Amy Vainieri

Resume

Resume

Strategic Design and Operations leader with 19+ years of design expertise and 8+ years driving operational excellence, AI transformation, and cross-functional enablement. I specialize in bridging the gap between creative vision and business objectives by building systems that empower and scale.

Core Strengths

  • Operations Excellence

  • Cross-Functional Enablement

  • AI Implementation & Scaling

  • Process Optimization

  • Data-Driven Strategy

  • Governance & Standards

  • Systems Thinking

  • Stakeholder Management & Alignment

  • Defining Performance Metrics

  • Documentation & Best Practices

Key Skills

  • Graphic Design - 19+ years

  • Client & Key Partner Management - 14+ years

  • Design Leadership - 12+ years

  • Change Management - 8+ years

  • Design & UX Operations - 8+ years

  • Strategic Planning - 8+ years

  • People & Team Management - 7+ years

  • Vendor Management - 4+ years

  • Budget Forecasting - 4+ years

  • AI Technologies in UX - 2+ years

Key Career Achievements

  • Engineered governance models and complex systems for 600+ UX professionals, architecting a strategic consolidation that reduced organizational communication noise by 41.5%, resulting in more impactful and directed outreach and messaging.

  • Designed and deployed a metrics framework for AI impact on UX, later adopted by Product. Guidance drove a 12% measurable increase in deliverable quality and a 5% proficiency gain across 200+ team members in one month.

  • Standardized global design processes and created templates that reduced the end-to-end design phase by 25% while maintaining a 93%+ client satisfaction rate.

  • Developed an annual strategy through data-driven validation and innovative use of AI tools, coordinating an on-site to drive organizational alignment. Validated and delivered the approved strategy ahead of schedule for the first time in team history.

Software & Tools

  • Operations & Collaboration: Jira, Teamworks, Raven, Trello, Google Drive Suite, Slack, Zoom, Miro, Mural, FigJam

  • Design Tools: Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite

  • AI Technologies: Claude, Gemini, Figma Make, Cursor, MCP servers

  • Research & Analysis: Dovetail, User Testing, Qualtrics, Optimal Workshop

  • And more—just ask!

 
 

Work Experience

UX Operations Manager at Indeed
Remote, April 2022 to November 2025

  • Standardized Workflow Velocity: Established global UX templates, facilitated change management, and defined governance models to enable seamless cross-functional collaboration and reduce systemic operational friction. 

  • Pioneered AI Operationalization: Led the technical and operational rollout of AI tools, delivering training and other resources to 200+ team members and improving proficiency by 5% in one month. Established a tracking methodology for AI impact and quality that became the gold standard across R&D.

  • Translated Insights into Strategy: Designed, distributed, analyzed, and reported on 10+ community surveys, leveraging data analytics to identify and fix proficiency and productivity gaps. Increased survey engagement by 19 points.

  • Optimized Operational Spend: Directed vendor management for the global UX toolstack of 10+ tools, forecasting annual budgets, and completing contract renewals to maximize ROI and operational efficiency for the entire UX organization.

Design Director and Deputy VP of Design at Forum One
Arlington, Virginia, January 2019 to April 2022

  • Led a High-Performing Team: Managed a distributed and multi-disciplinary team of 13 while ensuring continuity through the COVID-19 pandemic. Maintained 100% retention and 93%+ client satisfaction for the Design team.

  • Architected Operational Standards: Transformed the design lifecycle by establishing repeatable and scalable processes that reduced the design phase by 25%.

  • Engineered Remote Scaling: Completely redesigned the summer internship program in one week by designing a structured curriculum to keep remote participants engaged.

  • Resource Alignment: Collaborated with delivery teams to align staff allocation with project needs and optimized budget strategies.

  • Facilitated Team Development: Recruited eight designers and coached seven team members through the promotion process. Partnered with HR to define a new leveling structure to create depth and growth opportunities.

Art Director at Taoti Creative
Washington, D.C., January 2017 to December 2018

  • Upheld End-to-End Excellence: Led UX and UI design for large-scale digital projects, collaborating closely with project teams and clients to solve complex challenges through workshops and strategic presentations, and ensuring alignment.

  • Improved Processes & Documentation: Established design standards, directed operational aspects of workflow, and conducted rigorous QA to ensure consistency across projects.

  • Won new business: Provided strategic design input, contributing to the success of proposals, client pitches, and presentations.

Senior Designer at Forum One
Arlington, Virginia, September 2015 to January 2017

  • Upheld End-to-End Excellence: Led visual design for large-scale digital projects, collaborating closely with project teams and clients to solve complex design challenges through workshops and strategic presentations, and ensuring alignment.

  • Improved Processes & Documentation: Contributed to developing and refining design workflows and documented design processes and best practices to foster efficiency and collaboration.

  • Won new business: Provided strategic design input, contributing to the success of proposals, client pitches, and presentations.

Senior Designer at Blue State Digital
Washington, D.C., June 2012 to July 2015.

  • Upheld End-to-End Excellence: Led visual design for large-scale digital projects, collaborating closely with project teams and clients to solve complex challenges through workshops and strategic presentations, and ensuring alignment.

  • Led High-Performing Teams: Managed a graphic design team and mentored interns, providing strategic guidance and design oversight to foster a productive, high-quality work environment.

  • Established Quality Work: Championed design excellence through rigorous critiques and quality assurance for high-profile digital campaigns and responsive websites.

Graphic Designer at National Trust for Historic Preservation
Washington, D.C., November 2009 to May 2012

Designed diverse print and digital materials, including quarterly publications, annual conference materials, and marketing campaigns, while collaborating with external printers manage quality assurance. 

Election Design Fellow at AIGA
Salem, Oregon, September 2008 to September 2009

Awarded a one-year fellowship to improve election accuracy and citizen experience by designing public-facing materials, ballots, and websites for the Oregon Elections Division and Secretary of State.

Designer, Project Manager at Sol Design Co.
Atlanta, Georgia, June 2006 to August 2008.

Managed design projects and production from brand identity to web design, ensuring seamless execution across advertising, research, and publication initiatives.

 

Education

Savannah College of Art and Design / SCAD-Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia
Master of Fine Arts in Graphic Design

Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
Bachelor of Arts in Art History and Human and Natural Ecology

 

Speaking Engagements, Interviews, and Publications

 

Awards + Exhibitions

  • Communicator Award for Distinction, General Digital - Art (Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, arkmfa.org), 2022.

  • Davey Awards, Arts for Websites, Silver (Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, arkmfa.org), 2021.

  • Hermes Creative Awards, Gold (The Washington Center, twc.edu), 2018.

  • WebAward for Government Standard of Excellence (PeaceCorps.gov), 2017.

  • W³ Award, Silver (PeaceCorps.gov), 2017.

  • 28th Annual Sickle Cell Foundation of Georgia Road Race Logo Design Contest Winner, 2007.

  • SCADDY Finalist, 2006.

  • “Dynamic Relationships”, Orlando, Florida, Terrace Gallery at Orlando City Hall, 2006.

  • “Cities? What Cities?”, Florence, Italy, La Corte Contemporanea Gallery, 2005.

  • “20@22”, Florence, Italy, Studio Art Centers International Graduate Center, 2005.

  • “Design Student Show”, Florence, Italy, Studio Art Centers International Design Center, 2005.

  • “No. 7”, Florence, Italy, Dolce Zucchero, 2005.

  • “Digital Dreams”, Florence, Italy, La Corte Contemporanea Gallery, 2004.

  • “Mixed Media”, Slidell, Louisiana, Slidell Cultural Center, 2003.

  • “The Emory Chairs Project”, Atlanta, Georgia, Emory University Campus, 2003.