Native Instinct Management Our leadership team brings together a unique set of perspectives and experiences that begins with the earliest applications of the Web. Combining strategic awareness, creative vision, and technical savvy, these executives create innovative products and solutions for customers around the world.
- Jeff Solari, CEO and Chief Product Manager
Jeff has been translating business strategies into successful interactive solutions for 15 years. Recently, Jeff has been leading teams at Cyworld, ad:tech Expositions, BabyCenter.com, and JUMBOshrimp Advertising to define online products. From 2003 to 2004, Jeff led Native Instinct's team for the Carlson Marketing Group to redesign and improve The Home Depot's e-commerce Web site. Under Jeff's leadership, the team of 20+ people redesigned the site to increase registration and conversion rates, launched The Home Depot's online Gift Registry to improve customer loyalty, and doubled leads for The Home Depot's Installation Services group. Jeff also led the launch of Home Depot Canada's first e-commerce site and ongoing Web operations for the e-commerce business.
Previously, Jeff was the Group Product Manager for Microsoft's TV Services Group, where he led business strategy for Microsoft's interactive services targeted for consumer's living rooms. From 1993 to 1999, Jeff was the Executive Producer & COO at Ikonic Inc., San Francisco's largest interactive services company before being acquired by USWeb in 1998. While at Ikonic, Jeff led the development of Web/interactive projects for About.com, SegaSoft, Toshiba America, Smartpages.com, the World Economic Forum, News Corp, and numerous other Fortune 500 clients. Jeff holds dual bachelors' degrees in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science and Materials Science Engineering, as well as an MBA from the UC Berkeley. He is a native of San Francisco.
- Jim Granger, Creative Director
Jim is a veteran interaction designer whose 15 years experience spans designs for kiosks, CD-ROMs, interactive TV and the Web. Most recently, Jim has been designing solutions for Cyworld and ABM Janitorial Services. Jim was responsible for the user experience for The Home Depot's Web site, including enhancements in the selling of appliances online, search results and The Home Depot's Installation Services. Previously, Jim was an Interaction Designer and Project Manager at Sony Design Center, where his projects included the design of the interactive TV experience deployed by Cablevision, a wireless portal for Sony's PalmOS CLIČ users, and Sony's implementation of Tivo's digital video recorder. Prior to Sony, Jim was a founder and Creative Director at eyeTV, a video and interactive design firm. At eyeTV, Jim created broadcast design storyboards, corporate videos and interactive applications for clients including ESPN, HBO, Oracle, MSNBC, Pacific Bell and others. Jim has also held Creative Director positions at Ikonic Inc., the SoftAd group and Motorola Semiconductor. Jim holds two patents for the development of interactive TV navigational interfaces and has won numerous awards for interaction design. Jim has a BS in Advertising from Northern Arizona University. Jim is a native of Rochester, New York.
- Kathryn Ankrum, Director, Content Strategy
Kathryn's career as a writer, editor, and project manager spans 15 years, including more than 10 years' experience in the Web industry. She's proficient in all aspects of Web publishing, from concept development through launch. Since 1997, Kathryn has been working as an editorial consultant for clients including Charles Schwab, Nielsen/NetRatings, PlanetRx.com, and OSIsoft. She has played a key role on teams that developed sites for Cyworld, The Home Depot, Wells Fargo Bank, Bank of America, Gymboree, and ADP. Kathryn has helped clients establish business and brand objectives, and then created and implemented content strategies that successfully support those objectives. She's built editorial departments and procedures from the ground up and managed creative and production staff. Kathryn has teamed with engineers to develop and implement content management systems using Story Server, Documentum, RedDot, and Dreamweaver. She's also written and edited Web site content, feature articles, and marketing collateral. Kathryn is a native of Des Moines, Iowa.
- Lynda Greenberg, Director, Product Management
Lynda has been working in the Web development industry since 1994. Most recently, Lynda has been leading product development for Cyworld and ABM Janitorial Services. Previously Lynda was a Senior Project Manager at Sapient. She has worked for many well-known companies as a senior producer for multiple e-commerce Web sites. She has led million dollar projects, such as the Williams-Sonoma wedding and gift registry, Home Depot's online gift registry and Garden Club, the re-design of Sonystyle.com, Gymboree.com and JustGive.org. Her responsibilities included hiring and managing teams of up to 30 staff members, implementing client brand strategy, developing initial design, creating and overseeing million-dollar budgets, and scheduling and maintaining deliverables. Lynda is a native of San Diego, California.
- Peter Howells, Director, Information Architecture
Beginning with his work at the pioneering new media design company Ikonic in the early 1990s, Peter has forged his own path in the user interface and information architecture industry. Peter has worked in a variety of roles - from creative director and product manager to independent consultant - with a wide range of health, e-commerce, high-tech and finance companies, including Cyworld, Revlon, Time-Warner, Microsoft, Williams-Sonoma, Home Depot, Blue Shield of California, Janus Mutual Funds, Washington Mutual, Standard & Poors, ADP, HP, Symantec, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and many others. For Blue Shield of California, Peter designed numerous interactive applets that provided personalized health information. Peter is among the originators of many of the best practices in Web interface design. He has developed his own software, Blue, for rapid HTML-prototyping; detailed, interactive specification development; and code production for his clients. Pete also has extensive experience in user-centered design practices, including usability heuristics and planning and implementing user testing. Pete is a native of Pontiac, Illinois.
- David Fortner, Director, Web Development
David has been an interactive media developer for 15 years and has specialized in Web and video production for nearly a decade. He has created dynamic online identities for businesses across the country as a lead developer responsible for work product, delivery approach and concept actualization. He combines strong technical skills in HTML, JavaScript, Flash and PHP with long-term leadership experience managing teams of graphic designers, developers and content editors to improve the quality of ideas and results for clients. He has worked individually and played key roles on teams developing Web sites and video for Adobe Systems, Home Depot, Gymboree and numerous mid-sized companies. David's work in interactive media began at Sandia National Laboratory creating CD-ROMs, as well as multimedia kiosks that were featured in the San Jose Tech Museum. He left Sandia in 1997 to co-found Coastline Design, an innovative media solutions company specializing in development, marketing and video production. He is a graduate of U.C. San Diego. David is a native of Livermore, California.
