About

I’m Mike Schulz (he/him)—a Principal Product Designer, design educator, and systems thinker based in Chicago, IL.

I've spent the last decade and a half at the intersection of craft, strategy, and leadership—designing products and systems that scale, building teams that do their best work, and teaching the next generation of designers how to think. My experience spans enterprise product, agency-side creative direction, and the graduate classroom, and I bring all three perspectives into everything I do.

I believe great design starts with deep understanding—of users, of business context, of the people you're working alongside. That belief shapes how I lead as much as how I design. I'm at my best in complex environments where the problems are hard, the stakes are real, and the work requires bringing people together around a shared vision.

I'm openly gay and proud to bring my full self into the work—including a deep commitment to inclusive design and building belonging.

Education