Some kind words from the smart people I have been lucky enough to work with
Wow honestly could write a whole book on how awesome Lisa is. She was the first designer I got to work with at the Thrive (my first designer as a PM too!) which was so lucky for me. She brought her best practices and helped show me what great collaboration between product, designs and engineering can and should look like. The bar she sets is incredibly high and she takes so much ownership over her work. She is a natural leader and influences people on the team while also getting them excited about the work being done and the problems being solved. Beyond being a great designer she also has impeccable product instincts. It is no surprise to me that products end up looking a lot like old designs I have seen from Lisa. There is so much I could say but everyone knows Lisa is awesome (which is a comment into itself) and I have learned so much from working with her.
Lisa is an incredible manager. She is caring and supportive in helping you navigate your career both publicly and privately, and cheers you on the whole way there. This type of positive encouragement goes a long way. She is great at recognizing your skills, strengths and values and then helping you shape your path to help you reach your goals. It feels great knowing that as a manager and a person, Lisa has your back.
She is also a mentor to the entire design team, takes others under her wing, and always shares the latest design content from her ~personal~ design instagram. This helps the team stay up-to-date, and has inspired me to create my own dedicated inspo feed. She is agile and nimble and changes her design process to best fit the needs and working styles of her team, and I’ve learned to do the same. She sets the bar very high for an top-tier IC with people management skills, and I’m looking forward to continue learning from her.
I believe it's rare to have such a great manager like Lisa. When it comes to work-related topics, I tell my coworkers, my wife, and my friends about Lisa. That's how awesome she is. Her role as my manager has made a positive impact on me. I feel like I'm leveling up professionally because of Lisa.
I don't think there is an area where Lisa has not exceeded expectations. She is a compassionate person, she lets me act with an ownership mindset, she lets me strive to do better, and she definitely brings joy whenever I talk to her.
Effective manager and leader. Directs feel supported and report high trust. Strong IC designer, key for being in a player-coach role. Models expected behaviors for all other designers. Honest and clear, holds a high bar for self and others. High quality IC design-work. Extremely supported ICs.
Consistently shows a high command of usable and minimal designs. Regularly shows work at critique and integrate feedback from others. Most recent work shows time spent in the right level of complexity, with the PM and team well involved and informed by a personal slack design channel.
Direct reports feel seen and supported by her leadership. Strong command of direct communication, compassionate directness and a bias for action that helps make expectations clear.
A good mentor is hard to find.
A year ago, I felt lost in my life. Unsatisfied with my role as a business administrator, I was in search of a career that genuinely ignited my passions. I had always been fascinated by design, but was deeply intimidated at the prospect of venturing into an entirely new and unfamiliar industry.
Lisa was my savior. Unprompted, she approached me with an offer to share her wisdom and expertise. Despite her hectic schedule, she committed to weekly evening mentorship sessions, generously imparting knowledge on design thinking, strategic approaches, and industry best practices. Lisa provided invaluable feedback on my portfolio and design projects, assisted with interview preparation, and encouraged me to document and learn from my experiences.
Above all else, Lisa offered a constant voice of support and positivity. Throughout the arduous job application process and inevitable rejections, she remained a steadfast pillar of encouragement. Today, I am elated to hold a full-time position as a Product Designer—an achievement I firmly attribute to Lisa's guidance. She's truly the best, and I'm honored to call her a mentor and friend.
