Todd R Lewis🇺🇸

About Todd R Lewis

Staff Product Designer - Design Systems at Ridgeline

I’m a product design leader with over 20 years of experience shaping digital products, building design teams, and scaling design systems. My career began with five years as a freelance and contract designer, which laid the groundwork for co-founding a startup—my first hands-on experience in building products, services, and a business from the ground up. After a successful exit, I focused my career on UX/UI design, where I’ve spent the last 15 years developing deep expertise in design systems and product strategy.

I’ve led the creation and evolution of multiple end-to-end design systems—from foundational architecture to cross-functional adoption—across complex organizations. My approach balances systematic thinking with human-centered design, always in service of clarity, consistency, and collaboration.

As a leader, I’ve built and scaled high-performing design teams, while fostering a culture of feedback, growth, and shared ownership. Mentorship has been a consistent thread in my journey. Over the past five years, I have involved mentorship as a foundation. Continuing to support peers and emerging leaders in navigating the challenges of leadership and craft.

Expertise

Sessions with Todd R Lewis

• Initial Session - Mentorship Your Way (30 min): You set the tone, and stage the focus. In these session, I leave the door wide open to tackle any questions, and/or topics you may have. These are typically the first session you and I have had, and may cover a wide range of topics. | The perfect session type if you are new to mentorship, not sure exactly what to discuss, or looking to have a more natural conversation.
• Initial Design System & Token Workshop (45 min): Building a new design system, evolving an existing system, defining design tokens, and building a organized Figma is tough work. And until you have done it (maybe even a few times), it may be overwhelming. Let's have a working session to answer questions, review current state, establish approach/plan, and dig into the weeds of Design Systems.
• Committed Mentorship (60 min): Mentorship that provides a listening ear, guidance, advice, and feedback and yields honest and tangible results. We will: - understand and define the problems - Set goals - Reach milestones - Achieve growth and development
• Returning Design System & Token Workshop (45 min): - Review current design system, and token library - discuss key concepts and answer your questions - workshop naming, structure in Figma and code - advise on how to talk, educate, and gain support from corss-functional partners
• Design System & Token Workshop (60 min): Present a case study, let me walkthrough your portfolio and ask questions, or focus on specific challenges and blockers that you are facing to get your portfolio in a place where you are confident and excited to share it with the community and/or potential teams, hiring managers, and more. Or prep with an upcoming interview with a mock Hiring Manager Interview or Whiteboard challenge.

What mentees say

“I recently had an outstanding session with Todd. His amazing communication and deep subject knowledge made a significant impact on my understanding of the job market. Todd's positive attitude, exceptional problem-solving abilities, and motivational approach transformed my feelings of confusion into a clear direction for my career. I highly recommend booking a session”

“Honestly, one of the best sessions I've had on ADPList. He gave me a lot to think about, and I loved how he used stories from his own career and experiences mentoring other designers to make his advice feel practical and relevant. He helped me look at my experience and portfolio from a different perspective and gave me clear things I can work on.”

“Thanks to Todd- I am able to attack problems using reduction strategy tactics. His recommendations are always thought provoking and positive.”