DIA Design Guild

I formalized the program structure, introduced scalable processes, and implemented a CSAT measurement system to improve program effectiveness and participant satisfaction.

Key achievements include:
• Scaling the Apprenticeship Program: Formalized a structured 9-month mentorship model, improving project outcomes and skill development for junior designer apprentices.
• Mentorship & Talent Development: Recruited and managed senior designers to provide high-quality guidance for junior designers.
• Improved Project Management & Client Satisfaction: Developed formalized project management processes, leading to clearer expectations and increased satisfaction from client stakeholders.

Design Program Manager

Design Evangelist

Design Mentor & Instructor
Combining both teaching and mentoring, I have over 10,000 hours of experience.

• Served as an instructor at leading institutions, such as General Assembly, GrowthX Academy, Flatiron School, Seattle School of Visual Concepts, Product School, UC Berkeley, and Academy of Art University
• Developed curriculum for top programs, including Springboard, GrowthX Academy, Interaction Design Foundation, IxDF Bootcamps, Flatiron School, Product School, UC Berkeley, and Chegg
• Mentored through various community, bootcamp, and organizational programs

Design Educator

Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design

I overhauled school management operations, replacing outdated systems with a modern, scalable solution that improved class scheduling and operational efficiency. I also optimized design tooling and software resources, reducing costs and improving data accessibility.

Key achievements include:
• Scaling Course Offerings: Implemented a new school management system, enabling the organization to increase concurrent class capacity by 300%.
• Cost Reduction: Standardized design tools and software, eliminating inefficiencies and saving $100K annually.
• Data & Process Improvement: Applied information architecture principles to improve data accessibility and reduce data duplication by 90%.

Design Operations Manager

The Hired Guns

Worked in a fast-paced agency environment, specializing in design recruiting while also improving knowledge management for the team.

Key achievements include:
• Candidate Evaluation: Reviewed and evaluated 100+ UX designer candidate profiles and portfolios, assessing qualifications and fit for various design roles.
• Process & Knowledge Management: Built a Notion-based knowledge management system to document onboarding, create consistency in projects, and streamline the recruiting process. This significantly reduced the time required to train and onboard new employees.

Design Talent Partner

LinkedIn

I redesigned and standardized LinkedIn’s UX Design onboarding program, ensuring new UX designers could seamlessly transition into any product team and become productive faster.

Key achievements include:
• Onboarding Standardization: Designed and implemented a new UX designer onboarding program to improve ramp-up time and team integration.

IxDF - Interaction Design Foundation

• Led daily operations and strategic initiatives, implementing best practices to optimize the UX Design Bootcamp program 
• Increased member insights by 5% by instigating a regular research program
• Improved project planning and scheduling for UX Design boot camps, strategized new educational initiatives and created original UX course content

Flatiron School

I led Flatiron School’s San Francisco UX program, managing faculty and ensuring the successful graduation and job placement of cohorts of 20 design students. I introduced a cross-disciplinary collaboration program between UX and software engineering students, giving them hands-on experience working together.

Key achievements include:
• Student Success & Placement: Led Flatiron’s San Francisco UX program, ensuring strong job placement outcomes.
• Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Built a structured program for UX designers and software engineers to collaborate on projects.
• Curriculum Improvements: Implemented course changes that led to a 20% increase in exercise scores.

Design Program Director

GrowthX Academy

I built and scaled GrowthX Academy’s UX design program from the ground up, designing an industry-aligned curriculum that prepared students for real-world careers. The program achieved a 90% job placement rate, and I oversaw the development of 40+ functional prototypes for web, mobile, and IoT clients through hands-on, project-based learning.

Key achievements include:
• Program Creation & Growth: Designed and launched an industry-aligned UX design program, achieving a 90% student placement rate.
• Client Project Experience: Guided student teams in developing 40+ functional prototypes for real clients, reinforcing practical UX skills through hands-on client collaboration.

Epsilon

I led a cross-functional team of 8, including UX designers, UI designers, and content strategists, delivering solutions for 10+ B2B and B2C clients annually, including Wells Fargo, American Express, Apple, Google, Cisco, and Genentech.

Key achievements include:
• Enterprise UX Leadership: Managed UX strategy and execution for Fortune 500 clients across finance, tech, and healthcare.
• Design Systems & Efficiency: Created scalable design systems, style guides, and component libraries to improve consistency across projects.
• UX Training & Advocacy: Led client workshops to strengthen teams' understanding of customer experience best practices.

Design Manager, Digital Design

TripIt

Drove mobile and web design for a top travel app. Implemented data-driven design practices and led design reviews to ensure high-quality releases.

Lead Product Designer

I'm a design program manager with a background in UX, interaction design, and education. I bring structure to design teams and help programs run smoothly.

I've worked across both industry and education, and I’m especially drawn to roles that support design teams building thoughtful, education-focused experiences. I thrive in environments where I can contribute behind the scenes—helping teams stay aligned, focused, and connected to the needs of users and businesses.

Over my career, I've built and led design operations initiatives, UX education programs, and onboarding optimization at organizations ranging from startups to global tech companies. I’ve formalized design processes, standardized tools, and improved cross-team alignment, helping companies scale efficiently while maintaining a strong design culture.

I’m passionate about solving organizational challenges that impact design teams, whether it’s streamlining workflows, improving collaboration between teams, or developing scalable solutions for talent growth.

Always open to connecting with others (include a note) working at the intersection of design, education, and impact-driven work.

Julia DeBari

Mutual of America Financial Group

CX Sr Design Strategist

IVYUSE 

As an independent consultant I focus on problems, solutions and systems to change how things are done and improve customer and user experience/engagement.

Sr Consultant

imoderni

Developed a 360 degree platform that includes an online FF&W marketplace utilizing technology to serve the product discovery, specification and logistical needs of design teams, project owners and their purchasing agents working on complex contract and large residential projects.

Co-Founder - Digital Transformation, User Engagement and Behavioral Change

Minova Consulting 

Consultant and Interim support on a range of international projects to include new business start ups, strategic planning and organizational development, change and transformation programs, and customer experience.

Sr Consultant/Analyst

Connect2give Inc.

Mandated to develop and lead a transformation project at this SaaS mobile technology boutique specializing in mobile donations/payments and community engagement software. Simplified user experience and processes, and software processing abilities. Turnaround management and exit strategy, merged Connect2give with another organization.

CEO; previously Organization and Management Analyst

Huyer Rynberk and Associates

Variety of international projects and interim management contracts focused on performance improvement, organizational effectiveness and user engagement. People development and change, organizational culture work stream ownership are some of the roles involved in this position.

Business Consultant, Director

Legal & General

Rebrand, and repositioned a business unit delivering general insurance products to UK market via multi channel sales force and a call center for business servicing. Identified new key roles and lead the multifunctional team through the process, raising the unit's contribution to divisional revenues in double digit percentages after 2 years.

Business Development Manager

General Mills - The Olive Garden

Director, Marketing.  Responsible for all marketing, communication, PR and sales for this multi unit foodservice organisation

Director, Marketing

An international executive committed to delivering business results through change and transition programs. I help CEOs, Board Members and Sr Leaders of dynamic businesses with challenging problems.  I help them identify the core problem, then build solutions, and help them change and transform to do things differently.

I do this using data, analysis and a design thinking approach to adjust thinking, behaviour, and the ability to operate in different ways.

As an international consultant I've been involved in a variety of engagements, most recently within industry digitization, SaaS, and mobile services space.  

I actively explore topics, what's in the topic and the impact of that on what we do.  

In particular I'm interested in  
- understanding people, how we think and how this drives behavior - Mental Models 
- how we engage and apply the information we encounter each day - Anchoring and Transferring        Learning 
- customer centric processes and design for service - Design for People, CX, UX, Service and Experience Design
-building and conducting research for insights to drive strategy and how to translate this to to support customer facing staff with understanding and actionable programs to deliver to the strategy (internal and service organization alignment)
- how we use this understanding to address strategy, processes, products, marketing and communications 

Send an email to drnikki@ivyuse.com or call me on skype: nhuyer  

Interests:  Strategy, Change, Transformation, CX/UX, Service Design, Research and Data Analysis, Design Thinking, Human Centered Design, Doing things differently

taplio

The Battle

Julia DeBari

Nicholy (Nikki) Huyer, PhD, MSc

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