NIKI LESNIAK M.A.
Experience
Manager, Creative & UX Strategy (Jun 2022 - Present)
Lead, Creative & UX Strategy (Nov 2019 - Jun 2022)
Senior Designer (Dec 2018 - Nov 2019)
Lead, Creative & UX Strategy (Nov 2019 - Jun 2022)
Senior Designer (Dec 2018 - Nov 2019)
Orchestrated cross-departmental collaboration to enhance customer experience and brand image. Led design and creative deliverables for JAX® Mice, Clinical and Research Services (JMCRS). Managed a design team, ensuring alignment with business objectives and brand integrity. Coordinated the UX Governance Team for jax.org improvement.
Colleague Testimonials
"She is an extremely talented UX and creative designer. Niki is able to step into any role, she is very thoughtful in her designs, and has elevated the JMCRS brand to what we see today. She cares deeply for her direct reports and ensures their growth. With the digital manager role open, Niki stepped in learning from scratch SEO, Google Analytics, and Site Core. She took over the website overhaul, redoing the architecture, layout, and functionality. Niki is one of the most valuable members on the team." - Current Manager
"Our design team environment is positive, supportive, and encouraging! I am proud to be part of a team that fosters growth, dreaming, innovation, and pushing each other as a team and as individuals." - Current Direct Report
"I have thoroughly enjoyed my opportunities to interface and collaborate with other user experience (UX) professional across the organization. My leadership has been excellent at providing growth opportunities in this area." - Current Direct Report
Related Skills
Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, Motion Graphics, Prototyping, Design System Creation, Project Management, Workfront, Exhibit Design, Experience Design, Brand & UX Governance.
Awards & Courses
JMCRS Impact Award Winner (Feb 2020)
IDEO U Course - Leading for Creativity
Harvard Professional Development Course: Managing Yourself And Leading Others (January 2021)
IDEO U Course - Leading for Creativity
Harvard Professional Development Course: Managing Yourself And Leading Others (January 2021)
Freelance Designer
Worked on graphic design, user experience design, and web design projects. Developed clean and minimalistic designs for start-ups, Ultimate frisbee tournaments, and small businesses.
Related Skills
CSS/HTML, Adobe Creative Suite, Self Motivation, Organization, Project Management.
Creative Director
Oversaw user experience for consumer (B2C) and retailer (B2B) side software. Managed the creative team, designed user interfaces, and collaborated with clients. Created, documented, and ran user-testing protocols.
Related Skills
User Testing, Feature Planning, Prototyping, Wire-framing, Hi-Fidelity Mockups, Specs for Development, Quality Testing, User Analytics, JIRA, Confluence, Adobe Creative Suite, Team Management.
Planning Intern
Contributed to wayfinding design for signage in London. Worked on documentation for construction and collaborated with the design team.
Related Skills
Attention to Detail, Ability to see Big Picture, Documentation for Public, Adobe InDesign.
Education
Master of Arts in Graphic Design and Iconic Research
Basel Academy of Art and Design
Basel, Switzerland
Basel, Switzerland
Thesis focused on improving communication between clients and creatives in multidisciplinary settings.
Bachelor of Arts in Design Studies
and a Minor in Environmental Studies
and a Minor in Environmental Studies
Seattle, Washington
Bachelor's thesis applied design thinking skills to environmental studies campaigns.
Extracurricular
Ultimate Frisbee
Ultimate's unique self-refereed nature has equipped me with valuable skills applicable to my professional life. Being a self-refereed sport, effective communication and explanation are key skills. This sport has fostered my leadership, problem-solving, time management, and team-building abilities. Just as in designing, I leverage these skills daily to navigate challenges, plan strategies, and collaborate effectively.
Travel
Extensive exposure to different cultures has given me a deep understanding of diverse thoughts and expectations. Living in places with contrasting realities has helped me to imagine innovative possibilities. Stepping out of my comfort zone daily shows my adaptability and lends itself to confidence in my approach to design challenges.
I find joy in experiencing the diversity of solutions to everyday problems across cultures. Living with only the essentials has instilled in me a sense of minimalism and a focus on the journey rather than just the destination.
