Hi, I’m Jonah Willcox-Healey, a director of industrial design and systems-level product leader based in Warwick, RI. I specialize in shaping outdoor furniture, hospitality products, and related environments, guiding portfolios from vision to scaled production while blending brand strategy with rigorous design and supplier development. I build ecosystems by applying NPI/DFM processes and crafting design languages that work across B2B and D2C. I’m known for turning complex challenges into workable, durable solutions and, with my teams, delivering meaningful brand experiences. Proud Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree.…

Jonah Willcox-Healey

Hi, I’m Jonah Willcox-Healey, a director of industrial design and systems-level product leader based in Warwick, RI. I specialize in shaping outdoor furniture, hospitality products, and related environments, guiding portfolios from vision to scaled production while blending brand strategy with rigorous design and supplier development. I build ecosystems by applying NPI/DFM processes and crafting design languages that work across B2B and D2C. I’m known for turning complex challenges into workable, durable solutions and, with my teams, delivering meaningful brand experiences. Proud Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree.…

Available to hire

Hi, I’m Jonah Willcox-Healey, a director of industrial design and systems-level product leader based in Warwick, RI. I specialize in shaping outdoor furniture, hospitality products, and related environments, guiding portfolios from vision to scaled production while blending brand strategy with rigorous design and supplier development.

I build ecosystems by applying NPI/DFM processes and crafting design languages that work across B2B and D2C. I’m known for turning complex challenges into workable, durable solutions and, with my teams, delivering meaningful brand experiences. Proud Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree.

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Skills

Experience Level

Language

English
Fluent

Work Experience

Director, Industrial Design & Development at Outer
July 1, 2024 - Present
Leading the Outer and Outer Spaces portfolio (furniture, freestanding decks, pergolas, and accessories). Owns road map, ID direction/engineering, and supplier development while standardizing scalable processes. Developed a 24‑month road map balancing MVP launches, capital risk, and inventory exposure. Introduced an NPI playbook (brief → PRD → stage gates) and supplier DFM workshops, speeding sample cycles. Recruited and coordinated vendor ecosystems across aluminum, teak, engineered materials, machinery, and hardware. Reduced cost via extrusion family consolidation, tolerance stack analysis, and packaging optimization. Created category-appropriate test and warranty thresholds for improved reliability. Partnered with marketing on a cohesive design language across B2B and D2C.
Co-Founder / Principal at Studio Joen
May 1, 2019 - Present
Independent design studio specializing in home goods, hospitality, and residential furniture. Delivered end-to-end programs for brands and developers, from strategy and CMF through sampling and GTM. Negotiated manufacturing across the US and Asia; built lasting supplier relationships.
Adjunct / Assistant Professor, Industrial Design at Rhode Island School of Design
December 31, 2024 - September 9, 2025
Courses include Design Principles I & II, Special Topics Studio, Intro to ID for Grads, Metals I, and SolidWorks. Full-time tenure appointment 2023–2024; developed inclusive, industry-aligned curriculum; mentored students into leading design roles.
Director of Product Design at Burrow
May 31, 2019 - September 9, 2025
Directed design across seating, tables, and accessories; scaled modular sofa family into top-selling SKUs. Balanced customer experience with supply chain efficiency to reinforce an affordable-luxury positioning.
Furniture & Lighting Design Manager at Starbucks
June 30, 2018 - September 9, 2025
Refreshed furniture and lighting design across U.S. stores; created systemized design packaging to improve quality, main­tainability, and procurement efficiency across a large retail network.
Chief Product Officer at Greyrock
August 31, 2016 - September 9, 2025
Oversee product direction, sourcing, and distribution for a venture-backed startup; align supplier development and GTM strategies.
Senior Furniture & Lighting Designer at Avo KO
May 31, 2015 - September 9, 2025
Senior designer contributing to furniture and lighting projects in NYC, collaborating across teams to deliver design outcomes.
Industrial Designer, Grooming at Kohler
July 31, 2014 - September 9, 2025
Industrial design contributions within grooming product lines; collaborated on development and refinement of consumer products.
Junior Designer at Nendo
September 30, 2013 - September 9, 2025
Contributed as a junior designer during Tokyo-based stint, assisting on industrial design projects and prototyping.
Director, Industrial Design & Development at Outer
July 1, 2024 - Present
Leading the Outer portfolio of furniture and outdoor spaces; owns road map, ID direction/engineering, and supplier development while formalizing scalable processes. Development of a 24-month road map balancing MVP launches, capital risk, and inventory exposure. Introduced an NPI playbook (brief → PRD → stage gates) and supplier DFM workshops, accelerating sample cycles. Recruited and coordinated vendor ecosystems across aluminum, teak, engineered materials, mechanisms, and hardware. Reduced cost via extrusion family consolidation, tolerance stack analysis, and packaging optimization. Created category-appropriate test/compliance plans and warranty thresholds; partnered with marketing on a cohesive design language across B2B and D2C.
Co-Founder / Principal at Studio Jonah
May 1, 2019 - Present
Independent design office specializing in home goods, hospitality, and residential furniture. Delivered end-to-end programs for brands and developers from strategy and CMF through sampling and GTM. Negotiated manufacturing across the US and Asia; built lasting supplier relationships.
Adjunct / Assistant Professor, Industrial Design at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)
December 31, 2024 - September 9, 2025
Courses: Design Principles I & II, Special Topics Studio, Intro to ID for Grads, Metals I, SolidWorks. Held a full-time tenure appointment in 2023–2024—a selective position awarded to a limited number of non-tenure track faculty. Developed inclusive, industry-aligned curriculum; mentored students into leading design roles.
Director of Product Design at Burrow
May 31, 2019 - September 9, 2025
Directed design across seating, tables, and accessories; scaled modular sofa into top-selling SKUs. Balanced customer experience with supply chain efficiency to reinforce affordable-luxury positioning.
Furniture & Lighting Design Manager at Starbucks
June 30, 2018 - September 9, 2025
Revitalized furniture and lighting across America’s stores; created systemized design packages. Partnered with external studios/fabricators to improve quality, maintainability, and procurement efficiency.
Chief Product Officer at Greyrock
August 31, 2016 - September 9, 2025
Oversaw product direction, sourcing, and distribution for a venture-backed flat-pack startup.
Senior Furniture & Lighting Designer at AvroKO
May 31, 2015 - September 9, 2025
Contributed to furniture and lighting design for hospitality and related projects.
Industrial Designer, Grooming at Kohler
July 31, 2014 - September 9, 2025
Industrial designer focusing on grooming products.
Junior Designer (Intern) at Nendo
September 30, 2013 - September 9, 2025
Industrial design internship in Tokyo.

Education

BFA (Honors), Industrial Design at Rhode Island School of Design
January 1, 2010 - January 1, 2013
Exchange program in Furniture Design at The Royal Danish Academy
January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012
Foundation Year at MassArt
January 1, 2009 - January 1, 2010
BFA (Honors) in Industrial Design at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)
January 1, 2010 - January 1, 2013
Exchange Program in Furniture Design at The Royal Danish Academy
January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012
Foundation Year at MassArt
January 1, 2009 - January 1, 2010

Qualifications

Forbes 30 Under 30 — Art & Style
January 1, 2016 - September 9, 2025
ICFF Studio Winner
January 1, 2015 - September 9, 2025
Forbes 30 Under 30 – Art & Style
January 1, 2016 - September 9, 2025
ICFF Studio Winner
January 1, 2015 - September 9, 2025

Industry Experience

Manufacturing, Consumer Goods, Retail, Education, Professional Services, Media & Entertainment, Other, Travel & Hospitality, Real Estate & Construction

Skills

Experience Level