Experience Architecture for Relevance and Engagement
Designing platforms that simplify, connect, and inspire
At Alaska Airlines, I led the creation of the Auro Design System, shaped by the company’s renewed brand identity and built to perform across digital platforms. That foundation became critical as the airline navigated COVID, rapid growth, and key integrations. It gave teams a shared language to move fast while staying grounded in the brand.
I’ve worked hands-on and led teams across both systems and content design. I’ve written UI copy, shaped naming conventions, and partnered with brand to craft headlines and campaigns that feel timely, human, and culturally relevant. I’ve restructured transactional flows to bring empathy and clarity to moments where timing and tone matter most.
At Disney, I lead teams responsible for building tools and systems used by on-set crews, legal and marketing teams, and studio executives. We also support experiences for fans and audiences, where cohesion and functionality have to hold up at scale. Balancing those needs means building systems that are not only efficient, but speak with a clear and trusted voice.
01 Foundations Powering Products and Teams
The Opportunity
Alaska Airlines was gaining national momentum following its acquisition of Virgin America and a refreshed brand identity. While the marketing team had carved out a strong, modern presence, the digital experience was inconsistent, fragmented, and disconnected from the evolving brand. Design efforts were siloed, and the absence of a cohesive system made scaling difficult. With expansion on the horizon and major product updates underway, the company needed a centralized source of truth to align all digital touchpoints.
The extended digital color palette was a critical first step in bringing cohesion to our ecosystem. Inspired by high-impact brand moments like billboards, social posts, TV spots, and flight attendant uniforms, it infused personality and consistency into our website, apps, kiosks, and airport screens. This foundational move built trust with brand and marketing, secured executive buy-in, and set the stage for a scalable design system that carried our tone and identity across every screen.
Process / Governance Model
Process / Component Audit
Components / Input Fields
Foundations / Type Ramp
Component Overview
Foundations / Accent Colors + New Flows
Foundations / Spacing
Documentation / Buttion Motion
Patterns / Merch Modal
My Role
As part of a small tiger team, I helped lead the creation of Auro, Alaska’s first unified design system. I served as both systems architect and cross-functional connector, translating strategy into tangible frameworks while building trust and alignment across product, engineering, and marketing. In just four weeks, we laid the foundation for a system that captured Alaska’s brand personality and adapted seamlessly across platforms.
Following the initial launch, I provided principal leadership and oversight of the system as it evolved. I led the systems team in scaling Auro into newly modernized, high-priority flows including flight search, booking, kiosk check-in, and self-serve support. This work included designing with flexibility for ongoing tech stack migration and ensuring the system remained usable and efficient as the product ecosystem matured.
Key Contributions
Co-created Auro’s foundational token structure, component library, and usage guidelines
Helped define the system’s design philosophy to reflect Alaska’s brand voice and warmth
Led alignment efforts across design, engineering, and marketing to drive early adoption
Supported engineering in establishing governance, documentation, and QA integration
Defined onboarding and support structures to maintain system quality and growth
Provided principal leadership of the system post-launch, guiding the team in evolving components across key flows like booking, kiosk, and self-serve
Ensured adaptability during a tech stack migration while maintaining design consistency and velocity
Impact
Created a cohesive design language that improved consistency and cross-team efficiency
Enabled rapid, brand-aligned responses to COVID and shifting travel behaviors
Supported oneworld alliance integration with scalable, system-driven UI changes
Set the groundwork for future expansion and internal tooling through reusable design logic
Accelerated modernization of booking and self-service flows through reusable components
Reduced reliance on custom design work during tech stack migration
Increased internal trust and adoption by aligning system with both brand and product strategy
Product Principles
JOY
Infuse surprise and delight into every step of the digital guest journey.
EMPATHY
Anticipate guest needs and deliver timely, relevant solutions and information.
EASE
Streamline the guest experience by reducing complexity and eliminating friction.
Homepage Before
Homepage After
Flight Search Before
Flight Search After
Kiosk Before
Kiosk After
02 Driving Strategic Initiatives Through Design
Overview
As a Principal Designer, my focus was on the bigger picture shaping roadmaps, connecting work across teams, and making sure we were building the right things at the right time. I partnered with executives & product /engineering leads to set priorities and define the design milestones tied to each major initiative. This meant bringing clarity to complex efforts and putting systems in place so teams could move quickly and stay aligned.
My work touched everything from large, high-profile initiatives like Alaska’s oneworld alliance integration to the fast pivots required during the early months of COVID-19. Along the way, I built patterns into the Auro design system that gave teams a stronger foundation to build on.
Flexible Merch Templates / Ideation
Destination Tile / Copy + Layout Tempalate
Content Guide / Information Architecture
Covid Hub / Information Architecture + UI
Confidence Module / Copy + Layout
Product Growth / Content Strategy + Visual Design
Mobile Food Ordering / UX + UI
Sale Page Template / Content Strategy + UI
City Guides / Information Architecture + UI
Leading Content Strategy Through Inflection Points
Two big inflection points: the oneworld alliance integration and the operational challenges of COVID-19, required intense cross-team alignment. I pulled stakeholders together in working sessions to get clear on priorities and outcomes, then translated that into design direction across our guest-facing products.
The goal was to balance new functionality with consistency and simplicity, even as timelines were tight and the stakes were high.
Key Contributions & Impact
Set and drove the design roadmap across web, mobile, and kiosk
Worked closely with product and engineering to prioritize features and milestones
Built reusable patterns into the Auro design system to speed up delivery
Guided design direction for the oneworld alliance integration and pandemic-driven product changes
Facilitated alignment workshops across product, brand, and engineering to keep everyone focused on the same goals
JD POWER AWARD
Alaska Airlines ranked highest in overall satisfaction for both its app (688) and website (658) according to JD Power, a reflection of the clarity and cohesion we were able to build into the digital experience.
Connecting the Dots at 30,000 Feet
3 The Impact
My time at Alaska Airlines was defined by close collaboration across design, engineering, and marketing. I helped lead that effort by setting the vision, aligning teams, and building the systems that held it all together. From rethinking key flows to rolling out a scalable design system, my role helped lay the foundation for long-term growth across both digital and brand. The outcomes speak for themselves:
CONVERSION
198% increase in merchandising conversion with redesigned booking flow
PROFIT
$194 million in net profit generated through improvements to the purchase experience
GROWTH
225 new routes added through seamless codeshare and alliance integration
TRAFFIC
Passenger volumes returned to pre-COVID levels 18 months ahead of industry peers
EFFICENCY
Design system adopted across internal and consumer platforms, enabling faster, more consistent execution
STRATEGIC POSITION
Design elevated to a strategic function, earning long-term trust from executives and cross-functional partners
