Chris Mehl
Creative & UX Design Leader · Freelance
Santa Cruz, CA
In My Own Words
Strategic Design that Delivers
I create digital experiences that are clear, functional, and visually engaging design that looks sharp and drive results. I help brands grow by making smart, practical design decisions grounded in UX, visual design, and strategy. I’ve worked with startups, retail brands, and mission-driven organizations to improve conversion, build customer trust, and create consistent, scalable experiences across platforms. I lead projects independently or collaborate with teams, bringing hands-on design, creative direction, and problem-solving to every launch. You can count on me to elevate your next product, campaign, or digital experience with strategic design that actually moves the needle.
Work Experience
Freelance Creative Director / Digital Designer
Freelance2023 – Present
As a freelance design and marketing lead, I partner with emerging and established brands to drive digital growth through strategy, storytelling, and visual design. I lead website redesigns, refine brand identities, and implement customer focused features across Shopify 2.0 and other platforms to improve conversion rates, increase revenue, and strengthen online presence. My work encompasses content creation, visual direction, SEO optimization, and the integration of advanced functionality including subscriptions, loyalty programs, POS systems, and ambassador programs Clients include: Uroko, Merge4, Kalletka, Yardage Golf Company, Naturalist World, Illuminee, UCSC, Oneill Sea Odyssey
Principle Designer and Marketing Director
UROKO2023 – 2025
Directed the migration to Shopify 2.0 while redesigning site navigation, architecture, and search functionality to improve the customer experience. Revitalized the brand's visual identity and optimized product pages to increase SEO and user engagement. Launched customer-focused features, including reviews, wishlists, and loyalty programs, resulting in a 34 percent increase in sales. Executed a digital marketing strategy that drove a 160 percent increase in site traffic and doubled the customer subscription base.
Senior UX/UI Designer
Gap2024 – 2025
Redesigned Gap.com login and account experiences to reduce friction, improve security, and align with the design system. Introduced passwordless login via OTP, streamlined account navigation, and enhanced order, payment, and loyalty flows.
Results include reduced cart abandonment and password related support tickets, increased loyalty engagement and customer satisfaction, and strengthened overall brand trust and user experience.
Staff Designer
MERGE42023 – 2023
Led major design and digital initiatives to increase online sales and enhance the customer experience. Launched a product subscription program, developed a B2B selling platform, and optimized product listings across marketplaces, including Walmart and Amazon. Implemented strategic UX improvements, executed SEO initiatives, and managed high-impact Google Ads campaigns to boost brand visibility and drive sales growth.
Lead UX Designer
West Marine2012 – 2023
Led the UX strategy for both B2C and B2B websites, managing a team to ensure consistency and accessibility. I partnered with cross-functional teams to define user flows and launch new features, including a major migration to Salesforce Commerce Cloud, enhancing usability and performance. I introduced the “Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store” feature and revamped the customer loyalty program, streamlining the checkout process.
Internet Design & Production Manager
West Marine2005 – 2012
Led end-to-end website design projects, from concept through execution, ensuring alignment with strategic goals. I developed user flows, wireframes, and storyboards to enhance usability. Spearheaded the redesign of key pages to improve engagement, including store details and article page layouts.
Founder & Creative Director
People Design Agency2002 – 2005
Creative Director at a web design agency specializing in non-profits and educational institutions. Led end-to-end digital projects, from writing and presenting creative briefs to managing timelines, budgets, and cross-functional teams. Directed international developers and content partners, and oversaw hiring of full-time staff and third-party vendors. Delivered key projects including an online learning platform for the O’Neill Sea Odyssey, a tour reservation system for UCSC Admissions, and a full redesign of the UCSC Undergraduate Admissions website.
Education
Cabrillo College
1996 – 1998
Studied printmaking, life drawing and photography
Certification
University of California, Santa Cruz1998 – 2001
Coursework in visual design, graphical production, CSS and HTML fundamentals
Projects
Kalletka: Site Rebrand & Web Development
https://www.kalletka.com/Led the full Shopify rebrand and redesign of Kalletka, a rugged waterman brand, creating a cohesive visual system with coastal-inspired colors, clean typography, and layouts that balance product and storytelling. Designed templates for product drops, ambassador profiles, and blogs, optimized SEO and checkout flows, and integrated seasonal email campaigns and highlighted world-class surf photography to showcase the brand’s authentic culture. The redesign strengthened engagement, boosted sales, and gave the team a flexible foundation for ongoing content and creative partnerships.
MERGE4: B2B Portal, SEO & Site Optimization
Led the redesign and optimization of MERGE4’s digital presence, improving UX, SEO, and B2B capabilities across consumer and wholesale channels. Designed and launched a custom B2B portal with tiered access, easy reordering, and bulk pricing, while streamlining subscription flows and platform integrations across Shopify, Amazon, and Walmart. Conducted SEO audits and implemented metadata, content, and ad optimizations to increase visibility and efficiency. The project boosted engagement, subscription sales, and wholesale revenue, creating a scalable, user-friendly site aligned with both creative and commercial goals.
Uroko: Brand Design & Digital Marketing
Led end-to-end digital marketing for Uroko, building scalable systems across email, blog, loyalty, and social channels. Developed modular email templates, launched a loyalty program, and created original content that strengthened the brand voice and customer engagement. Achieved 3× email list growth, increased retention, and deepened connections through storytelling and coastal lifestyle campaigns.
