Objective :: To deliver game-changing products by building, leading, and scaling innovative design teams that blend creativity, strategy, and execution to drive measurable business impact.

Speciality

Two decades of experience delivering world-class product experiences for organizations ranging from early-stage startups to Fortune 10 companies.

  • Design leadership rooted in stewardship. Building and leading high-performing, collaborative teams grounded in a culture of trust, candor, and continuous growth. Actively mentoring the next generation of design leaders to ensure sustained organizational impact.

  • Proven ability to establish end-to-end design systems and processes that balance:

    • Optimization and data-driven execution for near-term deliverables.

    • Innovation and disruption for long-term strategic initiatives.

  • Comprehensive expertise across the design spectrum — from strategy and research to interaction design, information architecture, and execution — ensuring a seamless connection between vision and delivery.

Accomplishments

  • Leading design and innovation at Truist, overseeing vertical experiences such as dashboard, AI-driven insights, and profile & security, as well as horizontal experiences like navigation and onboarding — all driving measurable improvements in voice-of-client feedback, app store ratings, and customer satisfaction.

  • Heading design for Personal Finance Management (PFM) experiences, shaping initiatives that have build healthy habits for long-term financial stability.

  • Led design for all payment and transfer experiences — including Zelle, ACH, and bank-to-bank transfers — resulting in double-digit year-over-year growth in both transaction volume and total funds transferred.

  • Directed the digital transformation of one of the largest deposit account mergers in U.S. banking, helping launch a new, unified digital banking platform for Truist.

  • Public speaking engagements:

    • FinTech Design Summit 2022 — Delivered a talk on Designing for Trust.

    • Design Thinking Summit 2022 — Panelist on Leveraging Design Thinking to Accelerate Innovation.

  • At DIRECTV, delivered the first iteration of DIRECTV Stream, and scaled the set-top box app platform to support third-party apps (e.g., ESPN+) and user-generated short-form content, establishing a foundation for sustained engagement and new revenue opportunities.

Key Job Experience

Design Director, Truist — Los Angeles / Remote,
Jul 2022 – Present

  • Jan 2024 – Present: Leading an interdisciplinary team of designers across web and app platforms focused on Platform Engagement & Financial Empowerment.

  • Jul 2022 – Dec 2023: Directed the design of all digital payment and transfer channels (Zelle, Bill Pay, Wires, ACH, etc.), delivering a simplified and optimized omni-channel experience.

  • Implemented the Design Thinking framework across the organization, directly influencing the product roadmap and fostering a culture of experimentation.

  • Extended digital experiences beyond the app context, integrating design into camera, wearable, and native OS touchpoints.

  • Active contributor to the Leadership Development Program (LDP) — mentoring the next generation of design leaders.


UX Manager, Truist,
Jun 2021 – Jul 2022

  • Maker–Manager for the Web UX team supporting all Personal Banking experiences.

  • Ensured designs were data-driven and strategically aligned with broader product objectives.

  • Maintained cross-platform parity between web and app experiences.

  • Delivered key UX for Credit Score, Zelle, and Bill Pay.


User Experience Lead, Truist,
Apr 2020 – May 2021

  • Designed and launched foundational experiences for Truist’s new digital platform, including Zelle, Profile & Settings, Search, and Chatbot.

  • Helped define the design language and system foundations for the platform’s launch.


User Experience Lead, Boingo Wireless — Los Angeles, CA,
May 2019 – Dec 2019

  • Established UX as a strategic partner within product design and development.

  • Optimized and streamlined e-commerce flows across Boingo’s digital ecosystem, improving conversion and usability metrics.


User Experience Lead, AT&T (via DIRECTV acquisition) — Los Angeles, CA,
Mar 2016 – Mar 2019

  • Led strategy and design for DIRECTV Stream, the streaming platform available across iOS, Android, tvOS, Roku, Fire TV, and other providers.

  • Delivered and scaled DIRECTV’s Set-Top Box App Platform, expanding it to support third-party integrationsand user-generated content.


Senior User Experience Designer, DIRECTV — Los Angeles, CA
Apr 2013 – Mar 2016

  • Designed and delivered key experiences for DIRECTV’s in-home entertainment platform.

  • Led UX for major event experiences including NFL Sunday Ticket, Olympics, and other sports apps.

  • Introduced binge-viewing and interactive content experiences for the set-top box platform.


User Experience Designer, Genex (acquired by Accenture) — Los Angeles, CA
May 2012 – Mar 2013

  • Delivered cross-platform UX for clients including Ford, Honda, Nestlé, and Kraft.

  • Designed scalable frameworks for web, mobile, and interactive platforms across multiple verticals.


User Experience Designer, Various Tech Organizations — Los Angeles, CA
2004 – 2011

  • Designed one of the first connected 10-foot/TV experiences for Rovi (acquired by TiVo).

  • Delivered app experiences enriched with metadata for early interactive TV systems.

  • Created a mobile-first social media platform during the pre-iPhone era, showcasing early innovation in mobile UX.

Great teams hire people, not artifacts.
Curious to dive deeper or share feedback? Reach me at vangasin@gmail.com