Scott Stropkay

Designer/Partner

As a partner at Essential, Scott designs and manages projects for clients. Prior to founding Essential, Scott established and led a multi-disciplined design team at IDEO. Scott was also a Director of Design at Gillette, and began his career at Fitch where he built a product design team in their Boston office. Scott is the author of a wide range of utility and design patents and is the recipient of many design awards. Scott earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Cleveland Institute of Art.

"Design is a big idea; it's more than the products or communications in our world, which we design directly. Design is about taking charge, planning, envisioning, and affecting the outcome to make things better."

"Designing at Essential is great because we've attracted the most creative, dedicated, and inspired people who get what it means to innovate for clients, balancing intuition with research, creativity with practicality, innovation with the need for familiarity, and playfulness with drive. Our clients get that we get it. They know we'll add value where it matters."

Richard Watson

Designer/Partner

As a partner at Essential, Richard designs for clients and manages projects. Prior to founding Essential, Richard was Vice President of Design with Fitch Boston where he led the product development team. Before Fitch, Richard worked for GE Plastics Advanced Design and Development Group as part of an international design team that envisioned products to express the company's strategic marketing initiatives. Richard's design contributions have led to numerous international awards for design excellence and business success. He holds a BA in Silversmithing and Jewelry from DE Montford University and a MA in Industrial Design from Manchester Polytechnic in England.

"As designers we think about things differently, understanding what's important to the end user, to the business, to the market. Because of this, we recognize opportunities for innovation that others may not see."

"I draw my energy for design from the many industries we work with and our challenge is to create product solutions for the broadest cross section of users. Because of our unique position, we observe a variety of businesses, industries, technologies and users, allowing us to consider old problems in a completely new light. Thinking beyond design is what great design is all about."

John Devlin

Mechanical Engineer

John engineers solutions for clients while also leading Essential's engineering team. John joined Essential after eleven years at Fitch Boston where he served as Vice President of Product Development and manager of the engineering staff. Before joining Fitch, John worked as the lead mechanical engineer at Analog and Digital Systems Inc. John holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, and is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

"Design aesthetics should never come at a functional cost. You may buy a product the first time for its captivating design, but you'll be less likely to buy that brand again if you are disappointed by its performance. Great design nails both. Innovation isn't just about coming up with something new; it demands change in both design and process, because the best solutions are seldom found on the path of least resistance."

Mark Matthews

Designer

Mark leads Essential's solid modeling effort, creating a wide variety of digital deliverables for clients. Prior to joining Essential, Mark was a senior industrial designer at Fitch's Boston office, collaborating with Essential co-founder Richard Watson on Polaroid, Compaq, Iomega, Smith & Nephew, Harmon Kardon and GE Plastics. Mark earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Industrial Design from the Massachusetts College of Art.

"Great design is the melding of personality and function. The best design is both approachable and usable at the same time. The best thing about being a design consultant is the diversity of disciplines I get to experience and learn from; it's like being allowed to play in the Smithsonian for my job. Designing, finding metaphors, and working between disciplines is a rush."

Jim Pelletier

Mechanical Engineer

Jim creates engineering solutions for clients and manages programs at Essential. Prior to Essential, Jim worked at Fitch's Boston office as program manager/lead engineer on a wide variety of projects, including work for Lipid Sciences, Ethicon, Smith & Nephew, Zymequest, Virtual Ink and Look. Jim holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Northeastern University and a Master of Engineering degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, both in mechanical engineering. He is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

"By intelligently integrating design and engineering disciplines in the early stages even while the product is being defined, we eliminate the potential for product compromises that may otherwise show up late in the process. After years of working for a larger firm, I see a noticeable difference in the agility and flexibility of the Essential team. This is also a fun bunch of people to work with, which has an impact on how well the team gels on project tasks and improves the efficiency of the development process."

Gabor Zanoni

Designer

Gabor is a product designer at Essential. Gabor began his industrial design career at Mueller/Romca in Kiel, Germany, working on interiors for the Airbus A340 and A380 and designing retail information terminals for Nike. At Catapult Thinking in Boston, he designed products for Shure, Fishman and Staples as part of an integrated, multi-disciplinary design team. Gabor graduated with a Bachelor of Industrial Design from the Muthesius Academy of Design in Germany.

"Everyone owns hundreds of products. But how many do you really care about? How many make you say, "This just works and it looks beautiful?' Designing these special products is the fuel that keeps my 950 HP V10 revving at 19000 RPM."

Rebecca Taylor

Designer

Rebecca is a product designer and color specialist at Essential. She has designed exhibit galleries for the Longyear Museum and the National Museum of Australia; retail and display spaces for Guitar Center and Polaroid; and retail fixtures for J. D'Addario. She has also designed products for Fishman Transducers and Pyrex; and developed color and trend forecasts for Polaroid and Dell. Rebecca has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Industrial Design from the Rhode Island School of Design. She is a member of Color Marketing Group.

"A great design is one that wins the heart and mind of the end user by addressing practical needs while inspiring desire and excitement. It's critical that, as designers, we stay aware of every aspect of life and keep a finger on the pulse of what's happening in the world around us."

Tammy Newman

Business Manager

Tammy manages the office at Essential. She brings 18 years of experience in office administration and project coordination to Essential. Previously, Tammy was a project manager at Fitch where she worked with clients including Liberty Mutual, CVS Pharmacy and Allied Domecq QSR. Tammy graduated from Poole College in England with a degree in Business Administration.

"Essential is special because of the wonderful mix of people we have. We have a strong, dynamic team built on respect for one another which is extremely important to the success of a client's project as well as to the success of our business."

David Swett

Mechanical Engineer

As a senior mechanical engineer, David engineers solutions for clients and manages programs. David joined Essential having been a member of the mechanical engineering teams at both Design Continuum and Altitude where he worked on a wide array of projects spanning the medical device and laboratory instrumentation, household appliances, industrial machinery, portable electronics, residential hardware, and automotive industries. He has been involved at all phases of the product development process, from first concepts on a sketchpad to first shots from tooling. David graduated from Northeastern University with a Bachelors Degree in Mechanical Engineering.

"To me, the most important part of what I do is earning and keeping the trust of our clients. To hire an outside firm to grow your brand, change your product line, or even just explore potential directions that your business could take is not an easy step to make, and I value the trust that our clients place in us to maintain and grow their business. It goes without saying that doing good work is satisfying, but I think it's important to recognize that working with good people is also rewarding."

Danielle Perretty

Director of Marketing

Danielle manages the Marketing efforts at Essential. She strategically positions Essential's messaging and value into the target market through various marketing communication channels.

Prior to joining Essential, Danielle's career spans sales, marketing communications and marketing strategy. At iProspect, a search engine marketing firm, Danielle managed client's paid media campaigns (pay-per-click advertising) and became certified in Google AdWords. At Sappi Fine Paper NA, one of the largest paper manufacturers in the world, Danielle managed several projects that supported Sappi's global initiatives, market brand strategy and high-value customer segment. Danielle is a native of New York and graduated from Green Mountain College. Post graduation, Danielle moved to Tokyo, Japan where she worked and traveled throughout Asia. Boston has remained her home since returning to the U.S. in 1999.

"Good design is when the left brain and the right brain fall in love. The aesthetic drives the first emotion; it grabs my attention and pulls me in. But function, which is the reason for being in the first place, completes the circle by transforming a beautiful design into a smart design."

Meghan Crowley

Admin Assistant

Meghan Crowley is an integral part of Essential's administrative team. Having graduated at Wentworth with a degree in Industrial Design, Meghan has a strong understanding of product design and uses that knowledge while assisting in the running of the office at Essential.

"I find Essential exciting because it allows me to interact with designers and be in a creative, fun environment. I strive to work with individuals who are passionate about their work and inspire enthusiasm in others."

Nick Partridge

Designer

Nick is a product designer at Essential. Before joining Essential, Nick interned at Astro, Whipsaw, New Balance, Rubbermaid and Hasbro. He received his Bachelor's of Science at the University of Cincinnati.

"The key to designing for business is to earnestly embrace the role as the steward of the client's objectives, while considering all the stakeholders and maximizing the design possibilities. Striking that balance is imperative. Working at Essential allows me the opportunity to partake in the synergy created with our close knit group of researchers, designers, and engineers while working on research-driven, innovative products for diverse clients in a myriad of industries."

Bill Hartman

Design Researcher

Bill is a user-centered design specialist who leads Essential's research team. He has led multi-disciplinary programs in the product development and user interface domains and has a particular interest in participatory research methods that yield compelling, differentiated solutions.

Prior to joining Essential, Bill worked as an independent consultant to clients in a number of industries. His past roles also include Vice President of Product Development at Fitch Worldwide, and Director in the User Experience group at Scient Corporation, a web services consultancy now part of aQuantive. He is a graduate of Davidson College (A.B.) and the Institute of Design/Illinois Institute of Technology (M.Des.).

"As a society making progressively more purchases online, we often buy things for their outward beauty. But a product or system's 'inner beauty' is its ability to create unexpected satisfaction above and beyond pre-conceived requirements, instilling a sense of long-term value. As consultants, we feel obligated and inspired to deliver on both of these challenges."

Jason Cooper

Designer

Jason is a product designer at Essential. Before joining Essential, Jason interned at Design Central in Columbus and SmartShape Design in Cleveland. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Industrial Design from the Cleveland Institute of Art.

"With design, first there is the desire to see an idea come to be, followed by the reward of seeing someone enjoy using the product you worked so hard on. At Essential we work closely with our clients to deliver quality designs that meet their needs. To me, client loyalty is what Essential's foundation is based upon. I love being part of this growing company and working with incredibly experienced individuals who have diverse backgrounds and skills. Each project has its own goals and challenges, so I'm always learning and experiencing something new."

David Siedzik

Design Researcher

As a design researcher, David uses observation, interviewing, and participatory design techniques to develop user-centered strategies for creating and evaluating products and services. David joined Essential after working at Microsoft in Seattle, where as a Program Manager he used interaction design methods to craft improvements to various products in the Office suite before leading multi-disciplinary development teams through the process of building them. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from Yale University.

"As a designer, I am constantly amazed by how much one can discover by simply stepping back and watching people use a product, hold it in their hand, and interact with their natural environment. Recognizing actionable patterns from these exercises is both challenging and rewarding, and the results are consistently a powerful catalyst to the creative process. Working with our clients and the Essential team to turn these insights into tangible, effective solutions is the most exciting and illuminating part of my job."

Jan Schminke

Designer

Jan is a designer at Essential. Utilizing his cross cultural skills and experience gained from working in the USA and Europe Jan brings a different perspective and approach to our design group.  Jan previously worked at ziba europe in Munich, Germany and at IDEO in Boston and Munich. He has worked in a wide variety of industries that include FMCG, consumer electronics and medical equipment. Jan earned a Bachelor of Industrial Design from the Muthesius University of Fine Arts in Kiel, Germany.

"Design is about discovering and developing stories. Behind every great design is a story that connects to the consumers' hearts and expectations."

Kurt Maw

Senior Mechanical Engineer

Kurt is a senior member of our engineering team at Essential. He brings to Essential demonstrated project management skills and a diverse engineering portfolio in the medical, consumer goods, personal electronics and electro-mechanical assembly fields. Kurt leverages this experience as he leads project teams and client relationships.

Prior to Essential, Kurt worked for various design consultancies where some of his clients included Philips Medical Systems, iRobot, Intermatic, NeuroMetrix, SimpliSafe and DigitWireless. His experience also includes designing laboratory and centrifugation equipment for a division of ThermoElectron and designing and testing internal shoulder prosthetics in the VA hospital system. Kurt graduated from Boston University with a BS in Biomedical Engineering and a concentration in Biomechanics. He is a member of both American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the Society of Plastics Engineers.

"The most important thing that I can do when managing a project is to ensure that the client is part of the design process. When we effectively collaborate with a client and engage them in the process, communicating opportunities, risks, and trade-offs, we are working in their best interest, and that approach provides the best chance for a project to be successful both internally and in the marketplace. As an engineer, I find that there are few things as rewarding as creating a product from scratch and seeing it succeed!"

Mira Lynn

Design Researcher

Mira is a recent graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, where she studied Environment & Experience Design. Her experience in service design and human factors has integrated many ethnographic and user-centered design and research techniques.

Mira is excited about joining Essential and she appreciates everything about the work and the people that set it apart from the others. She feels that the special blend of personalities and specialties, and the seamless way they all come together, are exactly what makes Essential so unique.

"The most fascinating thing to me so far about the consulting industry is the art of communication. Both internally and externally, discovering and leveraging it in a precise way is necessary to ensure mutually successful outcomes."

Mark Breneman

Mechanical Engineer

As an engineer at Essential, Mark applies proven engineering techniques and creative problem solving skills to build solutions for clients. Prior to Essential, Mark interned for Item New Product Development and General Electric Aircraft Engines. He is a recent graduate from Northeastern University, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. Just prior to graduating, Mark led his team to a first-place finish in the annual Capstone Design Course competition for their thermally-controlled syringe pump. Mark is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

"For me, the products that are the most memorable are the ones in which design and engineering have both been creatively inspired and driven. Design can be pushed beyond the conventional limits, while engineering must work with the design, to make it a reality and to instill value and quality in the product. Working at Essential, I am continuously involved in this challenging and creative process."

Katie Pinciaro

Administrative Coordinator

Katie is the Administrative Coordinator at Essential and brings with her 13 years of administration experience. Previously, she has worked at New York Life Insurance, University of Phoenix and the Joslin Diabetes Center. This fall, Katie will be receiving her Bachelors Degree in Business Management.

“Essential is a motivating and exciting work environment. Being surrounded by so much creativity and passion is both enlivening and inspiring.”