About
I'm an innovative and multidisciplinary UX/UI Design leader with over 15 years of experience delivering high-impact, user-centered design solutions. I have a proven track record in leading cross-functional teams, driving design strategy, and optimizing customer experiences for both B2B and B2C products. I'm adept at utilizing design systems, human-centered design, and data-driven insights to exceed business goals. I'm passionate about cultivating inclusive, collaborative team cultures that inspire creativity and foster measurable outcomes.
It’s my highest priority to tend to the holistic, long-term needs of my partners with considered detail and care. With my head down and a humble ethic, I craft design solutions with you and yours in mind first.
Experience
United Airlines | Feb 2022 – Present
Principal UX Designer
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Led a team of 12 designers, overseeing design initiatives across digital platforms, delivering high-quality user experiences for both web and mobile applications.
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Drove the UX strategy for a 44-day loyalty campaign that generated a 96% revenue increase, followed by a redesign that resulted in an additional 50% revenue boost, reaching $50M.
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Spearheaded design system enhancements, ensuring consistent, scalable design across multi-channel touchpoints in web and mobile environments.
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Collaborated with cross-functional teams, including product managers, business analysts, and developers, to ensure user insights and data drove decision-making.
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Created wireframes, prototypes, and UI specifications to support rapid iteration and usability testing, enhancing the overall product experience.
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Presented design solutions and strategic recommendations to senior stakeholders, clearly communicating design rationale and business impact.
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Maintained design consistency by leveraging design systems and adhering to branding guidelines, ensuring seamless user experiences across all channels.
GDM Design Studio | 2009 – 2022
Creative Director, Brand Designer, Owner
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Led end-to-end design projects, from concept through execution, across digital, print, branding, and experiential design.
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Built and implemented cohesive brand strategies for clients across multiple industries, aligning creative vision with business objectives.
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Delivered client-focused design solutions that increased brand visibility and user engagement, ensuring all projects were completed on time and within budget.
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Applied human-centered design and UX/UI principles to develop websites and digital platforms that enhanced user experience and conversion rates.
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Cultivated long-term client relationships by providing ongoing brand strategy and design consulting, contributing to business growth.
Encompass Health | 2014 – 2020
Senior Graphic Designer
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Managed the design and production of brand assets for internal and external communications, ensuring alignment with corporate visual identity guidelines.
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Led high-priority design initiatives across multiple teams, balancing fast-turnaround timelines while delivering consistent, high-quality work.
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Provided design leadership and creative direction for cross-functional projects, ensuring brand integrity across all digital and print channels.
Cooper House | 2019 – 2022
UI/UX Designer, Brand Strategy
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Defined and documented brand identity and design standards, ensuring consistency across client projects and digital products.
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Collaborated with product, marketing, and development teams to execute UX strategies that aligned with user needs and business goals.
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Used data and research insights to inform design decisions, enhancing customer experiences and optimizing product functionality.
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Presented design strategies and vision through compelling storytelling, fostering cross-functional alignment and driving execution.
Moving Pieces | 2015 – 2016
Creative Director, Lead Designer
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Led the creative direction for digital and print collateral, collaborating with developers and cross-functional teams to launch successful products.
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Managed product testing and brand implementation, ensuring consistency across all platforms and touchpoints.
Skills
UX & UI Design
Design Leadership & Team Management
Product Design & Strategy
Design Systems Development
Human-Centered Design
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Prototyping & Wireframing
Usability Testing & User Research
Storytelling & Vision Presentations
Data-Driven Decision Making
Customer Journey Optimization
Technical Skills
Software
Figma, Sketch, InVision, Zeplin, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects), Procreate, Microsoft Office Suite, Squarespace, WIX, Adobe Acrobat
Project Management
Jira, Microsoft Teams
Education
Abilene Christian University | 2005 – 2009
BFA in Graphic Design
Additional Highlights
Led cross-functional teams and successfully delivered digital products that align with both user needs and business objectives.
Proven track record in driving significant revenue growth through UX design strategies, as demonstrated by $50M in campaign revenue at United Airlines.
Strong advocate for team collaboration, inclusive culture, and open feedback, fostering creative environments that drive innovation and high-quality design solutions.
Testimonials
You’re basically my manager. You were always there to support more than my Manager and Senior Manager could. You do so much at United it blows my mind. You’re killing it.
Sr. UX Designer
Garett, thank you for all your efforts supporting and coaching our designers and making sure we provide a consistent experience to our customers. I really appreciate all the work you are doing and how you have also being able to step in and pick up projects when we were a bit short of hands. Keep up the good work.
Sr. Manager, UX
Having Garett work on my teams' projects elicits great ideas and solutions. His calm demeanor and knowledge of brand standards and familiarity with our site breeds confidence and creativity. He offers suggestions and provides choices quickly to stay on time with hard deadlines and high-profile functions and topics. I am appreciative of his guidance and open mind approach. Thank you, Garett!
Business Analyst, Customer Advocacy
I constantly hear from the Project Owner how she feels like working with Garett is a true partnership between product and design. She feels like her thoughts and those of her team are heard and considered.
Sr. Manager, UX
Garett! Thank you so much...You are so talented and collaborative and great to work with. And thank you for calling us out too when something doesn't make sense or flow. We're all better together.
Sr. Manager, UX Copy Writing
I strongly believe one of the reasons the Advertising and Corporate Communications teams are entrusting us with more and more of these announcements on united.com (instead of a 3rd party microsite) is because of the incredible page designs Garett continues to produce. Other teams are noticing the improved quality of our content, and Garett is a huge factor in that!
Sr. Manager, Dig Personalization
I know I speak for my whole team when I say it’s a pleasure to work with Garett and we’re very fortunate to have a partner like him!
Sr. Manager
Hi Garett, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for all that you do as our Principal UX Design Lead. Your leadership, patience, and professionalism serve as a true inspiration for our entire UX team. Your guidance has been instrumental in helping us deliver high-caliber designs for our customers. Thank you for your unwavering commitment and the positive impact you make on our organization. Cheers to your continued success!
Manager, UX
Garett is a creative unicorn. He is the best of the best designers and illustrators, and also provides excellent customer service. Those skills typically aren’t found in the same person.
CEO
Thank you for your amazing contributions to the design of our renovated content pages. My team loves working with you, and I appreciate how easygoing you are with changes to layouts, timelines, process, etc. You make everything seem so effortless, but I know how much energy goes into this work. We're lucky to have you!
Manager, Digital Content
Garett, I want to express my sincere gratitude for your unwavering support for our team during my absence, ensuring the vitality of our Core UX process. Your patience and exemplary mentorship of our designers have not gone unnoticed.
Manager, UX
With great leadership and excellent execution, Garett has earned the trust of the leaders he works with.
Sr. Manager, UX
I constantly hear from the Project Owner how she feels like working with Garett is a true partnership between product and design. She feels like her thoughts and those of her team are heard and considered.
Sr. Manager
Garett has established himself as an subject matter expert in the space. Both leaders and peers seek and trust his knowledge and advice, and he has the willingness to help and collaborate with anyone. Although, he has the respect of many, he remains very humble and is always looking for opportunities to continue to learn and expand his skills.
Sr. Manager, UX
I continuously receive praises for his work and how he is leading the Path to Help sub-mission and helping in the content renovation workstream. Garett has a keen eye to always sees what makes sense for the customer and how a page should be organized for better navigation. He conducts competitive research or takes other research in consideration to make informed design decisions.
Sr. Manager, UX
Garett is an excellent communicator and excels at articulating his design decisions and at advising stakeholders and peers on what the best path forward should be.
Sr. Manager
He is always a great partner to our writing and publishing teams – but on this particular campaign he went above and beyond to work closely with the development team on tweaks to components to make the page accessible, responsive and visually stunning. (And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention some of those tweaks were happening yesterday after hours and early in the morning during the campaign launch because of some late stakeholder feedback. His availability and flexibility was much, much appreciated!)