Hey there, I’m Chris Hetem 👋
I’m a product designer and digital creator with 10+ years designing and building digital experiences.
With a broad set of skills, I bring a varied and unique blend of experience to my work leaning on lessons learned from product design, product development, user research, and entrepreneurship.
I take a holistic approach to my work by zooming in on the details and zooming out to ensure it all fits together.
Driven by my curiosity and desire to make a positive impact on the world, I love solving new and challenging problems that make a real difference. I believe you can never ask too many questions, no ideas are silly, and that play is an important part of work.
"Working with Chris has been fabulous and he's a real pro at making the impossible possible!"
– Diane, My Nectar Health
Interests
Outside of work, I enjoy spending time outdoors, reading & writing, cooking, hiking, camping, traveling, learning new things, and experimenting with new ideas and various side projects.
Surfing is my main passion and has brought me to some pretty amazing places such as Costa Rica, Panama, America, Australia, and New Zealand where I now live.
Now
I’m currently designing a business advisory platform at The Gap as part of a cross-functional product team helping to discover, design, and deliver reimagined solutions to help small businesses worldwide.
Open to opportunities
Yes, I’m open to opportunities in-person or remotely and have full working rights for the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.
Current location
New Zealand
Pronouns
He/Him
Core Strengths
Adaptable
Resourceful
Curious
Active Listener
Self-starting
Collaborative
Strategic
Analytical
Systematic
Empathetic
Education
B.S. Computer Science / Digital Arts
Experience
WaveRider Design Agency, 2013-2015
Finger-Ink (SaaS startup), 2015-2020
Freelance/Business Owner, 2020-2023
The Gap, 2023-Present
Further Learning / Volunteering
Tauranga Startup Weekend (participant/team lead), 2017
Tauranga Startup Weekend (crew/mentor), 2018
ADPList (mentoring), 2022-present
Uxcel (continued learning), 2023-present
Interests
Surfing, yoga, reading, writing, hiking, cooking, camping, disc golf, travel
Tech Stack
Contact