resume.md
Design executive · platform and AI transformation
510-876-3006 · hello@brookekatalinich.tech · San Francisco, CA
[brookekatalinich.tech] · [LinkedIn] · [GitHub] · [Yes + And (Substack)] · [AI-Driven Design (Maven)] · [Book time (Calendly)]
---
I lead platform bets and build design orgs that enable AI-native builders at scale. At Mozilla I own Firefox's 2026 work: a cross-platform browser redesign and Smart Window. I run a highly matrix design org and built the operating system behind it: tool stack, team skills hub, and workflows that let designers, partners, and eng start in code and compound context.
---
- Firefox bets: Cross-platform browser redesign, live in Nightly (30K users) rolling toward 132M MAU at major release · Smart Window (opt-in AI) · org transformation · PLG/monetization partnership
- Mobile growth engine: Own Firefox mobile (51M MAU) driving +14% DAU YoY · Shake to Summarize on iPhone (The Verge)
- AI infrastructure: team skills hub · PD-OS · agent-readable design-md · AWDTY token scorecard
- Venmo vision: Experience Vision (Mar 2024), SLT-approved, single-use to multi-use app strategy feeding an $800M P&L and +17% TPV YoY
- Sprint program ROI: The Home Depot Design Sprint Program: $2M+ gross demand benefit; adoption 20% to 52%
- Consumer ship: PayPal / Venmo launches in TechCrunch, The Verge, PayPal Newsroom
- Maven teaching: AI-Driven Design: agentic prototyping, tool chains, case-study deliverables (4.8★)
---
San Francisco, CA · Sep 2024 – Present
I lead 35 designers: 12 directly and 27 across the cross-platform redesign as a leader of leaders through four senior managers, plus agency partners, working with content, research, systems, and operations.
I own design execution on Firefox's 2026 company priority: the cross-platform browser redesign and Smart Window. I also run Mozilla's AI-native design transformation: how the org ships product surfaces, handles partner handoffs, and compounds context instead of resetting every quarter.- The cross-platform browser redesign remakes the window; Smart Window delivers opt-in AI on Mozilla's terms. One craft standard, shared tokens. Live in Nightly (30K users), rolling toward 132M MAU at major release · new-tab token adoption 28% to 77.5%.
Ran the rollout as an experiment, not a launch: staged Release exposure against a holdback cohort on the current design, expansion gated on new-user retention holding or beating holdback with existing-user DAU steady as the guardrail.
- Own mobile as Firefox's growth engine: habit loops, shortcuts, and Shake to Summarize on iPhone, driving +14% DAU YoY across 51M MAU.
- Built an operating system for the hybrid org: triad gates with Eng and PM so contested calls get decided once and stay decided, proof bars, monthly five-bullet exec updates, and a canonical team skills hub.
- Took execution ownership for redesign sign-off, punch QA, and a single visual-gap backlog.
- Led agent-readable design system specs (design-md, AWDTY scorecard) so Cursor, Claude, and hub agents match what ships. Don't invent hex when a token exists.
- Notable releases: Shake to summarize on iPhone (The Verge) · Cross-platform browser redesign in Nightly, first cohesive Firefox redesign since Proton · Smart Window opt-in AI modes inheriting the redesign's chrome and tokens.
Atlanta, GA · Nov 2023 – Jul 2024
Led a 20-person Venmo experience design team as a leader of leaders within a business supporting roughly $800M P&L and +17% TPV YoY. Focus on experimentation, iteration, and timely delivery across Venmo and PayPal consumer surfaces.
- Venmo Experience Vision (2024), SLT-approved: "From splitting bills to building financial confidence. Take Venmo Anywhere." OKR-aligned sequencing from single-use to multi-use app strategy.
- Tap to Pay in-person payments (PayPal Newsroom) · Package Tracking (TechCrunch) · Venmo Business Profiles overhaul (PayPal Newsroom).
Atlanta, GA · Dec 2022 – Nov 2023
Design director for Shopping and Loyalty journeys across PayPal's global design organization.
Atlanta, GA · Apr 2022 – Dec 2022
Promoted to lead the Capabilities Design Team (Platform, Core, and Conversational Design) for the AI-native home buying platform across Client and Core Mortgage. Team of about 25, including team leaders and directors.
Atlanta, GA · May 2021 – Apr 2022
Led design for an AI-native home buying platform: the systems team members use to guide clients through the mortgage process. Built a team of 10 from the ground up. Direct line to revenue, with metrics focused on speed to closing and cost savings.
Atlanta, GA · Nov 2017 – May 2021 · UX Manager, Design Operations · UX Manager, Design Sprints · UX Lead Architect
- Built and scaled the Design Sprint Program from pilot to enterprise capability: 2–4 weeks speed-to-market benefit per sprint; $2M+ gross demand and profitability benefit.
- Adoption: 20% (2017) → 36% (2018) → 52% (2019). Implementation: 68% (2018) → 82% (2019).
- Speaker at Google Sprint Conference, How Design Live, FEI, UX Strat, Design Better, ConvergeSE, InVision.
Atlanta, GA · Jul 2014 – Feb 2018
Experience design consultant for Coca-Cola, UPS, State Farm, Cox Communications, The Home Depot, AT&T, and The Weather Channel.
- Senior UX Designer · Broadsoft (AT&T Locker Tablet) · Nov 2013 – Jul 2014
- UX Designer · The Weather Channel · Mar 2013 – Nov 2013
- Interactive Designer · Rentpath (Apartment Guide) · May 2012 – Mar 2013
- Graphic Designer · Propel Agency · Sep 2011 – Jan 2012
- Graduate Lab Assistant · Georgia State University · Aug 2008 – May 2011
---
[Maven] · with Eduardo Feo (Mozilla) · 4.8★
Hands-on course for designers, PMs, and innovation leads. Same workflows I run at Mozilla, taught with proof bars instead of tool demos. Students build an AI-driven design process, chain tools for agentic prototyping, extend prototypes into functional demos with Cursor, and leave with a portfolio case study.
---
- Master of Fine Arts · Georgia State University · 2008 – 2011 · Cum Laude
- Bachelor of Science · Florida State University · 1998 – 2002 · Magna Cum Laude
---
- AI-native design leadership: agentic workflows, tool stack design, fluency frameworks
- Platform bet ownership: cross-platform browser redesign, Smart Window, browser UX in the AI era
- Agentic UX and delegation: opt-in AI, triad gates, agent-assisted products
- Portfolio strategy and executive prioritization
- Design operating systems: skills hubs, proof bars, decision hygiene
- Team development: managers, pillar leads, agency partnerships
---
AI-native: Cursor · Claude (Design, Code, Co-work) · Figma Make · Loveable · AI Native Knowledge Hub · PD-OS · design-md · AWDTY token scorecard · UserTesting / AI-moderated research · Granola
Design: Figma · Figma Desktop MCP · Firefox tree / mach · HTML prototypes · Miro · Axure · Adobe Creative Suite · Keynote
---
VP Design · VP Product Design · Head of Design · VP UX, at companies making platform inflection bets, AI product pivots, or design org transformations at scale.