A bit about me
Hello, I’m Mike
I'm a product designer who has spent the last decade in financial services. I lead UX strategy, conversion optimization, and digital design across web and mobile, working where user research, business goals, and execution meet.
I specialize in turning complex financial products into clear, trust-centered experiences that drive real results. My work includes redesigning underperforming flows, creating modular systems that scale, and running experiments that show what actually makes a difference, not just what looks good.
Before Thrivent, I led design at Beyond Finance and OneMain Financial, two of the country's largest consumer finance companies. I focused on loan intake optimization, trust-driven UX, and design systems that gave engineering and marketing teams a faster foundation to build on. I've spent my career in environments where design choices have direct, measurable business impact.
What guides me?
Design Philosophy
Great design is measured by outcomes
Conversion, engagement, adoption, and trust are the signals that matter. Good design looks beautiful, but great design performs.
User experience is brand experience
How something works shapes how it feels. Function and clarity leave a bigger mark than any slogan.
Copy is strategy
Words are not decoration. They guide, inform, and persuade. Every line has a job to do.
Leadership means raising the bar and raising others
Great work comes from strong teams. I lead by mentoring, modeling quality, and building systems that make excellence repeatable.
Be proactive. Stay in motion.
Momentum matters. I believe in testing ideas, making progress, and leading through action — not hesitation.
Insight over assumption
Testing and research reveal what really matters. Intuition is valuable, but it is strongest when backed by evidence.
Consistency builds trust. Clarity drives action
People feel confident when the experience is predictable and easy to follow. Confusion leads to hesitation.
Practicality beats perfectionism
Design should be usable and live in the real world. It needs to ship, it needs to work, and it needs to deliver.