I'm Nicole, a design leader who's spent over a decade building bridges between product design, user experience, and design systems. I get excited about creating digital experiences that drive business success while keeping people front and center. Design leadership for me is about creating environments where both systems and people can thrive. At the end of the day, everything we do in design comes back to people - how they feel, how they connect, how they grow.

As a Product Design Leader at Lithia Motors, I lead a team that supports America's largest automotive retailer through thoughtfully designed digital experiences. We've done some exciting things - from building out enterprise-wide design systems to shipping innovative products that drive business growth. Our work spans internal tools that power Lithia's operations and customer-facing platforms like Driveway, which is reimagining how people buy and sell cars online. Through it all, we've transformed how the organization approaches design, making it central to both employee and customer success.

When I'm not working with my team at Lithia, you'll find me nurturing Portland's design and tech communities. I co-founded AI Portland to create an inclusive space where folks can learn, connect, and collaborate around the various themes of AI. I also serve as VP of Engagement for AIGA Portland, where I get to help create spaces for designers to learn and grow together.

When I'm not working, you'll find me either mentoring up-and-coming designers, playing with new tools, or hanging with my kids and bulldogs (probably with my nose in a good book). I am a proud Portlander and I believe in this city in all it’s messy weirdness. For the last decade I’ve called North Portland my home neighborhood.
PS: We’ve got the best bridge in town, just saying.