About
People, art and technology
As a kid, I was always sketching or tinkering with computers; as a teenager, it was all about coding. In college, I learned to love serving others through leadership roles. All the circles of the Venn diagram that is human-centered design were there from the beginning.
Getting there took a while. I started college in computer science (didn’t love the math), enjoyed a dual track in graphic design (but couldn’t picture life as a starving artist), and landed on psychology with a business minor because I found them intriguing. Then came years in collegiate student affairs. I loved it, but couldn’t see it as a long-term path, so I started working on an MBA.
At the close of my MBA, I joined Albertsons as an Education Program Developer, later moving into a Usability Analyst role. I started a career in UX while the field was still taking shape. I found my home.
I’ve now been at Microsoft for 11 years: first as a UX program manager, then product manager, researcher and design manager. Today I’m the Director of Inventory Design in Microsoft AI Experiences; we design the monetization experiences across Copilot, Bing, MSN and more.
One of my mentors once told me:
The curse you will carry the rest of your life is that you will either be leading or you will wish you were leading.
The future ahead is uncertain, full of opportunities and risks, and it is within this future where I will continue to lead.
Team VibeCoding - April 2025 Sammamish, WA Paper prototyping in class
Education
Design, business and psychology
University ofWashington
MS, Human Centered Design & Engineering
2016
Award for Academic Excellence
Boise StateUniversity
Master of Business Administration
2005
MontanaState University
BS, Psychology (Business minor)
1998
Beyond the day job
Teaching, speaking and community
Teaching & community
- Instructor, Applied UX DesignUniversity of Washington Continuum College · 2020–2025
- Instructor & UX Advisory BoardBellevue College (designed its first Interaction Design course) · 2015–2019
- Guest lecturer, research in product managementStanford Continuing Studies · 2018
- Founding member, Alumni Leadership BoardUW Human Centered Design & Engineering · 2019–2020
- Mentor to 10–15 people a yearInside and outside Microsoft, especially people from non-traditional backgrounds · ongoing
Speaking
- From creator to leader (panel)AIGA New York · 2024
- Accessibility in product design (panel)Visa product & design · 2022
- The First Rung: How to jumpstart your UX career as a student (panel)Puget Sound World Usability Day · 2020
- Building accessibility skills in a design teamMicrosoft WebXT knowledge share · 2020
Recognition
- Diverse & Inclusive AwardMicrosoft Shared Engineering Services · 2019
- Award for Academic ExcellenceUW Human Centered Design & Engineering · 2016
Voices
What colleagues say
Gary led the team I worked on while designing an internal application at Microsoft. He was an invaluable resource and mentor to me and the other team members. Along with his great leadership skills, Gary has vast knowledge and experience in UX design and research. His interaction design sensibilities were critical for our project. Always an advocate for a user-centered design approach, he also knows how to balance stakeholder needs. His positive attitude and good humor made him a pleasure to work with. I learned so much and became a better UX designer from my time working with Gary. I would love to work with him again!
Islanda Naughton on LinkedInSenior Design Manager, Microsoft AI Experiences (Search)While working under Gary he showed himself to be the manager that I wanted to become. Now that we have moved on to different companies and I can see him as a peer I cannot thank him enough for that service and the continued benefit of having him as a colleague.
Brooks Bouchard on LinkedInFounder & CEO, The Goth PotterGary is the complete package of brilliance, passion and creativity. His easygoing nature and love of design, strategy and mentorship brings out the best in all those that have the privilege of working with him. Even while focusing on the smallest of design details, he’s always thinking big picture and is two steps ahead of anyone else in the room. Gary is a natural born leader that over delivers on every project, every time.
Mark Rodriguez on LinkedInUser Experience Manager, Costco WholesaleI had the pleasure of working with Gary on a project for an internal Microsoft application. He is an articulate, passionate UX manager. Open, upbeat, and energetically calm, he provided the strong, steady leadership the project required, while also taking the time to mentor all members of the team. I learned new project management skills that have improved my approach to leading and supporting teams, and I would welcome the opportunity to work with him on future projects!
Carin Ishida-Rawlings on LinkedInHuman Factors EngineerGary is a true leader in user experience design. I was fortunate enough to work directly with Gary on a number of different aspects of the Costco mobile apps and I was consistently impressed by his thoroughness, his design sensibilities, and his consistently pleasant demeanor! Throughout the process he was a tremendous client, a clear leader within the team at Costco, and a steadfast advocate for sensible user experience design.
Ben Johnson on LinkedInVP of Product, RapidSOSGary is a natural leader and great UX expert! We worked together on several different UX-related projects, and Gary was the key man on the team. Gary is good at empathizing with users, encouraging the team to brainstorm and share ideas, and presenting solutions that meet users’ needs.
Chia-Chen (Janet) Kuo on LinkedInSenior Staff Software Engineer, GoogleI worked with Gary on a project to re-design and develop a new website for the non-profit organization Facing Homelessness. Though it started out as a class project, Gary’s determination and drive to make an impact pushed us above and beyond our class work to make sure the website went live. It was heartwarming to see Gary provide his expertise and time for a cause like homelessness without ever hinting at monetary benefits. I can honestly say that I have become a better human having spent time with Gary.
Vishwas Shetty on LinkedInFull Stack Engineer, AmpaI had the pleasure of having multiple classes with Gary and participated in projects with him. He established himself as a leader inside the classroom and someone who delivered products of high quality and thoughtfulness. He is an adept project manager who is able to get the most out of his team and harness complex problems. Even better, beyond the classroom and/or boardroom, Gary is someone who is engaging, fun, and will bring a positive energy into any atmosphere.
Ian Wyosnick on LinkedInUX Research Consultant, Blink UXGary is the most talented, well informed professional I have ever met. He would not only complete, but excel, at any task given him. I would trust him with the most important parts of my business.
Jake Kester on LinkedInVP of Development, Advanced Sign