Lovet Pet Health
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shea

I design with strategy,
lead with curiosity,
and never stop learning.

michals

shea michals

I design with strategy,
lead with curiosity,
and never stop learning.

Design lead with 10+ years of experience with enterprise and consumer brands. Most recently at BASIC/DEPT®, working with clients like Carlyle, Uber, Lovet, and Taco Bell. I think like a consultant, design for systems, and show up like a collaborator.

Photo-of-the-Designer
Award-winning designer, artist and thought leader
I've been designing since before UX was a job title. My career started in 2008 with a packaging design internship, followed by a degree in print and web design from Columbia College Chicago. I spent my early years learning the full stack of design; graphic, branding, marketing, SEO, and web. By 2012 I was designing graphics and packaging. In 2016 I won a packaging award before making the jump to digital. That's when I discovered UX, and I never looked back.
Since 2016 I've worked across tech, product, and brand at in-house and agency side, as a product designer, visual designer, and creative lead. I've been around the block a few times. But what I'm known for most? Making my teams feel seen and heard. I'm the designer companies bring in when they want someone who challenges them, thinks outside the pixels, and genuinely cares about the people in the room.
Based and work in the US

(CST)

I've worked with enterprise giants, scrappy startups, and everyone in between. Each one taught me something new and left with something better than they started with.

creative expertise

A creative leader who thinks like a consultant and delivers like a designer, with over a decade of experience doing both.

01 ——

UX & Product Design

I own the full UX process from discovery to delivery. What sets my work apart is that I ask the questions others skip; getting to the root of the problem before a single wireframe is drawn.

Wireframing

Prototyping

Interaction Design

Usability Testing

Responsive UI

02 ——

Design Systems

I don't just build component libraries -- I build the foundation that lets teams move fast without breaking things. A great design system is invisible to the user and invaluable to the team. I think in patterns, not just pages.

Component Libraries

Figma Systems

Design Tokens

Accessibility

Documentation

03 ——

Bridging Teams

I naturally connect design, strategy, and engineering in a way that elevates both the process and the outcome. I've been told I make the bridge between dev and design feel seamless.

Cross-functional Collaboration

Stakeholder Management

Workshop Facilitation

Dev Handoff

04 ——

Creative & UX Leadership

I step into leadership when it's needed -- directing creative decisions, mentoring designers, and keeping complex projects moving even when requirements shift.

Art Direction

Team Mentorship

Creative Direction

Agile Environments

05 ——

Brand & Visual Design

My roots in packaging, brand identity, and marketing give my UX work a visual refinement that most product designers don't have. I bring the full picture.

Brand Identity

Packaging Design

Visial Design

Marketing Design

By The Numbers

Years of experience

18
Product Design
Strategy
User Experience
Graphic Design

Clients I've worked with

92
Enterprise
B2B
Consumer
Nonprofit

Client Satisfaction Rate

99
%

Design Systems Built

18

Applause Corner

  • She understands that great work exists at the intersection of usability, business value, technology, and storytelling — and consistently operates with that level of maturity.

    Michael Dolce

    Group Director, DEPT®

  • She has a rare gift for asking exactly the right questions — cutting through the noise and getting straight to the root of a problem while holding both the user's perspective and the business objective in mind.

    Abby Lawson

    Product Design Manager

  • She pairs exceptional design taste with a cool head and a soft touch with her clients. Clients trust her implicitly because she listens thoughtfully and delivers what they've asked for.

    Aaron Weissman

    Director of Engineering, DEPT®

  • Shea is a fantastic 'full stack' product designer. From research to UI to workshops to strategic calls with clients, she always has a POV and the experience to back it up.

    Phillip Quintero

    Product Strategy & Design Research

  • She is genuinely one of the most creative people I have ever had the privilege of working with — and consistently stood out as the hardest worker in the room.

    Alyssa Vuong

    Lead Product Designer, SRS Acquiom

  • She consistently designed interfaces that were both visually strong and highly intuitive, and often uncovered usability issues that hadn't been previously identified by stakeholders.

    Graham Dominick

    Senior Software Engineer, DEPT®

shea michals

sheamichals@gmail.com

Email copied!

+1 847 212 7662

Mobile copied!

My current time

Chicago (CST)

Copyright © 2026 Shea Michals

Lovet Pet Health
Hero Image

shea

I design with strategy,
lead with curiosity,
and never stop learning.

michals

shea michals

I design with strategy,
lead with curiosity,
and never stop learning.

Design lead with 10+ years of experience with enterprise and consumer brands. Most recently at BASIC/DEPT®, working with clients like Carlyle, Uber, Lovet, and Taco Bell. I think like a consultant, design for systems, and show up like a collaborator.

Photo-of-the-Designer
Award-winning designer, artist and thought leader
I've been designing since before UX was a job title. My career started in 2008 with a packaging design internship, followed by a degree in print and web design from Columbia College Chicago. I spent my early years learning the full stack of design; graphic, branding, marketing, SEO, and web. By 2012 I was designing graphics and packaging. In 2016 I won a packaging award before making the jump to digital. That's when I discovered UX, and I never looked back.
Since 2016 I've worked across tech, product, and brand at in-house and agency side, as a product designer, visual designer, and creative lead. I've been around the block a few times. But what I'm known for most? Making my teams feel seen and heard. I'm the designer companies bring in when they want someone who challenges them, thinks outside the pixels, and genuinely cares about the people in the room.
Based and work in the US

(CST)

I've worked with enterprise giants, scrappy startups, and everyone in between. Each one taught me something new and left with something better than they started with.

creative expertise

A creative leader who thinks like a consultant and delivers like a designer, with over a decade of experience doing both.

01 ——

UX & Product Design

I own the full UX process from discovery to delivery. What sets my work apart is that I ask the questions others skip; getting to the root of the problem before a single wireframe is drawn.

Wireframing

Prototyping

Interaction Design

Usability Testing

Responsive UI

02 ——

Design Systems

I don't just build component libraries -- I build the foundation that lets teams move fast without breaking things. A great design system is invisible to the user and invaluable to the team. I think in patterns, not just pages.

Component Libraries

Figma Systems

Design Tokens

Accessibility

Documentation

03 ——

Bridging Teams

I naturally connect design, strategy, and engineering in a way that elevates both the process and the outcome. I've been told I make the bridge between dev and design feel seamless.

Cross-functional Collaboration

Stakeholder Management

Workshop Facilitation

Dev Handoff

04 ——

Creative & UX Leadership

I step into leadership when it's needed -- directing creative decisions, mentoring designers, and keeping complex projects moving even when requirements shift.

Art Direction

Team Mentorship

Creative Direction

Agile Environments

05 ——

Brand & Visual Design

My roots in packaging, brand identity, and marketing give my UX work a visual refinement that most product designers don't have. I bring the full picture.

Brand Identity

Packaging Design

Visial Design

Marketing Design

By The Numbers

Years of experience

18
Product Design
Strategy
User Experience
Graphic Design

Clients I've worked with

92
Enterprise
B2B
Consumer
Nonprofit

Client Satisfaction Rate

99
%

Design Systems Built

18

Applause Corner

  • She understands that great work exists at the intersection of usability, business value, technology, and storytelling — and consistently operates with that level of maturity.

    Michael Dolce

    Group Director, DEPT®

  • She has a rare gift for asking exactly the right questions — cutting through the noise and getting straight to the root of a problem while holding both the user's perspective and the business objective in mind.

    Abby Lawson

    Product Design Manager

  • She pairs exceptional design taste with a cool head and a soft touch with her clients. Clients trust her implicitly because she listens thoughtfully and delivers what they've asked for.

    Aaron Weissman

    Director of Engineering, DEPT®

  • Shea is a fantastic 'full stack' product designer. From research to UI to workshops to strategic calls with clients, she always has a POV and the experience to back it up.

    Phillip Quintero

    Product Strategy & Design Research

  • She is genuinely one of the most creative people I have ever had the privilege of working with — and consistently stood out as the hardest worker in the room.

    Alyssa Vuong

    Lead Product Designer, SRS Acquiom

  • She consistently designed interfaces that were both visually strong and highly intuitive, and often uncovered usability issues that hadn't been previously identified by stakeholders.

    Graham Dominick

    Senior Software Engineer, DEPT®

shea michals

sheamichals@gmail.com

Email copied!

+1 847 212 7662

Mobile copied!

Copyright © 2026 Shea Michals

Lovet Pet Health
Hero Image

shea

I design with strategy,
lead with curiosity,
and never stop learning.

michals

shea michals

I design with strategy,
lead with curiosity,
and never stop learning.

Design lead with 10+ years of experience with enterprise and consumer brands. Most recently at BASIC/DEPT®, working with clients like Carlyle, Uber, Lovet, and Taco Bell. I think like a consultant, design for systems, and show up like a collaborator.

Photo-of-the-Designer
Award-winning designer, artist and thought leader
I've been designing since before UX was a job title. My career started in 2008 with a packaging design internship, followed by a degree in print and web design from Columbia College Chicago. I spent my early years learning the full stack of design; graphic, branding, marketing, SEO, and web. By 2012 I was designing graphics and packaging. In 2016 I won a packaging award before making the jump to digital. That's when I discovered UX, and I never looked back.
Since 2016 I've worked across tech, product, and brand at in-house and agency side, as a product designer, visual designer, and creative lead. I've been around the block a few times. But what I'm known for most? Making my teams feel seen and heard. I'm the designer companies bring in when they want someone who challenges them, thinks outside the pixels, and genuinely cares about the people in the room.
Based and work in the US

(CST)

I've worked with enterprise giants, scrappy startups, and everyone in between. Each one taught me something new and left with something better than they started with.

creative expertise

A creative leader who thinks like a consultant and delivers like a designer, with over a decade of experience doing both.

01 ——

UX & Product Design

I own the full UX process from discovery to delivery. What sets my work apart is that I ask the questions others skip; getting to the root of the problem before a single wireframe is drawn.

Wireframing

Prototyping

Interaction Design

Usability Testing

Responsive UI

02 ——

Design Systems

I don't just build component libraries -- I build the foundation that lets teams move fast without breaking things. A great design system is invisible to the user and invaluable to the team. I think in patterns, not just pages.

Component Libraries

Figma Systems

Design Tokens

Accessibility

Documentation

03 ——

Bridging Teams

I naturally connect design, strategy, and engineering in a way that elevates both the process and the outcome. I've been told I make the bridge between dev and design feel seamless.

Cross-functional Collaboration

Stakeholder Management

Workshop Facilitation

Dev Handoff

04 ——

Creative & UX Leadership

I step into leadership when it's needed -- directing creative decisions, mentoring designers, and keeping complex projects moving even when requirements shift.

Art Direction

Team Mentorship

Creative Direction

Agile Environments

05 ——

Brand & Visual Design

My roots in packaging, brand identity, and marketing give my UX work a visual refinement that most product designers don't have. I bring the full picture.

Brand Identity

Packaging Design

Visial Design

Marketing Design

By The Numbers

Years of experience

18
Product Design
Strategy
User Experience
Graphic Design

Clients I've worked with

92
Enterprise
B2B
Consumer
Nonprofit

Client Satisfaction Rate

99
%

Design Systems Built

18

Applause Corner

  • She understands that great work exists at the intersection of usability, business value, technology, and storytelling — and consistently operates with that level of maturity.

    Michael Dolce

    Group Director, DEPT®

  • She has a rare gift for asking exactly the right questions — cutting through the noise and getting straight to the root of a problem while holding both the user's perspective and the business objective in mind.

    Abby Lawson

    Product Design Manager

  • She pairs exceptional design taste with a cool head and a soft touch with her clients. Clients trust her implicitly because she listens thoughtfully and delivers what they've asked for.

    Aaron Weissman

    Director of Engineering, DEPT®

  • Shea is a fantastic 'full stack' product designer. From research to UI to workshops to strategic calls with clients, she always has a POV and the experience to back it up.

    Phillip Quintero

    Product Strategy & Design Research

  • She is genuinely one of the most creative people I have ever had the privilege of working with — and consistently stood out as the hardest worker in the room.

    Alyssa Vuong

    Lead Product Designer, SRS Acquiom

  • She consistently designed interfaces that were both visually strong and highly intuitive, and often uncovered usability issues that hadn't been previously identified by stakeholders.

    Graham Dominick

    Senior Software Engineer, DEPT®

shea michals

sheamichals@gmail.com

Email copied!

+1 847 212 7662

Mobile copied!

Copyright © 2026 Shea Michals