Michael Merk

Michael Merk

Chief Communications Officer

designvox

East Grand Rapids, MI

CE #098

Designvox is a human-centered design firm. Since 1994, we’ve helped clients solve complex problems by first understanding who we design for and what they need. We believe there are things you can only learn by listening to, caring about, and gaining empathy with people. When you start with people, you can create experiences that could change their lives. As a member of the leadership team and communication expert, my role is to position the firm toward strategic stakeholders to win business through global corporate communications expertise and tools. In this role I combine my communication expertise with design-thinking methods to establish communication tools aligned with a human-centered design process with customers in various industries (corporate, universities and not-for-profit). I consider the certification and touchpoints with Jim Gilmore as highlights in my career. It provided me a personal toolbox and thinking framework to make a difference in various situations from naming to experience staging as a communications executive with peers, clients, team members, or C-suite.