Highland

Jeff has led the design of products & services across numerous verticals for over 20 years. His drive to experiment, learn rapidly through dialog, and be inclusive of multiple perspectives comes from founding or being part of several startups and growth companies.

Curtis Blackwell joined Highland in 2018. He strives to leave things better than he found them, and guides the development team in creating strong technical architecture, simplifying complex code and improving product workflows.

David helped Highland make the shift from software to product development by incorporating best practices from the worlds of Product Design, Lean Startup Practices, and Business Design. Today, he helps our clients solve problems through gaining an outside-in view of their customers' experiences.

Jon joined Highland in 2007 and has performed nearly every role in the company. He's lead Highland into new practice areas, and lead clients in a broad range of industries through customer experience strategy, product development, human-centered innovation, and digital transformation.

Kristina joined Highland in 2019 as a Front End Developer & transitioned to Design Research soon thereafter. Familiar with the technical details of creating a digital product, Kristina now enjoys uncovering the personal aspects of customer experience & user needs that drive product engagement.

Abril joined Highland in 2022. She strives to stay curious and take a learner's stance to uncover insights which can be translated into design interventions that help promote holistic flourishing. Her work includes design for edtech, fintech, and non-profit organizations across numerous industries.

Amrita joined Highland in 2020, having previously applied her skills across four continents. With education in architecture, industrial design, and innovation strategy, she has spent the past decade in the innovation consulting space, helping imagine new futures in collaboration with her clients.

Amy is dedicated to creating innovative digital products, driving her projects forward with genuine curiosity and determination. With a B.S. from Illinois Institute of Technology, Amy is deeply familiar with and enjoys collaborating with designers & engineers alike.

Justin joined Highland in 2021. He is focused on leveraging research & design to create ethical & equitable impact. He has helped legacy organizations & early-stage startups design human-centered products and services as well as finding the intersection between business strategy & human insight.

Kat has a decade of experience in design and 5 years in user experience consulting. In the past she's worked on enterprise products for the customer service, finance, healthcare, and construction industries. Outside of work, Kat teaches user research & design at her undergrad university.

Elijah joined Highland in 2022. He is a Loyola graduate with over 12 years of product design experience. Over his career, he has worked on mobile & web products in the construction, health, and social networking industries.

Patrick Ruff approaches product design through the lens of service design and systems thinking. Hes spent the majority of his career helping organizations understand how their products could interact with one another and how to improve their greater product ecosystem.