Reference Pack: Maya Chen → Daniel Ortiz (Lumen Health)
Assumptions: You haven't asked Daniel yet. The year of the March 14 deadline wasn't stated, so I can't tell how much notice he'll get. If it's under 2 weeks away, see the tip in the checklist. Your inputs don't mention any healthcare experience, so the letter doesn't claim any.
At a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Applicant | Maya Chen |
| Recommender | Daniel Ortiz, Design Director, Brightpath Retail. Your direct manager for about 2.5 years (mid-2021 to end of 2023) |
| Opportunity | Senior Product Designer, Lumen Health (telehealth startup). 2 letters required, uploaded via their portal |
| Deadline | March 14 |
| Key themes | 1) End-to-end ownership of complex flows · 2) Cross-functional leadership with engineering · 3) Accessibility and mentoring |
1. Reference request email
Subject: Recommendation request: Senior Product Designer at Lumen Health
Hi Daniel,
I hope things are going well at Brightpath, and thanks again for the coffee last time. I'm applying for a Senior Product Designer role at Lumen Health, a telehealth startup. The role centers on owning complex flows end to end, leading with engineering partners, accessibility, and mentoring. That lines up closely with the work we did together on mobile checkout and our accessibility audit.
Would you be comfortable writing a strong recommendation for me? If the timing or fit isn't right, no problem at all. I completely understand.
Applications close March 14, and letters are uploaded through Lumen Health's portal [portal link or how the recommender receives the upload request]. To save you time, I've attached a one-page brag sheet and a draft letter. You're welcome to edit it, rewrite it, or ignore it entirely. I'm also happy to jump on a quick call if that's easier.
Thank you so much for considering it. Your support over those 2.5 years meant a lot.
Best, Maya
SHORT VERSION (text or LinkedIn):
Hi Daniel! I'm applying for a Senior Product Designer role at Lumen Health (telehealth). Would you be comfortable writing a strong recommendation for me? Totally fine if not. The deadline is March 14, through their portal. I can send a brag sheet and a draft letter to save you time. Thank you!
2. Brag sheet for your recommender
Maya Chen: Recommendation brag sheet
Opportunity: Senior Product Designer, Lumen Health (telehealth startup) Deadline: March 14, uploaded via Lumen Health's portal [portal link / instructions] Our time working together: You were my direct manager at Brightpath Retail, mid-2021 to end of 2023 (about 2.5 years)
Why I'm applying This role asks for end-to-end ownership, cross-functional leadership, accessibility, and mentoring, which were the core of my work on your team at Brightpath. [Add one sentence on why telehealth or Lumen Health specifically matters to you.]
What you saw me do
- Led the mobile checkout redesign. Conversion rose 18% in the first quarter after launch.
- Started and ran Brightpath's first accessibility audit. It resolved 40+ issues, making the product more usable for more customers.
- Mentored two junior designers. One was promoted within a year.
- Presented design research to the exec team every quarter. This kept leadership connected to user insights.
- Bridged design and engineering. You often said I was the one who got engineering and design to agree.
What Lumen Health values (from the job posting)
- End-to-end ownership of complex flows
- Cross-functional leadership with engineering and clinical teams
- Accessibility and inclusive design
- Mentoring junior designers
- Healthcare experience (a plus)
Suggested points to mention
| Lumen Health values | Example you could cite |
|---|---|
| End-to-end ownership of complex flows | Mobile checkout redesign → 18% conversion lift in the first quarter |
| Cross-functional leadership | Aligning engineering and design; quarterly exec research presentations |
| Accessibility and inclusive design | Started and ran the first accessibility audit → 40+ issues fixed |
| Mentoring | Two junior designers mentored; one promoted within a year |
3. Recommendation letter draft
Draft prepared for Daniel Ortiz to review, edit, and approve. Please change anything that doesn't match your own view.
[Brightpath Retail letterhead, if used] Daniel Ortiz Design Director, Brightpath Retail [Recommender email]
[Date]
Dear Hiring Committee,
I'm writing to recommend Maya Chen for the Senior Product Designer position at Lumen Health. As Design Director at Brightpath Retail, I was Maya's direct manager for about two and a half years, from mid-2021 to the end of 2023. During that time she took on some of our most complex and visible work and consistently delivered results. I recommend her strongly.
Maya led the redesign of our mobile checkout flow, one of the most important experiences in our product. [Optional: one sentence on the problem the redesign addressed.] She led the work [from initial research through launch; please confirm scope]. In the first quarter after launch, conversion increased by 18%. That project showed me she can own a complex flow end to end and connect design decisions to measurable outcomes.
What stood out to me most was how well Maya worked across disciplines. I often told people she was the one who got engineering and design to agree. When the teams had competing priorities, she found the path forward that both sides could commit to. She also presented design research to our executive team each quarter, which kept leadership grounded in what our users needed. I expect these strengths to carry over well to a setting where designers work closely with engineering and clinical partners.
Maya also raised the bar for our team beyond her own projects. She started and ran Brightpath's first accessibility audit. That effort resolved more than 40 accessibility issues [by