It all starts with a sticky note, a story, and a strong cup of coffee.

Hey, I’m Kayla—a product designer with over 11 years of experience creating digital experiences that are thoughtful, scalable, and grounded in real user needs.

A woman with long brown hair and blue eyes smiling, standing outdoors in front of blurred green trees, wearing a dark red, long-sleeved, semi-sheer blouse with polka dots.

I’ve spent most of my career leading design efforts across websites, mobile apps, and enterprise products and services. Most recently, I’ve worked at Fannie Mae, helping improve digital experiences with lots of sticky notes, strong design thinking and strategy, and close collaboration with business and web partners. Before that, I designed digital products for clients across healthcare, finance, and consumer brands as part of a fast-paced consulting team—where I learned to move quickly, solve complex problems, and stay grounded in user outcomes.

I studied graphic design and marketing at Mississippi State University, where I first discovered my love for visual storytelling, human-centered design, and a good cup of coffee. That foundation still shapes how I approach my work today.

With roots in both design and consulting, I bring a rare blend of big-picture thinking and pixel-perfect execution. I'm what some might call a design unicorn—just as comfortable mapping user journeys and facilitating workshops as I am crafting high-fidelity interfaces and collaborating closely with engineers. From strategy and systems to visuals and handoff, I love being involved in every layer of the design process and helping teams connect the dots along the way. I’ve led cross-functional teams, built scalable design systems, mentored designers, and championed inclusive, accessible experiences from concept to launch.

When I’m not designing, you’ll usually find me making something with my hands like crafting with my kids, baking cookies, or planning something slightly chaotic. I’m a Southern girl through and through, and showing love through creativity (and good food) is just part of who I am.

MY DESIGN PHILOSOPHY

Great design should be experienced and not seen.

- Jared M. Spool co-founder and CEO of Center Centre-UIE

When design works well, we often don’t notice it. We only notice when something gets in the way.

Good design helps users reach their goals easily, but it’s more than just what they see. It’s in the invisible details: seamless interactions, thoughtful information architecture, and creative visual design all working together to create a truly delightful experience.

MY SKILLS

STRATEGY

Creative Direction
Design Strategy
Design Thinking
Product Vision & Roadmapping
Brand Experience
Stakeholder Alignment

PRODUCT DESIGN

UX Strategy & Research
UI Design
Information Architecture
Persona & Journey Mapping
Interaction Design
Responsive Web & Mobile Design
Design Systems
Accessibility (WCAG)
Prototyping
Branding & Visual Design

LEADERSHIP & COLLABORATION

Cross-functional Team Leadership
Collective Intelligence Workshops
DesignOps
Mentorship & Team Growth

MY DESIGN TOOLKIT

Pencil, paper, & sticky notes

Adobe Creative Suite

A black cat with large, yellow eyes sitting with its body facing forward and head turned slightly to the left.
A black silhouette of a person sitting cross-legged, practicing yoga, with hands resting on knees, on a plain white background.
Photograph of a black dog sitting on green grass in a park with trees in the background.
Silhouette of a monkey mascot holding a basketball, standing in front of a brick wall with a chain-link fence.

A prototyping tool – Figma

Strong cup of coffee

Silhouette of a dog sitting on a rock in front of a sunset with trees and water in the background.
Black and white illustration of a playbook with strategy diagram, showing circles, crosses, and an arrow indicating movement.

Working knowledge of HTML & CSS

A brainstorming tool – Mural

Cartoon illustration of a man with a beard and glasses smiling, with a green background.
Silhouette of a dog standing next to a tree and looking at a bird perched on a branch.

Kids and chaos for added fun

Design thinking strategies

MY KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS

  • Led and managed multiple design teams to improve complex business operations and user workflows to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and overall ability

  • Successfully designed and launched multiple products and features across enterprise and consumer brands from concept to delivery

  • Implemented Design Systems across multiple platforms

  • Executed numerous Design Thinking and Collective Intelligence workshops

  • Successfully validated requirements using low to high fidelity prototypes to demo interactions and user experiences 

  • Highly recommended by Product Managers, Creative Directors, Developers, and Stakeholders

  • Won several awards for Employee Recognition