Hi, I’m Gretchen!

I’m a product designer and researcher with an MA in quant methods and experience in analytics and civic service design.

I excel in user research and data-informed decision-making.

Skills I will bring to your team

Improving an existing user experience

  • Client: Mindful IVF is a Dublin-based startup providing a meditation app for women doing fertility treatments

  • Project Scope: Redesigned new user onboarding to drive early engagement

Designing a new feature

  • Client: FatCoin is a New York City-based startup focused on financial literacy education for young adults

  • Project Scope: Designed an end-to-end mobile app that helps parents teach their teens about money

Optimizing a conversion rate

  • School project: Charmed is a theoretical health insurance company

  • Project scope: Improved a complex workflow to increase the conversion of consumer signups for health insurance products

Clarifying user value

  • Client: Montessori Collective is a Denver-based nonprofit that offers consulting services to public and private schools

  • Project scope: Rebranded and redesigned company website. Articulated unique value proposition, created marketing assets, and wrote all copy

Recommendations

“I am the Executive Director of a non-profit organization. Gretchen tackled the challenging task of redesigning our website and provided rebranding services. She produced high-quality designs, branding, and copywriting work. Her work has greatly improved the website experience, while also helping our new organization clarify our offerings. She helped us more clearly communicate the work we do, which has increased the number of donations we have received. It was truly a pleasure to work with Gretchen. She is personable, dependable, open-minded, and communicates clearly. We will definitely work with Gretchen in the future for any design needs we may have.”

-Emily Madison, Executive Director at Montessori Collective

“I’ve known Gretchen for more than ten years; she was originally a research assistant for me for more than a year at Columbia, when I asked her to prepare, clean and analyze data for research projects looking at the long term impact of an educational intervention on health and other outcomes. I was most impressed with Gretchen's patience and her ability to do high quality work with great attention to detail, in all circumstances. And, of course, her kindness and decency would be a true asset for any organization. It is without hesitation that I recommend Gretchen.”

-Elizabeth Ty Wilde, Economist, U.S. Department of Education

“Having had the opportunity to work closely with Gretchen Johnson as her mentor in DesignLab UX Academy, I can confidently attest to her outstanding work ethic, dedication, and valuable contributions to our team.
I was impressed by Gretchen's growth mindset and her proactive approach to seeking feedback. She consistently demonstrated a willingness to learn and improve, actively seeking input and incorporating it into her work. This openness to feedback not only showcased her strong desire for personal growth but also greatly enhanced the quality of her output.”

-Darold Davis, UX Design Mentor at Designlab