Acorn S.

About

Currently refining my portfolio and open to early conversations about senior/staff product design roles in science tech, AI/ML, and other systems-driven platform companies. I bring clarity to complex systems. I specialize in translating technical depth into intuitive, scalable experiences that help domain experts do their work more effectively. I’ve designed platforms in computational biology, big data, and civic marketplaces—building from the ground up in early-stage contexts as well as scaling existing experiences in enterprise environments. Designing for Technical Depth: I create holistic workflows and clear interaction patterns that support specialists and let users focus on their expertise, not the interface. Building Scalable Systems: I build design systems and information architectures that evolve with complex products while keeping things coherent and usable. Driving Alignment and Collaboration: I bridge product, data, engineering, and executive stakeholders to create effective experiences that are both technically grounded and strategically aligned. I’m looking to join a mission-driven team working in AI/ML, med-tech, or scientific software where strategic clarity, deep UX thinking, and cross-functional partnership are considered essential to success.

Experience

• Senior Product Designer2024-07-01 –

  Mantle Bio: Designed the core user experience for a first-of-its-kind computational biology platform, translating complex scientific workflows into intuitive interfaces, aligning engineering on user needs, and delivering scalable UI components through rapid iteration and user testing. Stealth Circular Economy Marketplace: Designed the information architecture and service blueprint by leading collaborative stakeholder ideation sessions, bringing strategic clarity to an ambiguous product vision and defining a scalable product experience.

• Senior User Experience Designer · Splunk2020-02-01 – 2024-01-01

  -Led the design of an AI-powered chatbot that boosted sales team efficiency by ~30%. - Drove a 130% increase in partner signups by building both product and web experiences, and crafting a seamless journey between both. - Lead strategic design initiatives in collaboration with cross-functional teams, including analytics, content, SEO, and web development, creating alignment across diverse disciplines to deliver a customer-focused global experience.

• User Experience Designer · Splunk2020-02-01 – 2021-01-01

  - Increased product discovery by 182% through better storytelling and UX for customer success stories. - Accelerated development cycles by 50% by leading the creation of a design system, amplifying design impact across the organization, while mentoring junior designers to grow their skills. - Applied a customer-centric, iterative design process, leveraging data-driven insights and championing inclusive design principles to create impactful, accessible solutions.

• Founder · Lighten2016-01-01 – 2018-06-01

  - Led a small cross-functional team to build a SaaS platform connecting social workers with service providers, creating user-centered solutions for complex service delivery challenges. - Defined product strategy through market research, stakeholder collaboration, and user testing, while forging strategic partnerships to drive product adoption. - Designed and implemented a data model and API integrations that ensured platform interoperability and scalability.

• Freelance UI/UX Designer · Acorn Steed2012-11-01 – 2018-06-01

  - Optimized user interactions by building intuitive UI designs and page flows, validated prototypes for mobile apps, enhanced usability and interactivity for target audiences. - Developed production-ready webpage mockups and brand assets for retail clients, ensuring alignment with brand guidelines and customer needs. - Collaborated closely with cross-functional teams and project managers to meet tight deadlines and address project challenges efficiently.

• Civic Innovation Fellow · Microsoft2015-09-01 – 2015-12-01

  - Drive product strategy for Open Referral for both local and national initiatives. - Represent Microsoft and Code for America values at conventions, hackathons, and online.

Education

• California College of the ArtsIllustration, Illustration
• Sacramento City CollegeAssociate's degree, General Studies

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