About
About
15+ Years of Design & UX leadership, elevating teams and transforming experiences
15+ Years of Design & UX leadership, elevating teams and transforming experiences
Value I bring to organizations
Value I bring to organizations
👊 Global Team Leadership
I’ve established and led global UX/UI practices, coaching multi-disciplinary teams in the US, France, and Mexico while working with global organizations.
🧐 From Complex to Compelling
I lead UX and Strategy teams to simplify complexity, unify fragmented experiences, drive customer engagement, and create bold solutions that drive business outcomes while leaving competitors in the dust.
🎯 Journey-Led Strategist
I transform deep insights into customer journeys that align teams, connect with users, and fuel long-term product success.
📚 Fearlessly Innovative
I inspire teams to harness emerging tech, take calculated risks, and push the boundaries of UX to create bold and memorable experiences.
🔭 Versatile UX Orchestrator
I strategically build processes and bring the right people together to transform insights into remarkable, user-informed experiences.
⚡️ Dynamic Facilitator
I excel in facilitating workshops that foster communication, alignment, and collaboration across diverse teams.
🔍 Accessibility Advocate
Committed to designing inclusive experiences, I ensure accessibility is a core component of every project.
👊 Global Team Leadership
I’ve established and led global UX/UI practices, coaching multi-disciplinary teams in the US, France, and Mexico while working with global organizations.
🧐 From Complex to Compelling
I lead UX and Strategy teams to simplify complexity, unify fragmented experiences, drive customer engagement, and create bold solutions that drive business outcomes while leaving competitors in the dust.
🎯 Journey-Led Strategist
I transform deep insights into customer journeys that align teams, connect with users, and fuel long-term product success.
📚 Fearlessly Innovative
I inspire teams to harness emerging tech, take calculated risks, and push the boundaries of UX to create bold and memorable experiences.
🔭 Versatile UX Orchestrator
I strategically build processes and bring the right people together to transform insights into remarkable, user-informed experiences.
⚡️ Dynamic Facilitator
I excel in facilitating workshops that foster communication, alignment, and collaboration across diverse teams.
🔍 Accessibility Advocate
Committed to designing inclusive experiences, I ensure accessibility is a core component of every project.
👊 Global Team Leadership
I’ve established and led global UX/UI practices, coaching multi-disciplinary teams in the US, France, and Mexico while working with global organizations.
🧐 From Complex to Compelling
I lead UX and Strategy teams to simplify complexity, unify fragmented experiences, drive customer engagement, and create bold solutions that drive business outcomes while leaving competitors in the dust.
🎯 Journey-Led Strategist
I transform deep insights into customer journeys that align teams, connect with users, and fuel long-term product success.
📚 Fearlessly Innovative
I inspire teams to harness emerging tech, take calculated risks, and push the boundaries of UX to create bold and memorable experiences.
🔭 Versatile UX Orchestrator
I strategically build processes and bring the right people together to transform insights into remarkable, user-informed experiences.
⚡️ Dynamic Facilitator
I excel in facilitating workshops that foster communication, alignment, and collaboration across diverse teams.
🔍 Accessibility Advocate
Committed to designing inclusive experiences, I ensure accessibility is a core component of every project.
Work Experience
Work Experience
Product Design Director [Consultant], Remote
Product Design Director [Consultant], Remote
AHEAD | May 2024 - Current
AHEAD | May 2024 - Current
I lead the Product Design team as a player/coach across two critical AI-infused SaaS products; partnering daily with Engineering to plan and build scalable solutions, create new design systems, and apply Generative AI techniques to accelerate research, design, and delivery.
I lead the Product Design team as a player/coach across two critical AI-infused SaaS products; partnering daily with Engineering to plan and build scalable solutions, create new design systems, and apply Generative AI techniques to accelerate research, design, and delivery.
UX & Strategy Partner [Consultant], Remote
UX & Strategy Partner [Consultant], Remote
ART X MACHINA | March 2025 - Current
ART X MACHINA | March 2025 - Current
I partner with the AXM team to lead client workshops, developing AI strategies that help businesses streamline workflows and unlock new capabilities using Generative AI tools and new processes. I also collaborate with clients to embed the AXM BrandKey into daily processes, ensuring consistent brand alignment across teams.
I partner with the AXM team to lead client workshops, developing AI strategies that help businesses streamline workflows and unlock new capabilities using Generative AI tools and new processes. I also collaborate with clients to embed the AXM BrandKey into daily processes, ensuring consistent brand alignment across teams.
Strategy & UX Director [Consultant], Remote
Strategy & UX Director [Consultant], Remote
Avenue Z | Apr 2024 - Oct 2024
I led process improvements in Strategy and Creative/UX, enhancing go-to-market capabilities through strategic analysis and process mapping. I optimized workflows and developed new strategy templates to boost collaboration and accelerate deliverables.
Spearheading product design of a new client-facing SaaS product, designing a FinOps IT dashboard and digital tools for clients to model short and long-term IT budget needs, resulting in improved user engagement and additional revenue.
VP, Global Head of User Experience
VP, Global Head of User Experience
iCrossing | Jun 2021 - Apr 2024
Mentored and directed global UX and Content Strategy teams of up to 25, crafting 10 mobile apps and 50+ websites for Fortune 1000 brands, resulting in over $5B in digital revenue for clients while maintaining a 95% employee retention rate for the past 3 years.
Key Clients: Bridgestone, American Diabetes Association, American Red Cross, Boeing, CeraVe, Firestone, Hilton, Humana, IHOP, LaRoche-Posay, L’Oréal Paris, SkinCeuticals, T-Mobile, and Toyota
Spearheading product design of a new client-facing SaaS product, designing a FinOps IT dashboard and digital tools for clients to model short and long-term IT budget needs, resulting in improved user engagement and additional revenue.
Executive Creative Director, User Experience, Chicago
Executive Creative Director, User Experience, Chicago
iCrossing | Jan 2017 - May 2021
Established and directed the agency’s UX and Design Strategy practice, guiding cross-functional teams of up to 18 across 8 offices, averaging 20% practice revenue growth YOY through innovative research methods and design strategies.
Key Clients: Bridgestone, Firestone, Toyota, T-Mobile, Quaker Oats, Republic Services, LG, Wella, ISACA, Bayer, and City National Bank
Established and directed the agency’s UX and Design Strategy practice, guiding cross-functional teams of up to 18 across 8 offices, averaging 20% practice revenue growth YOY through innovative research methods and design strategies.
Key Clients: Bridgestone, Firestone, Toyota, T-Mobile, Quaker Oats, Republic Services, LG, Wella, ISACA, Bayer, and City National Bank
Group Creative Director, Chicago
Group Creative Director, Chicago
iCrossing | Aug 2007 - Dec 2017
Chicago Creative Lead, directing and mentoring an 18-person team of UX/UI Designers and Writers across 30+ B2C & B2B digital marketing accounts concurrently, with a 93% employee retention.
Key Clients: Beam-Suntory, Dremel, PepsiCo, AT&T, Naked Juice, Sargento, Stride Rite, Ally Bank, Voya, Roto-Rooter, and Pep-Boys
Chicago Creative Lead, directing and mentoring an 18-person team of UX/UI Designers and Writers across 30+ B2C & B2B digital marketing accounts concurrently, with a 93% employee retention.
Key Clients: Beam-Suntory, Dremel, PepsiCo, AT&T, Naked Juice, Sargento, Stride Rite, Ally Bank, Voya, Roto-Rooter, and Pep-Boys
Want to learn more?
Want to learn more?
Product Design Lead Consultant
IT Transformation Company (Under NDA) | May 2024 - Current
Spearheading product design of a new client-facing SaaS product, designing a FinOps IT dashboard and digital tools for clients to model short and long-term IT budget needs, resulting in improved user engagement and additional revenue.
Strategy & UX Consultant
I led process improvements in Strategy and Creative/UX, enhancing go-to-market capabilities through strategic analysis and process mapping. I optimized workflows and developed new strategy templates to boost collaboration and accelerate deliverables.
VP, Global Head of User Experience
Mentored and directed global UX and Content Strategy teams of up to 25, crafting 10 mobile apps and 50+ websites for Fortune 1000 brands, resulting in over $5B in digital revenue for clients while maintaining a 95% employee retention rate for the past 3 years.
Key Clients: Bridgestone, American Diabetes Association, American Red Cross, Boeing, CeraVe, Firestone, Hilton, Humana, IHOP, LaRoche-Posay, L’Oréal Paris, SkinCeuticals, T-Mobile, and Toyota
Executive Creative Director, User Experience
Established and directed the agency’s UX and Design Strategy practice, guiding cross-functional teams of up to 18 across 8 offices, averaging 20% practice revenue growth YOY through innovative research methods and design strategies.
Key Clients: Bridgestone, Firestone, Toyota, T-Mobile, Quaker Oats, Republic Services, LG, Wella, ISACA, Bayer, and City National Bank
© Copyright 2025, All Rights Reserved by Steven Shay
© Copyright 2025, All Rights Reserved by Steven Shay
© Copyright 2025, All Rights Reserved by Steven Shay
© Copyright 2025, All Rights Reserved by Steven Shay