Creating is survival. Strategy is my craft. Design is my language.
I’m JM—a Product Design Strategist and founder of Studio XVI, a creative systems studio that blends UX, AI, and product architecture to help founders launch smarter. My work lives at the intersection of human resilience and intelligent systems—rooted in lived experience, refined through 15+ years of design and innovation.
✊🏽 My Story: Resilience as Craft
I didn’t arrive here through privilege. I grew up in foster care, navigated systemic barriers, and found my path through creativity and code. Design became a lifeline—and eventually, a language I could use to rewrite the story.
In 2007, I witnessed the rise of the iPhone and Web 2.0—and with it, a realization: technology could connect people in transformative ways. That moment lit a fire, shaping my mission to create products that empower clarity, connection, and change.
🧱 What I Do
As a product strategist and AI designer, I build smarter workflows and product ecosystems for founders. I use modular systems, strategic frameworks, and creative tools to turn complex ideas into clear, usable products—with strong UX and embedded intelligence.
I lead dual practice areas:
- Studio XVI – Done-for-you product strategy and UX systems, powered by the Sentinel-16 framework
- Sentinel-16 – My custom-built modular GPT for AI-aided design, knowledge base building, and co-creative decision making
💡 Who I Help
- Founders launching AI-powered tools and products
- B2B innovators building clarity into complex systems
- Product teams seeking strategic design leadership
- Mission-driven orgs exploring automation with heart
🔎 Selected Projects & Impact
- Driveline – Designed the MVP that secured $1M in seed funding and landed a major partnership with LiveRamp.
- Black UX Labs – Led design systems and growth strategy for coaching platforms centered on equity and inclusion.
- Stealth Venture (ex-Google CEO) – Contributed early UX direction to a confidential AI startup that helped fund a life-saving surgery.
🌐 Recognitions
- Featured on Contra as a top Product Strategist in NYC
- Recognized by dscout People Nerds for empowering underrepresented talent in UX
🤝 Let’s Build the Future—Strategically
Whether you’re early-stage or scaling, I bring clarity, velocity, and design systems that think.
🔗 Explore Studio XVI
📬 Contact me
In an meeting with Facilitators discussing process models