About

A collage of Brandon in different environments.


Being a "good designer" isn't about Figma. It's about bridging design and technology, being a systems thinker, and understanding how to create experiences for people.

My journey began when I taught myself HTML and CSS and built three websites by the seventh grade. I have since worked in agency, start-up, fintech, and higher-ed environments and formed a leadership style rooted in adaptability, empathy, and innovation. It's these skills I also use to support local communities.

Today, I lead a team of UX designers, researchers, and writers, championing collaboration, diversity, and inclusion and empowering product-driven teams to deliver impactful user-centered solutions. Outside work, I'm a writer of three books, a public transit advocate, family historian, Pallas cat conservationist, and artist.

Recipe for Effective UX Leadership

Build a UX Army

Ingredients

  • Cross-functional partnerships with analytics, marketing, and product teams
  • Metrics to demonstrate UX success
  • Regular storytelling about the impact of UX

Method

  1. Establish strong relationships with key partners to amplify UX insights.
  2. Use data and research to validate decisions and show the value of UX.
  3. Communicate success stories to gain further buy-in from stakeholders.

Remember We're Human

Ingredients

  • Work-life balance
  • Space for creativity and recovery
  • A psychologically-safe culture

Method

  1. Advocate for work-life balance by setting clear boundaries.
  2. Build a culture that celebrates experimentation, growth, and play.
  3. Create an inspiring workplace that nurtures rather than drains energy.

UX is Not a Janitorial Process

Ingredients

  • A clear understanding of UX as a problem-solving discipline
  • Empathy and commitment from leadership
  • A culture of proactive collaboration

Method

  1. Treat UX as a core strategy, not a cleanup task.
  2. Empower teams with tools and time to explore problems deeply.
  3. Reinforce the value of solving human problems, not just organizational pain points.

Prioritize Diversity and Inclusion

Ingredients

  • A team with varied cultural, personal, and professional backgrounds
  • Open channels for all voices to be heard
  • A culture of curiosity and respect

Method

  1. Build a hiring pipeline that values diversity.
  2. Encourage collaboration where unique perspectives can thrive.
  3. Foster an environment where differences drive creativity, not conflict.

We Design for People, Not Dollar Bills

Ingredients:

  • A user-centered design mindset
  • A focus on user feedback and needs
  • Long-term vision over short-term profits

Method:

  1. Root every project in research about real human needs.
  2. Balance stakeholder goals with the integrity of user-focused design.
  3. Trust that prioritizing people will lead to lasting business success.

Establish a UX Practice

Ingredients

  • Straightforward design and research process
  • Shared goals, values, and principles
  • "Work smarter, not harder" strategies

Method

  1. Document workflows and processes that align with your team's goals.
  2. Regularly revisit these practices to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
  3. Ensure everyone understands and buys into the system to avoid misalignment.

Awards & Recognitions

2018
18th Annual Webby Honoree
  • Organization: The Webby Awards
  • Category: Websites/Digital Media
  • Project: GE Capital Bank Website
  • Role: Designer
2016
New York City Citation of Honor
  • Organization: President of the Borough of Queens, New York
  • Award: New York City Citation of Honor
  • Project: Access Queens
  • Role: Designer/Public Advocate
2011
American Package Design Award
  • Organization: GD USA
  • Award: American Package Design Award
  • Project: Connecticut College "Viewbox"
  • Role: Designer
2010
American Graphic Design Award
  • Organization: GD USA
  • Category: "Brochures/Collateral"
  • Project: Frank's Place Website
  • Role: Designer
2009
38th Big W Awards
  • Organization: Advertising Club of Westchester
  • Award: Gold - Non-Profit Website
  • Project: PEPA Website
  • Role: Designer, Writer, Developer
2009
38th Big W Awards
  • Organization: Advertising Club of Westchester
  • Award: Silver - Interactive/Social Media
  • Project: Manhattanville My Soldier
  • Role: Designer, Developer

About Manji Designs

MANJI [mahn-jee] · n. Charms and symbols of luck, divinity, and spirituality — often used by Jains and Buddhists of ancient Persia, India, China, and Japan.

"Manji" symbolizes the ability to bring luck and blessings to those who embrace it. In various cultures, it also represents infinity and the ongoing cycle of creation.

The concept draws inspiration from ancient Chinese metaphysical beliefs rooted in energy and elemental principles. For instance, Taoist cosmology and feng shui utilize energy maps called baguas to focus on and enhance eight essential areas of life: family, prosperity, reputation, relationships, creativity, career, spirituality, and health.

These areas are represented by "trigrams," a series of lines that encircle a yin-yang symbol — a representation of balance and change, where opposites continuously give rise to one another. In some cultures, purple is associated with royalty, power, ambition, and creativity. A purple yin-yang, therefore, embodies the cosmic duality of these powerful concepts.

These ideas underscore the meaning behind the Manji Designs logo and its creative philosophy. The belief that design is a guiding force essential for success parallels the ancient practices of architectural harmony and perpetual creation.

Design, seen as a strategic and intentional act, aligns ambition with creativity — elevating it beyond mere functionality to a tool for purposeful innovation.