to help guide the design team into a new phase of development on a new title. I navigated significant organizational challenges, including employee attrition and cultural resistance to change, and led efforts in role definition and strategic hiring to support both current and future team needs.
Leadership Goals
- Guided the design team through a major transition period following the studio’s acquisition, maintaining clarity and stability during leadership changes.
- Prioritized internal role casting and external design hiring to support a successful project launch within time and scope.
- Fostered team growth by identifying educational needs and securing access to top-tier resources.
- Drove integration of studio operations with the parent company, leveraging existing systems and infrastructure to streamline collaboration and support long-term success.
- Promoted open communication and individual support to ensure a smooth transition and clear direction for team members.
Process & Systems
- Conducted extensive 1:1 conversations to assess the strengths of existing design team members and align them with roles that supported their best work.
- Led the evaluation and implementation of a new HR system, testing multiple platforms to determine the best fit, and drove the integration process across the studio.
- Created a comprehensive library of design role descriptions using Microsoft’s internal structure, enabling consistent hiring practices and long-term team planning.
- Collaborated with studio leadership to identify current and future staffing needs, and organized and led the hiring process for new design team members.
Team Composition & Structure
- Managed a team of 13 direct reports, conducting weekly check-ins to monitor department health, address challenges, and support individual growth.
- Partnered with the Creative Director and other department leads to assess staffing needs as the game’s direction evolved.
- Played a key role in strategic planning for current and future team composition, ensuring the design team was equipped to meet both short-term goals and long-term vision.
- Maintained strong cross-functional collaboration with Production, Art, Programming, and Studio Leadership to align team planning, systems integration, and project priorities.
Lessons & Philosophy
- Learned that not all team members thrive under a large corporate structure, and that studio acquisitions can create deep cultural friction.
- Navigated team-wide discontent by supporting individuals in finding external opportunities better aligned with their values – without resorting to termination.
- Saw firsthand how empathetic offboarding can lead to mutual gratitude and open space for new talent with fresh energy and ideas.
- Reinforced a leadership philosophy centered on honesty, individual support, and creating environments where people can do their best work, even if that means helping them move on.
ArenaNet | 2017 - 2019
Design Manager
After several years contributing to Guild Wars 2 in various design roles, I transitioned into the Design Manager position at ArenaNet. At the time, I was seeking a change and considering returning to school, but my department head recognized the value of my experience and offered the role as a way to re-engage with the studio in a new capacity. It was a pivotal opportunity that allowed me to shift from hands-on design work to team leadership, and I embraced it fully.
In this new people management role, I was to support the design team’s growth, foster collaboration, and bring fresh energy to the department—all while continuing to contribute meaningfully to the studio’s creative direction.
Leadership Goals
- Establish and cultivate the best MMORPG design team in the industry, focused on innovation, collaboration, and design excellence.
- Unlock the full potential of high-performing designers, creating an environment where their strengths could directly impact the game’s success.
- Strengthen the studio’s live service strategy to ensure long-term sustainability and player engagement.
- Provide consistent access to educational resources, and other learning opportunities, to support ongoing professional development.
- Position the team and project forlong-term success by aligning talent, tools, and vision with evolving industry standards.
Process & Systems
- Managed 14 direct reports, conducting weekly 1:1s to support individual growth, troubleshoot blockers, and ensure each designer was set up to do their best work.
- Organized a monthly “Designer Learning Day” where designers paused daily tasks to attend peer-led classes, fostering internal knowledge sharing and skill development.
- Invited industry experts to speak on specialized topics, enriching the team’s understanding the craft of game design, and broadening creative perspectives.
- Led and facilitated biannual game jams, encouraging experimentation, collaboration, and cross-disciplinary creativity.
- Created consistency across design systems and player-facing messaging, improving clarity and cohesion in the live service experience.
- Built a mentorship framework connecting ArenaNet designers with local college students, supporting community engagement and early career development.
Team Composition & Structure
- Managed 14 direct reports, maintaining regular weekly check-ins to support team health, performance, and problem-solving.
- Co-led a design department of over 60 designers alongside three other Design Managers, ensuring consistent leadership and strategic alignment.
- Reported directly to the Game Director, with regular meetings to stay aligned on project vision, staffing needs, and department priorities.
- Collaborated frequently with other department heads to understand cross-functional needs and ensure thoughtful role casting across the design team.
Lessons & Philosophy
- Learned that not everyone wants to be managed by someone they were previously peers or friends with; highlighting the importance of boundary-setting and role clarity in leadership transitions.
- Embraced a leadership approach rooted in vulnerability and empathy, using the belief that most people enter conversations with good intentions to build trust and foster open communication.
- Saw how intentional emotional intelligence could positively shape studio culture, leading to stronger relationships and a more collaborative environment.
Publishing Experience
Xbox Publishing at Microsoft | 2022 - 2025
Design Director
I was brought on as a Design Director and Subject Matter Expert in open world design to support an unannounced project being published by Xbox Game Studios. My focus was on providing strategic design leadership, helping shape the game’s systems, structure, and player experience from early development in close collaboration with the publishing team.
Goal
- Ensure the project consistently met the agreed-upon design quality bar, using a clearly defined tier system established between the publisher and developer.
- Guide the game from concept to ship by leveraging the existing existing publishing framework and navigating the gate review process.
- Build a strong, trust-based relationship with the developer’s leadership team to proactively surface and address potential issues using internal data insights and development benchmarks.
- Champion the development of robust accessibility features, ensuring compliance with Xbox requirements and relevant legal standards.
- Advocate for representation and global readiness throughout the entire development cycle, embedding these considerations early to avoid late-stage surprises.
Team Composition & Structure
- Operated as part of an internal publishing team of 8, which included leads from Production, Art, Technology, and other Microsoft support teams, working collaboratively to guide the project.
- Maintained consistent and direct communication with the external development team, especially the Game Director and Production leads, to ensure alignment on vision, schedule, and scope.
- Acted as a bridge between internal publishing goals and external development execution, helping both sides stay informed, responsive, and focused on shared outcomes.
Process & Systems
- Held weekly 1:1 meetings with the Game Director and sub-leads across key design disciplines—Combat, Rewards, and Systemsto ensure alignment and momentum.
- Used these sessions to provide targeted feedback, track design progress, and surface potential risks early in development.
- Maintained a consistent rhythm of communication and review, helping the team stay focused on quality benchmarks, scope control, and schedule adherence.
- Communicated daily with the internal publishing team, acting as the project’s design champion and expert, to confirm progress and ensure decisions supported both the creative vision and the budgetary framework.
Lessons & Philosophy
- Learned the importance of building rapport and trust with the external development team, especially when delivering design feedback that could impact direction or scope.
- Discovered that past professional approaches don’t always translate across teams, reinforcing the need for adaptability and situational awareness.
- Adopted a feedback style grounded in kindness, empathy, and clear communication, which helped foster openness and collaboration.
- Used data-driven insights to strengthen feedback and support conversations with developers, ensuring recommendations were both constructive and actionable.