Greenpath: Accessibility-First Website Redesign
GreenPath, a financial wellness nonprofit, needed to redesign their website to support an upcoming program launch, reduce accessibility compliance risk, and improve how their team managed partner content.
I led the project from the initial pitch through launch, helping shape the strategy, guide the team, and ensure accessibility was built into the process from the beginning. The project included over 100 pages and more than 125 partner pages, which required careful planning and a scalable approach.
I worked closely with GreenPath’s VP of Marketing and Marketing Director, along with our internal team, to deliver a high-visibility redesign within a nine-month timeline.
Project Role
Creative Direction
Strategy
Accessibility Leadership
The Challenge
GreenPath had three main goals for the redesign:
Reduce accessibility compliance risk
Support the launch of a new program
Improve internal management of partner pages
Their existing site had grown over time and become difficult to manage. Navigation was complex, accessibility issues existed across the site, and partner pages were time-consuming to create and maintain.
On top of that, the project had a firm deadline tied to the new program launch. We needed to improve the experience while also building something that would scale long-term.
My Approach
I joined the project during the sales process and helped shape the overall strategy. My goal was to set a strong foundation early so the team could move efficiently and avoid surprises later in the project.
Strategy & Planning
During discovery, I worked with the sales team to define:
Accessibility requirements
Project scope and timeline
Site architecture approach
Execution plan
After we won the project, I led the kickoff to align both teams and establish expectations.
Cross-Team Collaboration
I worked closely with both internal and client teams throughout the project.
Led kickoff meetings
Helped define milestones
Worked with developers on site architecture
Coordinated timelines across teams
Helped resolve scope discussions with stakeholders
One challenge we encountered was additional scope requests during the project. I helped guide those conversations and worked with the client to prioritize changes without putting the launch timeline at risk.
Accessibility-First from the Start
Accessibility was a core requirement for this project, not something added at the end. I worked with the team to build accessibility into the entire process.
This included:
Setting WCAG 2.1 AA as the baseline
Creating accessibility testing checklists
Training designers and developers
Including accessibility in design reviews
Adding accessibility checks during development
Before launch, I conducted both automated and manual testing, including:
WAVE & Google Lighthouse
Screen reader testing
Keyboard navigation testing
This helped ensure accessibility was part of the experience, not just a requirement we checked off at the end.
Key Design Decisions
Simplifying Navigation
Using analytics data, I reorganized the navigation to make high-traffic pages easier to find, particularly for returning users.
Improving Partner Page Management
We redesigned how partner pages were structured so the GreenPath team could create and update them more efficiently.
Accessible Brand Implementation
GreenPath had recently updated their brand, but some color combinations created accessibility challenges. I worked with the design team to adjust styles while maintaining brand integrity.
Results
WCAG 2.1 AA compliant launch
Lighthouse accessibility score above 90%
Improved navigation for returning users
Easier partner page creation and management
Successful launch aligned with new program rollout
Positive feedback from executive stakeholders
Follow-on work awarded after launch
One stakeholder, who previously worked as a developer, shared that the accessibility and development work was the best they had seen from an outside partner.
Why This Project Matters
This project reflects how I approach design leadership by focusing on strategy, collaboration, and building accessibility into the process from the start.
It also reinforced something I’ve seen across many projects. When accessibility is part of the foundation, it improves usability, scalability, and overall product quality for everyone.