Curriculum Vitae

Web, Mobile, UX and Product Designer

I focus on clarity, efficiency, and delight to deliver results grounded in thoughtful and human-centered design strategy.
I understand how to balance constraints and negotiate trade-offs to improve experiences and make work easier for users of enterprise software.

Current Role

Product Design Manager - Education & Community

Gainsight
United States

Jul 2023 - present
Full time remote

I guide the design and user experience for Gainsight’s Community and Education products. These products are integrated with Gainsight’s industry-leading Customer Success platform, both aimed at transforming how companies engage and educate their customers.

My work revolves around creating seamless, engaging experiences that not only bring communities together but also facilitate impactful learning through a user-friendly interface. By focusing on intuitive design and efficient workflows, I help our customers increase product adoption and boost retention. In addition to leading the design team, I advocate for the value of UX across the organization, ensuring it’s at the heart of everything we do.

Past Experience

Director of UX

Northpass
Parsippany, NJ

Feb 2020 - Jul 2023
Full time remote

During my tenure at Northpass, I led both the Brand Design and Product Design teams at Northpass. Some notable accomplishments from that time include:

  • Completely redesigned the UI of our Learning Management System. New designs solved a number of usability and accessibility issues that had been neglected for years.
  • The UI redesign was accomplished through the creation of a design pattern and component library, originally conceived in Sketch and then completely rebuilt in Figma. The efficiencies achieved with the design system allowed us to scale our design capacity without increasing headcount; also enabled us to spend less time creating screens and more time researching ideas and validating solutions with product managers and customers.
  • Led a complete visual overhaul of the corporate brand for Northpass, including new logo and brand elements, color scheme, brand mascot, and copywriting voice and tone guidelines. Oversaw the rollout of the new brand presence across all digital and offline channels — website, social media, sales materials, event collateral, and office signage.
  • Grew the team from a single contributor (myself) to a team of 4 designers supporting 4 product teams (in the U.S. and in Poland), the marketing team, and the corporate website.
  • Improved the efficiency and workflow of marketing design projects. Centralized project intake and tracking in JIRA for improved communication and visibility.

Creative Director

Qumulo
Seattle, WA

May 2018 - Feb 2020
Full time remote

At Qumulo, I led the Marketing Design team and was responsible for oversight of the visual expression of the brand and management of the creative services function that supported the marketing and corporate services teams. Notable accomplishments include:

  • Worked with leaders from across the organization to drive execution on design projects supporting digital marketing and demand generation strategies.
  • Championed the shift from outsourcing design to establishing an in-house creative services function, yielding enhanced efficiency, faster turnarounds, and stronger designer-marketer collaboration.
  • Revamped the corporate brand with a new logo, brand elements, and color scheme, while overseeing the rollout across all digital and offline channels, including the website, social media, sales materials, and event collateral.
  • Collaborated with organization leaders to execute prominent national industry trade show events  involving event space design, interactive media, and printed collateral.
  • Recruited, hired, trained, and mentored design staff, fostering career development through timely performance feedback and effective assessments.

Design Director

SPS Commerce
Minneapolis, MN

Oct 2016 - Mar 2018

In my role as Design Director, I was responsible for establishing the vision for and directing the creative of the corporate brand identity across the product and marketing ecosystems. This was an expanded role that grew out of my previous role as Product Design Manager.

As Design Director, I continued to lead the Product Design team and set the vision and standards for the design process, methodology and UI construction for our suite of enterprise software products.

Additionally, I was responsible for:

  • Setting the vision for design at SPS Commerce
  • Leading and growing a team of passionate, dedicated brand designers and product designers toward realizing that vision
  • Building a culture that understands and appreciates the value of design and raising the collective design IQ of the company
  • Curating the corporate brand — establishing and maintaining design standards

Product Design Manager

SPS Commerce
Minneapolis, MN

Sep 2013 - Oct 2016

During my time at SPS, I had the opportunity to wear many hats. At different times, I was everything from design architect to creative director; from UX workshop host to lead UI designer; from product strategist to design mentor. Notable accomplishments:

  • I built a UX practice from scratch at SPS Commerce. I introduced a set of core operating principles and a user-centered design methodology to align our suite of legacy software products with modern UX best practices. I worked closely with leaders in Product Management and Engineering to operationalize these ideas, allowing us to streamline the delivery of design solutions to market.
  • I played the lead role in crafting and documenting a comprehensive design system that encompassed UI design patterns, interaction guidelines, as well as voice and tone standards.
  • I’m very proud of my role of championing UX in an organization that lacked design appreciation, fostering a culture of design awareness across departments, including Sales, Marketing, Customer Success, and Product Management.
  • My biggest contribution was growing a 7-person team of passionate, dedicated product designers that efficiently supported the demands of a highly complex enterprise software platform and 8+ product teams.

Principal UX Designer

Sport Ngin
Minneapolis, MN

Oct 2011 - Aug 2013

Sport Ngin is the world's most powerful online sports management platform. During my tenure at Sport Ngin, I established the entire user interface and interaction patterns for architecting the next generation of administrative tools used to manage tournaments, leagues, registration, permissions and account management.

I created the interface and user experience patterns for two iPhone apps. The Sport Ngin mobile app, which allows users to access real time scores, statistics, schedules, events and roster information for their favorite teams as well as participate in social media sharing of photos and videos. The USA Cup app was a customized version of the Sport Ngin mobile app, designed to specifically serve players, coaches, officials and parents participating in the Schwan's USA Cup soccer tournament - one of the largest youth soccer tournaments in the world with over one thousand teams represented. Both of these apps enjoyed tremendous success and appeared in the top listings for the sports category in Apple's App Store.

In my role as Principal User Experience Designer, I was responsible for the interaction, usability, information architecture and visual design (down to the pixel) for all of Sport Ngin's organizational management tools, mobile apps, and other application-related initiatives. In addition to my day-to-day tasks of design creation, I also led the User Experience team, tasking the other designers, monitoring their workloads and providing creative direction for all projects. As a leader within our Product Management team, my efforts were split between product strategy, visioning, mentoring and tactical implementation.

UX Designer

The Nerdery
Bloomington, MN

Feb 2011 - Oct 2011

As a designer on the User Experience team, I enjoyed working with a number of great clients including Best Buy, HID, Fampus and the Central Bank of Belize.

I worked directly with clients and project managers to craft solutions to business problems. Depending on the project, I was responsible for everything from project documentation and wireframes to moodboards and high-fidelity mockups.

One of my favorite projects during my time at the Nerdery was a ID badge printer UI design for HID. This was notable for a couple of reasons. One, it was a unique opportunity for me to apply my design skills to something other than a web interface. And two, the UI needed to be virtually free of text, since it had to be universally understood without language translation/localization. That was a tremendous challenge, but really fun and put my icon design skills to the ultimate test.

Additionally, the project for Central Bank of Belize was particularly fulfilling. I was able to create a design that completely fit their brand essence while at the same time highlighting the content important to their users. This was a fun project because it was one of the few projects I've worked on in which I did not create, nor was I involved in, the information architecture and wireframe phase of the process.

Throughout my time at the Nerdery I was depended on for my design expertise and experience as a veteran in the design industry, lending some stability to a quickly growing team of young UX professionals.

UX Design Lead

Ascendio
Irving, TX

Jun 2010 - Feb 2011

I worked directly with clients, translating business goals and objectives into compelling design solutions. I managed a high volume of campaign-oriented projects for retainer clients. I was entirely responsible for the visual design and front-end technologies to deliver a quality user experience.

My role as UX Design Lead required me to wear many hats including project manager, copy writer, information architect and client counselor. For most projects, I was expected to deliver wireframes, sitemaps, visual design mockups, and HTML prototypes, while adhering to aggressive project timelines. I was also heavily involved in CMS integration and deploying front-end code into our .NET framework.

Sr. Interaction Designer

Rosetta Stone
Arlington, VA

May 2006 - Sep 2007
Feb 2008 - Jun 2010

Full time remote

As a remote member of the Web Strategy team, I was responsible for the continuing enhancement and improved user experience of Rosetta Stone’s network of websites.

I provided an experienced "voice of the user" perspective to a team of marketers and product managers, creating wireframes, mockups and prototypes for web pages, landing pages and screens for our online application.

As the Design Lead, I worked closely with creative and production teams to suggest, experiment with and implement ideas for improving conversion while developing, enforcing and maintaining front-end coding and graphic design standards.

Interaction Designer

Sabre
Southlake, TX

Sep 2007 - Feb 2008

As a member of the User Experience Team, I worked directly with product managers to make recommendations for improvements in the user experience for travel-related websites, online tools and other applications used by travel agents. I developed wireframes, mockups and high-fidelity prototypes to aid testing, development and release of web-based or desktop applications.

During my short time at Sabre I had the privilege of working on some very high-profile projects, such as the Travelocity iPhone site and leading the redesign of virtuallythere.com.

Web Designer

EDS
Plano, TX

Jun 2005 - May 2006

I led front-end web development for re-design of the Navy Marine Corps Intranet (NMCI), one of EDS' largest and strategically important accounts, providing the Department of the Navy with a full range of network-based information services on a single, enterprise-wide intranet, linking more than 400,000 workstations worldwide.

I was responsible for architecting the development of re-launched Web site, including information architecture, navigation, custom graphics/branding elements, and front- end coding of HTML and CSS.

Communications Manager

Homecomings Financial
Dallas, TX

Nov 1997 - Jun 2005

Primarily responsible for cultivating a strong connection between employee engagement and management goals and objectives. I built a communications platform within the loan servicing division to deliver information to an employee base distributed over three geographical locations. I worked closely with the senior management team to create and deliver monthly presentations, newsletters and management reports to employees.

I accomplished a complete transition of information delivery from a paper-based medium to an online medium. Through sustained achievement, I was able to grow a communications department, overseeing a team of communications analysts. During my time there, employee satisfaction rates were consistently high due, in part, to the efforts and success of the communications platform.

Technical Inventory

  • Expert web, mobile, UX and product designer producing agency-quality products with industry standard tools like Sketch, Figma, Webflow, Invision, etc.
  • Ability to create flexible and cohesive design systems by identifying necessary design patterns and interaction models.
  • Experience building high-performance design teams from the ground up and establishing process and methodology for execution of high quality products.
  • Unique ability to communicate and engage with an audience to present complex concepts and data with imagery, typography and other graphic design techniques.
  • Advanced standards-based Web developer, developing hand-coded HTML, CSS and some jQuery.
  • Experience designing and developing web sites with WordPress as a CMS and other PHP-based templating systems.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Education

Stephen F. Austin State University
Nacogdoches, Texas
Bachelor of Science, Landscape Design, 1995

Awards & Certificates

Best Functionality, Overnight Website Challenge, 2014
GMAC-RFC Partner Award, 2002-2005
GMAC-RFC Celebrate Leadership Award, 2002
Certificate in Web Design, Collin College, 2000

Guest Speaker

SPS Commerce Product+Tech Meetup, 2016
SPS Commerce Product & Platform Event, 2013-2015
DFW Adobe Users Group, 2007 and 2009

What People Are Saying

Here are a few recommendations from colleagues I've worked with over the years. I promise I didn't pay these fine people to say nice things about me.

Pete Zaballos, Member of the Board of Directors at QuickPivot
Chuck is an outstanding leader, manager, and as important, creative designer.

Over the four years I managed Chuck, he excelled at team development and team building, at managing to a very high design quality and consistency, and ensuring that he delivered regardless of the unpredictability of circumstances.

Chuck created the department and discipline of Product Design at SPS, and over time I added the role of Creative Director where he was responsible for the corporate brand, and for ensuring consistent execution of the brand across all departments of the company.

Chuck manages extremely well across organizational boundaries, and managing remote workers and teams. He has a very rigorous training and development regimen, and builds consensus and support comfortably. He’s an accomplished leader and I would hire him again, in a heartbeat.
Carson Kipfer, Chief Product Officer & Co-Founder, Sport Ngin
Chuck is one of the most talented designers I’ve ever worked with. He is a skilled communicator and is committed to craftsmanship in every sense of the word. Chuck continuously demonstrates a rare combination of user empathy, high-level problem solving and meticulous attention to the details that matter. He not only creates amazing work, but also has a profound impact on those who have the privilege of working with him.
John Thompson, UX Designer, Sport Ngin
As a supervisor, Chuck sets a bar that’s hard to hit but is always there to help you hit it. As an interface designer, his work is pixel-perfect. As a UX designer, he nails every level of the usability pyramid. During periods where work is lax, he keeps the ball rolling; during periods of intense pressure, he keeps his cool. Chuck has talent, integrity, a good sense of humor. I’m privileged to have worked with him, and I wouldn’t be where I’m at today without his inspiration and encouragement!
Kristi Whitman, Web Operations Manager, SPS Commerce
SPS hit the jackpot when Chuck came to work with us, but I also gained an important and influential person in my life. He has become a design mentor, a leader by example, and I am inspired by his tenacious insistence on quality in everything he produces.

Chuck understands that great products solve problems. Through a bulletproof design process that starts with user understanding, he crafts the kinds of digital experiences that truly delight. He brings to the table a depth of knowledge that is rare and exceedingly useful. Did I mention that he built our company’s UI pattern library and design platform from the ground up?

Chuck is also an honest, sincere, and humble individual. I am happy to know him and learn from him!
Michael Szczepanski, Sr. Product Designer, SPS Commerce
Chuck hired me to help build out his team and conquer new markets with innovative products at SPS Commerce. In that short span of time I’ve grown a lot of respect for his style, skills, and passion for cultivating an atmosphere of high quality design.

He has an innovative way of managing his teams; by treating them like adults with clear expectations. Chuck believes in a clear work/life balance, a refreshing mindset for an industry that burns people out.

Management aside, his attention to detail and artistry is unmatched; he’s an absolute craftsman and visionary for designing interfaces. He’s not afraid to get into the trenches with his team and chip away at the work to be done. Chuck has made me a better designer by mentoring and challenging me to push the limits of what I thought was good enough.
Michał Stangret, Sr. Engineer, Northpass
Chuck has been the greatest UX designer I worked with and yes, it was a real pleasure. He has a great sense of how to create great designs, both visually and from a UX perspective. Always happy to discuss them, responsive when a change is needed. Long story short: he is the man you want to have on board.