About Me
Centering people in the design process is more than a principle; it’s a strategy for building resilient teams and delivering lasting impact. I lead with empathy and clarity, guided by curiosity, to build trust, accelerate learning, and deliver meaningful outcomes. My approach blends design thinking, systems thinking, and agility to empower teams and shape solutions grounded in user insight and aligned with business value.
Values
- Collaboration
- Growth
- Trust
Interests
- Fitness
- Mindfulness
- Nature
Recommendations
Derick proved to be a team player, extremely motivated and he has that rare combination of design chops, developer know-how plus the ability to communicate with all ranges of personalities. Having worked in the design and technology field for over a decade, I can say Derick is a rarity.
One of Derick's strongest assets is his ability to work with anyone and stay focused on the task at hand. From a development perspective, Derick has a rare combination of artistic (front-end) and analytical (back-end) development skills. He is an all around great guy and someone I would hire in an instant given the opportunity.
Derick is a kind, thoughtful, and insightful leader. When we worked together on IBM Power, he was a great mentor and sponsor. He has a natural ability to bring people together and create safe and engaging workspaces. I saw Derick’s genuine care and investment in each person on our team, as he brought out the best in each of us. I enjoyed the time we worked together and would happily work with him again!
Derick was my lead on a highly technical project that had quite a substantial developer-to-designer ratio. He is passionate about all voices being heard and valued which made my job much easier. Another great leadership trait Derick possesses is the ability to recognize strengths among his team and give room for those strengths to shine. I always felt empowered to do the best work I could by Derick and I know the rest of the team felt the same way.
One of the things that impressed me the most was his ability to foster honesty and teamwork within all of us. Derick created a work environment where everyone felt valued and encouraged to share their ideas and opinions openly. His dedication to accessibility and collaboration was truly inspiring and had a significant impact on the entire engineering and design teams.
Derick is a strategic thinker, empathetic leader, and lifelong learner. He leads by example, embracing challenges and ambiguity and encouraging those around him to do the same. What truly sets Derick apart is his genuine care for others. He creates an environment where team members feel valued and empowered to contribute excellent work. His ability to build trust and cultivate a supportive culture has made the entire team stronger.
