A creative leader that builds brands people love.

Cailen, you made such an impact on me, the company, and the design thesis at Matterport. It was a privilege to work alongside you every day and watch your expertise in motion, and to see your amazing growth. Most remarkable is the sheer volume of mission critical deliverables you produced while raising the standard of excellence and making design a bigger force for the business. I miss the partnership, and I know Matterport will too. Thank you for everything Cailen, what a run. Onward!

I had the privilege of working with Cailen while he was Head of Design at Matterport, leading both brand and product design. That scope is rare. Holding the full expression of a company’s design system across experience and identity requires range, taste, and strong conviction. He brought all three.

Cailen creates real psychological safety on his teams. People feel comfortable sharing early work, exploring unfinished ideas, and bringing forward different perspectives. That kind of environment doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built through consistency, high standards, and respect. Because of that foundation, the work improves.

His focus is a superpower. In moments of complexity or change, he has a sharp instinct for identifying what truly matters. He helps teams attack the right problems and protects their energy from being scattered. That discipline around focus amplifies impact and keeps craft intact.

He cares deeply about thoughtful design and high craft. Whether shaping product experiences or evolving the brand, he pushes for clarity, cohesion, and intention. The details matter because they compound. You can see it in the work.

Cailen is a strong executive partner. He worked closely with the CEO, CMO, CTO, and Head of Product, navigating pivots and shifting priorities with steadiness. He translates vision into direction teams can execute on, and he brings leadership along without creating noise or friction. That trust goes both ways.

What I respect most is his commitment to helping people do their best work. He sets a high bar and pushes teams to rise to it. In a fast moving environment, that isn’t always simple, but his intention to elevate the work and the people doing it was always clear.

I’m grateful to have worked alongside him. Any company would be stronger with Cailen leading design.

I first had the chance to work with Cailen as my art director partner at DNA Seattle, and he was one of the most creative, driven, and thoughtful collaborators I’ve ever worked with. He brought a real love of design to everything he touched—down to the smallest detail—and always looked for fresh, interesting solutions to even the most mundane tasks. Just as important, he truly listened. He welcomed feedback, encouraged discussion, and wasn’t afraid of healthy debate if it made the work better. Even after we stopped working together, we stayed in touch and continued to support each other’s careers.

So when he reached out years later about joining the internal creative team he was building at Matterport, I didn’t hesitate. This time he was my manager, and he led with the same creativity and care he brought as a partner. He was kind, transparent, and genuinely fun to be around. He pushed us to do great work while also making sure we felt supported and valued. He created an environment where it was safe to take risks and try new ideas, and that trust led to some of our best work. Together, we helped evolve the Matterport brand into something that felt modern, bold, and truly reflective of a cutting-edge tech company.

Cailen is especially strong during times of change. At Matterport, he stepped up to lead both the marketing creative and product design teams, thinking about design in a bigger, more connected way. He worked closely with executive leadership to help shape strategy and then brought it to life through smart, thoughtful creative.

I can’t say enough good things about Cailen as a designer, a leader, and a friend. I’d gladly work with him or for him again anytime.

As a leader, Cailen hired and congealed an entire team of experienced and talented creatives from varied backgrounds and locations. Together we transformed Matterport from a generic, dated brand to a tech-forward giant with creative marketing that reflected Matterport's helpful persona, cutting-edge innovations, and tangible solutions for potential clients.

Wether on-set for production, brainstorming, or solving organizational challenges, Cailen led with empathy, support and dedication to our team. He stepped up to fill leadership voids within Matterport and our department was recognized by the CEO as one of the best teams in the org. The strength of our team and the Matterport's brand value were bettered by Cailen's leadership and investment in Matterport.

He's one of the best Creative Directors I've ever worked under, and I'd be excited to collab again!

I’ve heard that the strongest indicator of employee retention is a good manager, and that is certainly the case with Cailen. He cultivated a team that worked like a well-oiled machine and enjoyed each other’s company, with zero turnover for the 4 years in which I reported to him. He was always transparent with our team and we in turn felt safe and comfortable expressing our thoughts and concerns to him without retaliation.

Cailen is also a brilliant designer with an eye for noticing the tiniest details that make all the difference. Though not a designer myself, I learned so much about good Design just listening to his feedback on the team’s work. He always protected our team’s time and sanity. We had fun at work and enjoyed and took pride in the work we did!

If I ever get the opportunity to work with him again in the future, I would take it in a heartbeat!