I’m Nathan Tickel, Experience Strategist and Designer.

I work with business partners to uncover insights and align organizational goals with user needs, solving complex problems collaboratively and sparking big ideas that truly make a difference.


A screenshot of an updated TSA Cares homepage.

Empowering Travelers Through Inclusive Design


As the UX Lead for a high-impact initiative at TSA, I guided the creation of TSA Cares—a newly developed section of the tsa.gov site designed to support travelers with unique needs.

Flood damaged home being actively repaired.

Redefining Recovery — Insights into FEMA Claims


As CX Lead on a project for the FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), I guided a cross-functional team to deliver a comprehensive research report and customer journey map.

Graphic on understanding touchpoints from the CX Learning website.

Building Institutional Knowledge: CX Learning


Led the creation of the DHS CX Learning Website, crafting lessons, prototypes, and user-focused designs to empower CX and UX professionals across the agency.

men and women with different job skills and backgrounds looking at a city.

Bridging Borders: A Digital Gateway for Migrants


As UX Lead for a flagship digital project for a large and high visibility government agency, I spearheaded the design and development of a migrant tooling and resource portal.

Risk Based Oversight Application Screen

Risk Based Oversight: Creating Efficiency in Auditing


For a risk oversight web application, I led a UX team in defining the scope of deliverables, guiding research, and developing an MVP solution.

Section IA Breakdown

Compliance and Enforcement: Insight to Interface


As UX Lead, I guided the team through every stage—from concept to release and beyond—ensuring the application aligned with both user needs and organizational goals.

MedSense App


This project involved conceptualizing the user needs, functionality, and branding for a cutting-edge smart medical device, MedSense.

Fredericksburg Riverhouse: Beauty on the Water


I designed and developed a website for the Fredericksburg Riverhouse, a picturesque bed and breakfast located near Old Town Fredericksburg, Virginia.

IBM Color Book: What is Color?


The IBM Color Book was designed as an informative resource to explore how humans perceive color and the principles behind its display across digital and print mediums.

A Personal Journal of Design Principles


This personal project explores the foundational tools of design—color, type, texture, and line—through a deeply reflective lens. Original photography and book design.

Cultivating Community: The Fork It Over Festival


Led the Fork It Over Festival, crafting its identity, marketing, and fundraising to celebrate spring and support Downtown Greens’ vital programs.

Smart Banking: ATM-Connected App Design


Revolutionizing ATM use with a smartphone app, my team conducted market research, identified user needs, and created flows, wireframes, and mockups for smarter banking.