Résumé — Ashley K. Needham

Career Summary

Product design leader operating at director altitude, guiding platform modernization, design systems evolution, and cross-functional alignment across complex, multi-client ecosystems. Experienced in scaling teams, influencing executive stakeholders, and driving measurable operational impact. Known for building resilient design cultures, delivering systems-level transformation across high-visibility programs, and integrating generative AI into design workflows to accelerate research, ideation, and execution.

Experience

Leading UX across Mobility + Home platform initiatives, directly managing 2 designers and influencing 6 contributors across NextGen Portal and Expert Workspace programs supporting 300M+ annual customer interactions.
Guiding multi-year modernization of core claims and service platforms, aligning Product, Engineering, Legal, Compliance, and client stakeholders across a $2B+ mobility portfolio.
Building and scaling a collaborative team culture rooted in mentorship, psychological safety, and operational clarity — driving strong engagement and talent growth.
Driving platform-level design strategy across web, kiosk, and in-store ecosystems used by partners including Verizon, AT&T, and Amazon.
Scaling design systems, accessibility standards (WCAG), and operational workflows — reducing approval cycles by 50% and accelerating release timelines.
Integrating generative AI into research, ideation, and prototyping workflows while coaching designers through ambiguity and elevating design maturity.
Partnering with Product and Engineering leadership to shape roadmap prioritization and platform investment decisions across high-visibility mobility programs.

Led UX iteration and strategy for the ShootProof product suite, guiding a full platform refresh and the creation of a scalable new design system across a B2B2C SaaS ecosystem.
Conducted user interviews, usability testing, and heuristic analysis to uncover friction points, prioritize roadmap items, and inform design direction.
Collaborated with engineering and product as part of a cross-functional scrum team, ensuring solutions were both user-centered and technically sound.
Mentored and upskilled junior UX designers and researchers transitioning from customer support roles, laying a strong foundation in UX tools and best practices.
Championed UX in a marketing-driven environment, advocating for consistency, usability, and the voice of the customer across the end-to-end journey.
Onboarded and integrated design talent post-acquisition, aligning teams around shared design principles, tooling, and workflows.

Led design efforts for a new wealth management platform tailored to ultra-high net worth clients, including dashboard experiences and a suite of custom tools.
Built the product from the ground up — establishing the brand identity, design system, and user interface strategy across web and mobile.
Conducted in-depth user research on the financial behaviors and expectations of the hyper-wealthy to inform product strategy and UX decisions.
Onboarded and mentored junior designers, providing hands-on coaching in UX fundamentals, stakeholder presentation, and constructive design critique.

Prepared and finalized production-ready files for paper goods, packaging, novelty items, and seasonal décor sold across major retail brands.
Led a small team of production designers and coordinated with overseas vendors to manage timelines, quality control, and efficient handoffs.
Created packaging layouts, dielines, and technical specs to support large-volume manufacturing across diverse product lines.
Managed color-matching processes and press checks to ensure consistency and quality across international print runs.
Maintained organized reference systems and internal documentation to support fast-paced production workflows and vendor communication.

Designed marketing collateral and product packaging to support national campaigns and retail launches across Home Depot, Lowe's, and Wayfair.
Maintained visual consistency across all customer touchpoints, ensuring alignment with Hansgrohe's premium brand identity.
Managed and organized the digital asset library to support internal teams, marketing, and retail partners with up-to-date materials.
Prepared press-ready files and production assets for a wide range of print and packaging formats.
Created and modified dielines for packaging, collaborating with vendors to ensure accuracy and manufacturability.

Designed marketing collateral and promotional materials for a range of B2B and internal marketing campaigns.
Prepared assets for press and digital production, ensuring accuracy across print and web formats.
Managed in-house printing and finishing processes and coordinated the distribution of all materials to internal teams and client accounts.
Maintained brand standards across projects and contributed to fast-paced creative production workflows.

Education

Full Résumé

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Contact

Chattanooga, TN

a.needhamco@gmail.com

Expertise

UX strategy & product vision Team leadership & mentorship Cross-functional collaboration Stakeholder alignment & influence Design maturity & org building Inclusive design culture UX design & execution Prototyping & iteration Accessibility (WCAG) Design systems & process ops User research & synthesis Data-informed decision making Systems thinking Generative AI integration Emerging technology application

Tools

Leadership, builtby experience.

Leadership, built
by experience.