Hello, I’m Winter
I have extensive experience using operations to drive better outcomes for mission-driven companies and design teams in roles spanning producer, design program manager, and operations lead. My work empowers cross-functional teams to focus on what they do best through tailored frameworks and processes.
I bring a unique understanding of how design and product teams need to operate, their value to the business, and how to develop programs that support their success.
I have experience in producing, advertising, large scale Infrastructure, and design systems teams supporting global products.
I aim for simplicity, clarity, ease and adaptability.
I’m known for bringing clarity to complex challenges and being the steady leader teams rely on during periods of change and rapid development. I prioritize identifying the true need for a process and strive to keep it straightforward and efficient. My aim is to help product thinkers focus their energy on making meaningful decisions.
Key problems I solve for Organizations
Central Process Design. Developing and optimizing all design processes, best practices, and communications across a design org, bringing streamlined coordination and decision-making.
Design leader and business function partnership. Bridging design with partner groups like HR, legal, procurement, and finance. Collaborating with design leadership as a thought partner and trusted expert.
Tools and Systems. Managing licensing, playbooks, toolkits, file name taxonomy, and policies for org tools.
Critique and Design Reviews. Rituals and practice to improve craft, idea exploration, and quality.
Team Development. Creating hiring, onboarding, recognition, and training programs to up-level craft. Refining competencies, career path, and manager community for internal growth.
Knowledge Management. Organizing information and resources that provide a single source of truth for clarity and alignment.
Community, Culture, and Health. Support team celebrations, foster team communication, and ensure psychological safety.
Agile Product Delivery. Develop rituals, work tracking methods, and resourcing planning in partnership with product, engineering, and QA partners.
Engagement models empower specialized teams, such as content designers and design systems, to scale their expertise, set boundaries, prioritize high-impact work, and establish clear expectations with partners.
“Winter had immense impact within [Meta], creating our core quality programming and helping to strengthen the org’s operating model through process improvements.
I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a strong, experienced program manager”
-Jason Tusman, Director of Product Design
“I had the pleasure of working with Winter on Meta's internal tool design system (XDS). Winter had an impact on our team through her attention to detail, by pushing through ambiguous situations, and her ability to ask hard questions that others shied away from. Winter would be an excellent addition to any organization and I hope to work with her again in the future.”
-Chad Rosen, Engineering Manager
Testimonials
“Winter is a high performing and experienced DPM with a sustained track record of creating and maintaining successful programs at scale.
She is a strong leader and communicator who was able to effectively build relationships and drive alignment with stakeholders at all levels and across all disciplines in our organization. Not only is she at home with developing program strategy and vision for her space, she is exceptional at executing that strategy and doing so independently while leveraging other junior DPMs around her to scale herself and support the team's growth.
Winter had an established reputation for getting things done and putting a smile on everyone's face while doing so. I’d recommend her for any operations focused role with high confidence.”
- Damien Currano, Manager, Design Program Management
“I worked alongside Winter at EVB, and she was an immense value and asset to the team. Always willing to go above and beyond,
Winter successfully led dozens of productions - and always with a smile on her face. She has vast knowledge and expresses all the qualities that will continue to bring her success in any role she comes across.”
-Erika Reinsel, Senior Project Manager
Winter is an excellent program manager and I highly recommend her to anyone looking to tackle novel, ambiguous challenges.
My org was a stakeholder of Winter when she led two critical work efforts at Meta — an internal quality program, and operations for an internal tools design system operations. Winter delivered on our expectations for these efforts and built excellent relationships with our key points of contact. She kept us informed, solved problems when they arose, and made sure that she understood our needs and how they differed from other stakeholders.
In addition to her program management and operational skills, Winter’s excellent attitude and approach made her a joy to work with. Meetings with her brought positive energy to my day, as well as handling whatever issue was to hand. She is great at connecting people and making them feel welcome and seen, which also helps her build trust and raise and resolve conflict in a productive way.
-Natalya Pemberton, Design Operations Lead
These are excerpts from recommendations I received on Linkedin. References are available upon request.