PORTRAIT
Rolf NelsonFOUNDER & PRINCIPAL

I LEAD DESIGN

AT EVERY LAYER

The strategy before the work. Finding the bet worth taking, the audience worth aiming at, the constraints worth defending

The infrastructure after it. Design systems, decision frameworks, and the operating model that keeps a team shipping.

The team in between. Hiring, coaching, and protecting designers so they can innovate and excel in craft.

SEE THE WORK

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HOME

Portland, OR

EXPERIENCE

20 years, 6 industries

OPEN TO

Design leadership and
Fractional engagements

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Founding designer • Native mobile
ToneLocker · 2024 — 2025

Some design problems are execution problems. Some are strategy problems. Most are both.

Some design problems are execution problems. Some are strategy problems. Most are both.

I am a product design leader with 20 years of experience sorting one from the other and building the systems, teams, and products to fix them. I've launched enterprise platforms from scratch, shipped work across six industries, automated redundant operations, and partnered with companies at every growth stage to turn ambiguous bets into outcomes that hold.

Available for Head of Design roles and fractional design leadership advisory engagements.

  • Sprint
  • Worldwide Express
  • RealPage
  • Fetch
  • Tone Locker
  • Fossil
  • Citi
  • Polaris
  • Cedar Fair
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Future-Forward Leadership

I've built design functions from zero at Fetch, led growth design at Wistia, and advised companies across SaaS, fintech, and ad-tech. The through-line: pairing design craft with business outcomes

LEARN HOW I LEAD

amorphous blob, able to be tossed by click and drag
amorphous blob, able to be tossed by click and drag

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