Enterprise SaaS
10 design operations experts
These ten operations leaders have run design operations for in-house design teams inside operating companies, in roles such as head of design operations and director of DesignOps. A reader can learn how design operations leaders build and run their teams.
Professionals to explore
01—10Baylie Brenner-Bruzgis
LinkedInExperience: Head of Design Operations & Delivery · Disney Streaming
Former Head of Design Operations & Delivery at Disney Streaming (2020–2021) and Vice President, DesignOps, Head of Design Process & Program Management at Chase (2017–2020). Head of Product & Portfolio Operations at Twitch since 2021. The profile describes developing process engineering, routines and organizational infrastructure including design systems, tooling and delivery for design and product teams.
Bernice Lee
LinkedInExperience: Head of Design Operations (QuickBooks) · Intuit
Former Head of Design Operations (QuickBooks) at Intuit (2019–2024), where the profile says this person led a team of design operations specialists and drove business operations, staffing and budgeting for a 300+ design organization across multiple geos. Creative & Business Operations, Group Manager at Intuit since 2026.
Jadyn Aguilar
LinkedInExperience: Head of Design Operations · Gusto
Head of Design Operations at Gusto since 2026, and former Head of Design Operations and UX Research (2024–2026) and Head of Design Operations (2021–2023) there. The profile describes owning program strategy for the design organization and setting operating models and tooling strategy. Former Design Practice Lead at Best Buy Canada (2017–2021).
Kayleigh Knapp
LinkedInExperience: Principal Director of DesignOps · Microsoft
Principal Director of DesignOps at Microsoft since 2023, with Director of DesignOps and Senior DesignOps Manager also listed at Microsoft since 2022. The profile describes responsibility for full stack operations for a UX design studio. Former Design Producer at Microsoft (2017–2020).
Kyle Caruso
LinkedInExperience: Head of Design Operations · Lyft
Former Head of Design Operations at Lattice (2022–2023) and Head of Engineering, Product & Design Operations there since 2023. Former Head of Design Operations (2020–2022) and Design Operations, Product Design (2018–2020) at Lyft, and Executive Producer at ueno. (2018).
Polina Rybakova
LinkedInExperience: Head of Design Ops · Miro
Head of Design Ops at Miro since 2025. Former Lead Program and Ops manager (2024–2025) and Strategic Program Manager (2022–2024) at Miro, and Program Manager at Booking.com (2021–2022). The profile describes work driving execution and efficiency of design and product teams.
Rachel Maple
LinkedInExperience: Sr. Manager, Global Design Operations · Nutanix
Sr. Manager, Global Design Operations at Nutanix since 2018, where the profile lists responsibility for design operations and research operations and for building design ops. Former UX Program Manager UX Producer at RingCentral (2015–2018) and Senior UX Producer at TIBCO (2011–2015).
Sarah Shipley
LinkedInExperience: Head of Design Operations, Chief of Staff to SVP of Design · GoodRx
Former Head of Design Operations, Chief of Staff to SVP of Design (2022–2024) and Head of Operations, Product Design Technology (PDT) (2024–2026) at GoodRx, and Head of UX and Product Operations, Chief of Staff at Outreach (2021–2022). Head of Product and UX Operations, Chief of Staff to the CPO at Qualtrics since 2026.
Siobhan Neale
LinkedInExperience: Director of Design Operations and Design Systems · Gen
Director of Design Operations and Design Systems at Gen since 2024, where the profile describes leading the design systems and design operations teams. Former Executive Director, Design Operations at J.P. Morgan Private Bank (2022–2024), and Principal UX Program Manager (2020–2022) and Senior UX Program Manager (2016–2020) at Prime Video & Amazon MGM Studios.
Tina Wang
LinkedInExperience: Head of Design Operations, Google Play · Google
Senior Director, Design Operations at Slack since 2022. Former Head of Design Operations, Google Play (2020–2021), UX Operations Lead, Google Search and Assistant (2017–2019) and Chief of Staff to General Manager, Google Kids products (2021–2022) at Google.
Choose the right perspective
Match the person's scale to yours, since running operations for a small design team differs from running them for a design organization of several hundred people. Ask each person which parts of the work they owned directly, such as tooling, hiring, budgets or program management.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01At what size does a design team need dedicated design operations, and what should the first hire own?
- 02How do you choose and manage design tools without slowing down the designers who use them?
- 03Which measures show whether design operations is making the design organization more effective?
Reaching design operations experts
How can I contact one of these design operations experts?
Pick one of the 10 people on this page and choose "Book a paid call", or describe your project to find others. You offer a fee for a 15-minute call or a written answer, Instant Expert finds the person's work email and sends the invitation, and they decide whether to accept. The list covers 10 companies, including Disney Streaming, Intuit and Gusto, based on profile data retrieved on October 4, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
How much does it cost to reach design operations experts?
You choose the offer, starting at $5 per person. It includes Instant Expert's 20% fee, so an offer that pays the person $100 costs you $125. You're charged only when the person books the call or sends the answer.
What if they don't reply?
You pay nothing. Instant Expert sends follow-up reminders, and if the person hasn't booked or answered within 7 days, the request expires and any hold on your card is released. You can invite several of the 10 people on this list at once and cap your total spend, so you pay only for the ones who accept.
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot and may describe past or present roles. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.
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