Isadora Colmenares
Experience Design Leader and Engineer based in New York City
Experiential Design & Systemic Hierarchy
I operate at the intersection of experience design, systemic visual hierarchy, and frontend execution. As a multidisciplinary design leader, my passion is stepping into complex, data-dense environments to architect the visual systems, intuitive layouts, and cross-functional alignments required to unify digital and physical experiences. By mapping complex information architecture and establishing unified visual standards, I transform chaotic ecosystems into elegant, scalable, and navigable user experiences.
Cross-Disciplinary Translation & Execution
Throughout my career, I have acted as a critical translator between creative vision and technical realization—ensuring that deep structural empathy directly informs production-ready interfaces. From orchestrating holistic, large-scale environmental graphics, wayfinding, and exhibition layouts to engineering responsive digital design systems, I focus on establishing unified visual standards and driving design velocity. Whether scaling core components or directing high-visibility layouts, I bridge the gap between form, space, and technical execution.
Multi-Dimensional Creative Perspective
My approach to form and space is shaped by a unique journey: I have hand-rendered detailed scientific taxonomy and conducted field research in the Amazon basin, diagnosed complex customer workflows at Apple, and directed a Latin dance company that performed internationally. These diverse experiences laid a permanent foundation in visual narrative, agile problem-solving, and empathetic mentorship. Today, whether I am mapping complex information architecture, aligning global stakeholders, or designing for physical spaces, I bring a deeply human-centered, multi-dimensional design perspective.
Core Skills & Expertise
Experience & Spatial Design
- Information Architecture
- Spatial Storytelling
- Environmental Typography
- Wayfinding
- Exhibition Design
- Identity Systems
Research & Methods
- Stakeholder Workshops
- Contextual Inquiry
- User Journey Mapping
- UI Pattern Analysis
- Usability Testing
Technologies & Frameworks
- HTML5
- CSS3/SCSS
- JavaScript
- Angular/TypeScript
- Bootstrap
- Git
- API Integration
Tools & Software
- Figma
- Miro, FigJam
- VS Code, Cursor (Claude)
- Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects)
- AutoCAD, SketchUp (Basic)
Emerging Tech
- AI-Assisted Development
- Generative AI Integration
- Conversational Design Architecture
- AI-Driven Feature Logic
Languages
- English (Native)
- Spanish (Professional Working Proficiency)
- Portuguese (Limited Working Proficiency)
- French (Elementary Proficiency)
Work Experience Highlights
Contract Experience Designer
American Museum of Natural History
May 2026 – Present | New York, NY
- Partnered with curatorial leadership to rebrand the Arachnology Lab / Scorpion Systematics Research Group and rearchitect their entire online presence.
- Engineered a custom, searchable directory system to organize deep historical records and academic profiles.
- Devised distinct sub-branding and interface guardrails to establish an independent identity from the primary museum site.
Experience Design Manager
Korn Ferry
January 2026 – June 2026 | New York, NY
- Led and supported a distributed team of 8 experience designers across diverse career tracks.
- Secured a singular creative vision for high-visibility data layouts across a large, decentralized group of internal executive stakeholders.
- Scaled core design system components to support emerging generative AI features, including AI Talent Search agents.
Contract Experience Designer
Verizon
October 2025 – January 2026 | New York, NY
- Contributed modular Figma components to the Verizon Design System engineered for advanced conversational prototyping.
- Designed interactive customer pathways showing responsive workflows between automated AI and live support.
UX Design Lead
UBS
April 2024 – September 2025 | New York, NY
- Collaborated with cross-functional global leads to scale the core enterprise design system across recruiting and logistics ecosystems.
- Managed a distributed team of 9 experience designers across AMER, EMEA, and APAC regions.
Principal UX Designer & UX Engineering Lead
Aon
August 2019 – April 2024 | New York, NY
- Refactored legacy talent assessments into a performant, mobile-first single-page application using Angular and TypeScript.
- Coded robust, highly flexible components using design variables to allow automated, instant client sub-branding.
- Redesigned a study materials microsite utilizing HTML/CSS/JS, directly driving $620K+ in revenue.
Senior Designer
Cambridge Innovation Institute
February 2016 – August 2019 | Boston, MA
- Orchestrated the comprehensive visual and environmental design ecosystem for over 60 annual international biotech and life sciences conferences.
- Designed large-scale on-site entryway arches, wayfinding signage, and responsive web event prototypes.
- Programmed automated workflow scripts using Adobe ExtendScript and InDesign APIs to stream live databases into print layouts.
Graphic Designer
National Institute for Amazonian Research (INPA)
February 2013 – August 2016 | Manaus, Brazil
- Developed website prototypes, visual brand identities, and staging layouts for an international ornithology congress.
- Hand-rendered detailed scientific illustrations, taxonomy figures, and complex biogeographical maps for graduate publications.
Key Accolades
Inhouse Design Award
Graphic Design USA
Awarded for data-dense infographic of Cambridge Innovation Institute's Discovery on Target pharmaceutical conference.
Platinum Star Award
Aon
Recognized for delivering exceptional project work and exemplifying Aon United behavior in cross team support.
Recommendations
"Isadora brought a formidable range of UX and front-end development knowledge; her collaboration with content providers, marketers, engineers, and designers assured a project's success. Major initiatives were successful due to her involvement. Unfailingly generous with her time and willingness to assist others, we all benefited from Isadora's excellent energy, humor, and creative nature."
"I was always impressed by her diligence and steady leadership as a UX Manager. She did a great job keeping projects organized and creating a collaborative environment where people could do their best work. Isa combines strong UX expertise with clear communication and thoughtful management."
"I was impressed by her strong system thinking and deep understanding of design systems. She played a key role in translating foundational components into scalable, application-level patterns that enabled her team to deliver high-quality and consistent design outcomes. She continually brought in fresh ideas and best practices from her own learning."
"Isadora went above and beyond, found solutions to complex components, filled in when others were sick, and truly was there for any change or improvement. Her work included an intense ramp up on a library that was complicated and she dove right into it and was more than dedicated. Her attention to detail is fantastic and her documentation process was so helpful."
"I observed how glowingly her reports speak of her and credit her leadership to their success. I rarely speak with designers who have such a deep understanding of users with disabilities and real empathy for their needs. Isadora made a positive impact on our culture with her warm and engaging leadership style. She identified process improvements to increase efficiency and business value."
"As a new employee, Isadora worked on a complex, multi-screen animation. Her creative input and attention to detail were matched by her speed and efficiency in completing the program on time and on budget. I enjoyed working with Isadora. Her talents, good nature, and adaptability will be a measurable asset on any project she works on."