Facebook Social Good team vision
In 2019 I created the outline for a leadership offsite where we (a) defined our vision—a measurable, but impossible to complete outcome—and (b) the strategy that would maximize our ability to get there. Today, the names have changed (the team is called Social Impact and the company is called Meta) but the product portfolio is still booming.
2019
Facebook Social Good team vision
In 2019 I created the outline for a leadership offsite where we (a) defined our vision—a measurable, but impossible to complete outcome—and (b) the strategy that would maximize our ability to get there. Today, the names have changed (the team is called Social Impact and the company is called Meta) but the product portfolio is still booming.
2019
Facebook Social Good team vision
In 2019 I created the outline for a leadership offsite where we (a) defined our vision—a measurable, but impossible to complete outcome—and (b) the strategy that would maximize our ability to get there. Today, the names have changed (the team is called Social Impact and the company is called Meta) but the product portfolio is still booming.
2019
Dropbox
Dropbox Spaces
In 2019 Dropbox launched Spaces: a place to collaborate with your team around the files you already keep in Dropbox. I joined then to manage Spaces and four other design teams covering much of the core product. I moved to lead a reboot of the Spaces product design, and facilitated a strategy workshop with the Dropbox executive team. We conducted deep research to identify the most pressing needs facing small business knowledge workers; tested value props; and began to execute. Ultimately, Spaces evolved into smaller discrete projects. We learned a lot and the designers did great work along the way.
2020
Dropbox
Dropbox Spaces
In 2019 Dropbox launched Spaces: a place to collaborate with your team around the files you already keep in Dropbox. I joined then to manage Spaces and four other design teams covering much of the core product. I moved to lead a reboot of the Spaces product design, and facilitated a strategy workshop with the Dropbox executive team. We conducted deep research to identify the most pressing needs facing small business knowledge workers; tested value props; and began to execute. Ultimately, Spaces evolved into smaller discrete projects. We learned a lot and the designers did great work along the way.
2020
Dropbox
Dropbox Spaces
In 2019 Dropbox launched Spaces: a place to collaborate with your team around the files you already keep in Dropbox. I joined then to manage Spaces and four other design teams covering much of the core product. I moved to lead a reboot of the Spaces product design, and facilitated a strategy workshop with the Dropbox executive team. We conducted deep research to identify the most pressing needs facing small business knowledge workers; tested value props; and began to execute. Ultimately, Spaces evolved into smaller discrete projects. We learned a lot and the designers did great work along the way.
2020
Facebook Social Good design system
Following our vision workshop, I led an exercise with my design team to establish the common flows and components that could establish coherence for good causes across the suite of Facebook products. These patterns still exist today.
2019
Facebook Social Good design system
Following our vision workshop, I led an exercise with my design team to establish the common flows and components that could establish coherence for good causes across the suite of Facebook products. These patterns still exist today.
2019
Facebook Social Good design system
Following our vision workshop, I led an exercise with my design team to establish the common flows and components that could establish coherence for good causes across the suite of Facebook products. These patterns still exist today.
2019
Change.org
Change.org petition platform
Founding designer for one of world’s most impactful organizations, helping petition starters achieve victories every hour globally. Grew team from 1→15 talented people managing product design, communication design, research and content strategy. Led rebrand, front-end styleguide, new platform architecture and primary flow optimizations helping to 100x petition starters and supporters.
2012
Change.org
Change.org petition platform
Founding designer for one of world’s most impactful organizations, helping petition starters achieve victories every hour globally. Grew team from 1→15 talented people managing product design, communication design, research and content strategy. Led rebrand, front-end styleguide, new platform architecture and primary flow optimizations helping to 100x petition starters and supporters.
2012
Change.org
Change.org petition platform
Founding designer for one of world’s most impactful organizations, helping petition starters achieve victories every hour globally. Grew team from 1→15 talented people managing product design, communication design, research and content strategy. Led rebrand, front-end styleguide, new platform architecture and primary flow optimizations helping to 100x petition starters and supporters.
2012
Change.org
Change.org visual brand & styleguide
Led the rebrand of Change.org as it began to grow as a platform. Partnered with CEO Ben Rattray to ideate our visual brand tenets: timeless, strong, friendly. Curated work across agencies and designers and directly contributed to design execution in choice of symbols, palette, and partnering with engineering to co-author an object oriented CSS style guide. Covered in Brand New. Substantial credit also to the design agency Instrument and our designers Wes Mitchell and Lauren Adams.
2012
Change.org
Change.org visual brand & styleguide
Led the rebrand of Change.org as it began to grow as a platform. Partnered with CEO Ben Rattray to ideate our visual brand tenets: timeless, strong, friendly. Curated work across agencies and designers and directly contributed to design execution in choice of symbols, palette, and partnering with engineering to co-author an object oriented CSS style guide. Covered in Brand New. Substantial credit also to the design agency Instrument and our designers Wes Mitchell and Lauren Adams.
2012
Change.org
Change.org visual brand & styleguide
Led the rebrand of Change.org as it began to grow as a platform. Partnered with CEO Ben Rattray to ideate our visual brand tenets: timeless, strong, friendly. Curated work across agencies and designers and directly contributed to design execution in choice of symbols, palette, and partnering with engineering to co-author an object oriented CSS style guide. Covered in Brand New. Substantial credit also to the design agency Instrument and our designers Wes Mitchell and Lauren Adams.
2012
Services
There are no surefire paths to product-market fit. But there are practices that substantially increase your odds of finding it.
I work with startups who are pre-v1, or early in their product definition. I create design prototypes, specs, and systems—and delight in the details—while partnering on your broader product goals and our fastest past to reach them. I’ve built a best-practices playbook from twenty years of shipping software. From human-centered research to funnel optimization, we can flexibly apply the practices that make sense for you. And we can build a drumbeat around shipping, learning, iterating, and growing your app.
Discover
Vision workshop
Co-create an inspiring product vision: document your customer, differentiating opportunity, why they’ll come, how you’ll acquire, where you’ll start into a persuasive and coherent product narrative. Directional design mocks. Identify tensions. Use to align team, research & design, and sell to investors and new hires.
Deliverable
Product vision deck
Foundational research
Survey and interview the people who you’d like to engage with your app. Understand their real-world journeys and relevant jobs-to-be-done. Identify pain points & unique opportunities to inform product design and acquisition paths.
Deliverable
Top feature opportunities
Prototype
Evaluative research
Test clickable/tappable product designs with people who may use your app—the fastest path to insights. Refine or pivot over cycles. Alongside or ahead of your engineering roadmap.
Deliverable
Feedback on prototype
Product flows & UI
Apply research insights to a fully designed v1 or vNext product inclusive of product flows, edge cases, and entrypoints. Emphasis on time-to-value and engagement loops. Figma deliverable in a unique and consistent design system.
Deliverable
Ready to build spec
Launch
Visual branding
Create the beginning of your living brand identity. Identify your company's differentiating characteristics to inform a logo, type, and color system that champion who you are to your customers. Leave with a visual brand assets and use guide in a design system that seamlessly integrates with your UI.
Deliverable
Brand guide & system
Customer acquisition
Co-design acquisition flows or the paths users will take into your app. Leverage research insights to test the most compelling value props. Design relevant landing pages or social media assets and begin to test and iterate your acquisition and retention funnels.
Deliverable
Landing page etc.
Openings in March 2025
Services
There are no surefire paths to product-market fit. But there are practices that substantially increase your odds of finding it.
I work with startups who are pre-v1, or early in their product definition. I create design prototypes, specs, and systems—and delight in the details—while partnering on your broader product goals and our fastest past to reach them. I’ve built a best-practices playbook from twenty years of shipping software. From human-centered research to funnel optimization, we can flexibly apply the practices that make sense for you. And we can build a drumbeat around shipping, learning, iterating, and growing your app.
Discover
Vision workshop
Co-create an inspiring product vision: document your customer, differentiating opportunity, why they’ll come, how you’ll acquire, where you’ll start into a persuasive and coherent product narrative. Directional design mocks. Identify tensions. Use to align team, research & design, and sell to investors and new hires.
Deliverable
Product vision deck
Foundational research
Survey and interview the people who you’d like to engage with your app. Understand their real-world journeys and relevant jobs-to-be-done. Identify pain points & unique opportunities to inform product design and acquisition paths.
Deliverable
Top feature opportunities
Prototype
Evaluative research
Test clickable/tappable product designs with people who may use your app—the fastest path to insights. Refine or pivot over cycles. Alongside or ahead of your engineering roadmap.
Deliverable
Feedback on prototype
Product flows & UI
Apply research insights to a fully designed v1 or vNext product inclusive of product flows, edge cases, and entrypoints. Emphasis on time-to-value and engagement loops. Figma deliverable in a unique and consistent design system.
Deliverable
Ready to build spec
Launch
Visual branding
Create the beginning of your living brand identity. Identify your company's differentiating characteristics to inform a logo, type, and color system that champion who you are to your customers. Leave with a visual brand assets and use guide in a design system that seamlessly integrates with your UI.
Deliverable
Brand guide & system
Customer acquisition
Co-design acquisition flows or the paths users will take into your app. Leverage research insights to test the most compelling value props. Design relevant landing pages or social media assets and begin to test and iterate your acquisition and retention funnels.
Deliverable
Landing page etc.
Openings in March 2025
Services
There are no surefire paths to product-market fit. But there are practices that substantially increase your odds of finding it.
I work with startups who are pre-v1, or early in their product definition. I create design prototypes, specs, and systems—and delight in the details—while partnering on your broader product goals and our fastest past to reach them. I’ve built a best-practices playbook from twenty years of shipping software. From human-centered research to funnel optimization, we can flexibly apply the practices that make sense for you. And we can build a drumbeat around shipping, learning, iterating, and growing your app.
Discover
Vision workshop
Co-create an inspiring product vision: document your customer, differentiating opportunity, why they’ll come, how you’ll acquire, where you’ll start into a persuasive and coherent product narrative. Directional design mocks. Identify tensions. Use to align team, research & design, and sell to investors and new hires.
Deliverable
Product vision deck
Foundational research
Survey and interview the people who you’d like to engage with your app. Understand their real-world journeys and relevant jobs-to-be-done. Identify pain points & unique opportunities to inform product design and acquisition paths.
Deliverable
Top feature opportunities
Prototype
Evaluative research
Test clickable/tappable product designs with people who may use your app—the fastest path to insights. Refine or pivot over cycles. Alongside or ahead of your engineering roadmap.
Deliverable
Feedback on prototype
Product flows & UI
Apply research insights to a fully designed v1 or vNext product inclusive of product flows, edge cases, and entrypoints. Emphasis on time-to-value and engagement loops. Figma deliverable in a unique and consistent design system.
Deliverable
Ready to build spec
Launch
Visual branding
Create the beginning of your living brand identity. Identify your company's differentiating characteristics to inform a logo, type, and color system that champion who you are to your customers. Leave with a visual brand assets and use guide in a design system that seamlessly integrates with your UI.
Deliverable
Brand guide & system
Customer acquisition
Co-design acquisition flows or the paths users will take into your app. Leverage research insights to test the most compelling value props. Design relevant landing pages or social media assets and begin to test and iterate your acquisition and retention funnels.
Deliverable
Landing page etc.
New projects in Jan 2025
Nate Gardner Kerksick
I like the process of invention and advancing outcomes that improve our lives, even in small ways. I was the founding designer at Change.org where I built a talented team, and grew a global platform that would see a campaign victory every hour. I grew the Social Impact design team at Facebook across 5 product teams. Created Obama’s 2008 online ads in Chicago, ran a product & brand studio in Brooklyn, and art directed with Ogilvy Paris. Lived in nine cities across four countries and today live in Venice, LA. Today I am a designer & advisor working with founders on their big ideas. I have a degree in Interactive Art Direction from Hyper Island in Sweden and taught Civic Design at California College for the Arts.
Year
City
Work
Teaching & EDU.
2025
Los Angeles
Studio
Designer & Advisor
2022
Los Angeles
Sequoia Capital
Designer & Advisor
2019
San Francisco
Dropbox
Design Director
2017
San Francisco
California College of the Arts
Adjunct Professor
2016
Menlo Park
Facebook (Social Good)
Design Lead
2015
Folsom
The Last Mile
Mentor
2012
San Francisco
Change.org
Design Director
2012
Palo Alto
Mightybell
Product Designer
2011
Paris
Ogilvy Paris
Art Director
2011
Stockholm
Hyper Island
Interactive Art Director
2009
Brooklyn
Studio
Freelance Designer
2008
Chicago
Obama Campaign
Art Director & Designer
2005
Washington DC
Institute for Policy Studies
Director Online Comms.
2002
Washington DC
AmeriCorps
Case Worker
2001
Milwaukee
Studio
Freelance Designer
2000
London
Westminster Kingsway College
BTEC Interdisciplinary Arts
Nate Gardner Kerksick
I like the process of invention and advancing outcomes that improve our lives, even in small ways. I was the founding designer at Change.org where I built a talented team, and grew a global platform that would see a campaign victory every hour. I grew the Social Impact design team at Facebook across 5 product teams. Created Obama’s 2008 online ads in Chicago, ran a product & brand studio in Brooklyn, and art directed with Ogilvy Paris. Lived in nine cities across four countries and today live in Venice, LA. Today I am a designer & advisor working with founders on their big ideas. I have a degree in Interactive Art Direction from Hyper Island in Sweden and taught Civic Design at California College for the Arts.
Year
City
Experience
2025
Los Angeles
Studio
Designer & Advisor
2022
Los Angeles
Sequoia Capital
Designer & Advisor
2019
San Francisco
Dropbox
Design Director
2017
San Francisco
California College of the Arts
Adjunct Professor
2016
Menlo Park
Facebook (Social Good)
Design Lead
2015
Folsom
The Last Mile
Mentor
2012
San Francisco
Change.org
Design Director
2012
Palo Alto
Mightybell
Product Designer
2011
Paris
Ogilvy Paris
Art Director
2011
Stockholm
Hyper Island
Interactive Art Director
2009
Brooklyn
Studio
Freelance Designer
2008
Chicago
Obama Campaign
Art Director & Designer
2005
Washington DC
Institute for Policy Studies
Director Online Comms.
2002
Washington DC
AmeriCorps
Case Worker
2001
Milwaukee
Studio
Freelance Designer
2000
London
Westminster Kingsway College
BTEC Interdisciplinary Arts
Nate Gardner Kerksick
I like the process of invention and advancing outcomes that improve our lives, even in small ways. I was the founding designer at Change.org where I built a talented team, and grew a global platform that would see a campaign victory every hour. I grew the Social Impact design team at Facebook across 5 product teams. Created Obama’s 2008 online ads in Chicago, ran a product & brand studio in Brooklyn, and art directed with Ogilvy Paris. Lived in nine cities across four countries and today live in Venice, LA. Today I am a designer & advisor working with founders on their big ideas. I have a degree in Interactive Art Direction from Hyper Island in Sweden and taught Civic Design at California College for the Arts.
Year
City
Work
Teaching & EDU.
2025
Los Angeles
Studio
Designer & Advisor
2022
Los Angeles
Sequoia Capital
Designer & Advisor
2019
San Francisco
Dropbox
Design Director
2017
San Francisco
California College of the Arts
Adjunct Professor
2016
Menlo Park
Facebook (Social Good)
Design Lead
2015
Folsom
The Last Mile
Mentor
2012
San Francisco
Change.org
Design Director
2012
Palo Alto
Mightybell
Product Designer
2011
Paris
Ogilvy Paris
Art Director
2011
Stockholm
Hyper Island
Interactive Art Director
2009
Brooklyn
Studio
Freelance Designer
2008
Chicago
Obama Campaign
Art Director & Designer
2005
Washington DC
Institute for Policy Studies
Director Online Comms.
2002
Washington DC
AmeriCorps
Case Worker
2001
Milwaukee
Studio
Freelance Designer
2000
London
Westminster Kingsway College
BTEC Interdisciplinary Arts