Jeff Blanchard

Jeff has led the design products and services team across numerous verticals for nearly 20 years. His drive to experiment, learn rapidly through dialog, and be inclusive of multiple perspectives comes from founding or being part of several startups and growth-oriented companies. These environments demand continuously – trying new things, pivoting from what doesn't create traction, and focusing on what measurably makes a difference for people.

He believes that even the best value props are imaginary until the voice of the customer is present, and encourages cross-functional design teams to create product experiments that keep users front & center. He has found that collaborative design is highly beneficial, if not critical, to product success.

When not working with the Highland team in Chicago, Jeff lives with his partner, their dog and 1¾ cats in a 140-year-old house that always needs something repaired in Louisville, KY. On the weekends he often rides into the countryside on his motorbike looking for things to shoot, with his camera.