Leadership
Team building
Influence
I lead by example, not from a distance
When Kajabi's VP of Design departed in 2023, I stepped into the role of de facto Head of Product Design, inheriting a 10-person team with little structure and a product carrying 11 years of tech debt. I didn't step back from the work — I stayed in it alongside my team while building the scaffolding they needed to do their best work.
Leadership is an opportunity to scale yourself
With a team of junior to senior-level designers, I saw a chance to build something that would outlast any single project. Here's what I put in place:Here’s a snapshot of what I implemented: Here's what I put in place:
Silent critiques: gave everyone a voice simultaneously, especially the quieter ones
Cross-team designer pollination: connected designers working on similar problems across domains
Job ladders: built IC and Manager tracks for the Product Design discipline from scratch
Deep Dives: organized competitive analysis sessions to learn from the market as a team
Hard skill workshops: ran training on auto-layout, Framer, animations, and design systems both within the team and cross-functionally
Soft skill development: Created opportunities for team members to improve communication by public speaking to the organization and the team.
Building strong relationships: built real partnerships with Product, Research, PMM, and Engineering that gave design a seat at the table
What I learned leading through ambiguity
I focused hard on culture, design standards, and psychological safety. I fought for engineering resources to move the product forward. And I learned that protecting my own energy isn't a luxury, it's what makes it possible to show up for a team consistently.
Me speaking at the keynote of Kajabi Hero Live 23, Kajabi's flagship conference for creators.
Totally turned things around (the culture, the critiques) for the better. You made Kajabi Design a safe space to share and talk. I'm thankful for you as my manager, the best 2 years of my time at Kajabi. I’ve grown so much under your encouragement and mentorship.
Amy
Sr. Product Designer @ Kajabi
Heather helped design team culture by creating a safe and supportive space for collaboration, where team members felt encouraged to contribute and grow, ultimately fostering a thriving environment for both individual and collective success
Gabe
Sr. Product Designer @ Kajabi
Heather was an exceptional strategic leader at Kajabi who consistently ensured that our fast-paced team had the necessary resources and support to continuously iterate on a complex product. She helped us meet tight deadlines and deliver exceptional experiences by ensuring the right designers were working on the right projects at the right time
Ieva
Sr. Product Manager @ Kajabi
Let's doooooo it
I'm looking for teams with AI-fluent workflows and products
where AI is core to the experience, not a checkbox.