Tim Shepard, Product Designer

Hello, I’m Tim.
Husband, Father, Entrepreneur, Activist, Designer, and Lover of Life.
“Timothy is great at assimilating into a team and helping to lead the Lean process. His charisma and energy are motivating to others and he’s excellent at honing everyone’s knowledge of Lean principles. He’s a great designer and fantastic with quick prototyping and A/B testing on the fly for experiments and learning adding tremendous value to product development. It’s also fun to go for drinks after an intensive Lean product session and Timothy would make an excellent addition to any team.”
—Adam Berk, Lean Startup Expert. Entrepreneur. My other startup is a startup.
Projects
Included AI
Staff product designer, design systems, cross-functional leader, product strategy, service design, mentorship.
- Included won the 2023 South By Southwest® (SXSW) Innovation Award.
- Startup of the Year awarded by Established SXSW.
Tim Shepard for U.S. Senate
Candidate, grassroots advocacy, fundraiser, coalition builder, public service.
AllianceBernstein L.P
Design systems, technology transformation, workplace of the future, business transformation.
- Leader in corporate relocation effort from NYC to Nashville
- Co-Chair of ABOut Nashville
- Climbed from contractor to AVP, Staff Designer for Salesforce Business Transformation for Institutional Sales.
Who I am.
Product Designer
I am a top-tier multi-disciplinary designer by training, well versed in implementing scalable design systems, mentoring junior designers, and championing the discipline of design thinking in organizations ranging from startups to venture capital and asset management.
Research is the foundation of any successful design discipline. Knowing how to ask questions, read between the lines, and make the map that drives innovation forward.
Political & Public Affairs Specialist
I built a national presence with Democratic donors. I am a proud member of Heart of LA Democrats, a founding member of the Missouri Democratic LGBTQ Caucus, and was the first openly gay man to run for U.S. Senate in Missouri.
I built a network to be a successful public affairs advocate comprised of members of the U.S. Congress, Think Tanks, and public affairs officers in the executive branch.
Activist
I got my start early after coming out working with Q Christian Fellowship formerly the Gay Christian Network and quickly made my way into the intersection of the gay rights movement within the institutions of the church.
I successfully advocated for AllianceBernstein to be an active member in the Nashville LGBTQ Chamber and together successfully lobbied the Tennessee Legislator not to pass the Sleight of Hate.
Family Man
Tim lives in Louisville, KY with his husband, Draek Shepard, and daughter, Tylan Shepard. In his downtime, he enjoys cycling, swimming, the Louisville food scene, The Bourbon trail, Skiing, and local civic engagement.
What People Say About Me
Shannon Copfer-Brace
Tim is a passionate, fierce advocate for his users, and it shows up in his commitment to quality user research, thoughtful communication and advocacy, and brilliantly incisive design solutions. He’s a delight to collaborate with, as he brings an open mind and big ideas to any discussion. From big-picture to fine-detail considerations, Tim can be relied on to deliver quality strategy, research, design, or frontend work, for a project of any complexity. It sounds like a cliché, but he truly is a team player, capable of leading as well as rolling up his sleeves and getting it done.
Jeff Froikin-Gordon
Timothy joined AgSquared for a short-term project to help us design a mobile version of our product. It was a joy to work with Timothy during that time – he is enthusiastic, a hard worker, and a creative thinker, and he was an excellent brainstorming partner as we made our way from a series of disjointed ideas to a complete product spec. Notably, Timothy is also a true entrepreneur at heart – he pursues projects that he believes in, and he is not afraid to take risks to achieve success. Timothy would make a great addition to any team.
Adam Berk
Timothy is great at assimilating into a team and helping to lead the Lean process. His charisma and energy are motivating to others and he’s excellent at honing everyone’s knowledge of Lean principles. He’s a great designer and fantastic with quick prototyping and A/B testing on the fly for experiments and learning adding tremendous value to product development. It’s also fun to go for drinks after an intensive Lean product session and Timothy would make an excellent addition to any team.