Experience Design Leader, Founder, Educator, Startup Advisor, Speaker.
A passionate people leader and user experience practitioner building and leading small to large scale experience design in-house teams. Through the use of human centred design methods, curiosity and an entrepreneurial growth mindset, I have led founding teams through investigation of complex problems, diagnosing the challenges and maximising the path from ambiguity of the project to execution.
What I do
Design for omni channel experiences from zero to 1
Throughout the product lifecycle, from early market development to growth and maturity, I have designed for small to large scale programs of work to improve experiences for native digital to cross-platform products and services. Programs that involved launching new experiences or optimising current state, conducting ongoing research to gain informed insights, and then scaling them to achieve market fit through continuous product discovery. Some highlights include :
Woolworths first Express Delivery Service
Woolworths first Drive Up, Pickup (Direct 2 boot) Service
Commonwealth Bank Business review SAAS enterprise platform
Foodpanda’s Loyalty Reward Program for APAC, EU and MENA
Expedia’s SAAS Hotel booking service
What I do
Enabling communities of practice, creating learning programs and Coaching to grow next generation leaders
I also am driven by an eternal curiosity about human experiences and ability to make positive transformative change through sharing knowledge within the global community. I have actively consulted in international and local programs like; CAMP China Australia Millennial Project, TiE The Indus Entrepreneurs Sydney Local Chapter. Facilitated and hosted meetups with UX Research and Design Ops Sydney. I have coached and advised through Genesis Seed Startup Program at the University of Sydney, ADPT Amazing Design People List global community. Coaching across Design Leadership in 2021 and 2022 for Echos Design Leadership Global Program as an APAC and EU Design Leader.
What I do
Advisory and Thought leadership
Active engagement in supporting and contributing to build, network and connect our greater global industry and continually elevate the future of our industry.
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New Campus ASEAN’s educational hub for new and emerging leaders through enterprise and Startups
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Tech Central NSW’s People & Skills collective. 250,000sqm encompassing 6 neighbourhoods to build the southern hemisphere’s very own rival, to Silicon Valley and home to Australia’s prolific innovation, education ecosystem of startups, scale ups, education and enterprise businesses.
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WC3 Next Web Community Governing guidance to ensure global web standards are met across future sustainability guidelines.
Resume
Experience
Head of Product Design, APAC
foodpanda (Delivery Hero) , 2022
Senior UX Manager, eCommerce & New Business
WooliesX, 2017-2022
Founder & Director
Expatmate, startup 2014-17
Senior Product Designer,
Stayz, Expedia Group 2016
Senior UX Designer
Commonwealth Bank, 2015
UX Designer
Exetel, 2014
Creative Lead
Gloria Jean’s Coffees, 2012-2014
Education
Building and Designing AI Products and Services
MIT, Current
Generative AI for Business & Ethics
Microsoft & Linkedin Learning, 2024
Circular Economy & Sustainability Strategies
University of Cambridge 2021-2022
Circular Economies, Sustainability & Business economics
University of Griffith & Coreo 2020
Organisational Leadership
Stanford University Graduate School of Business 2019
Strategic Business Thinking
Second Wave Dive, Executive Design Leadership School 2019
User Experience Design
General Assembly, Sydney 2014
BSc, International Business
AGSB University, La-Tour De Peliz, Switzerland, 2012
Advanced Diploma Multimedia, Diploma Graphic Design
TAFE NSW, Sydney 2002-2004
Leadership Principles
Culture
Everyone in the team should feel part of the destiny, rich in diverse thought and inclusive experiences.
Leadership
The best outcomes come from inspiring people to action, not telling them what to do.
Learning & Development
Don’t be afraid of growing slowly, be afraid of standing still.
Partnerships
Fostering a shared purpose that ignites collective success across all teams
Crafting experiences
When we start from the ecosystems we operate, build, and live in, by striving for the well-being of all life, we achieve a greater good.
Recognising your purpose
“It’s not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.”
Sir Edmund Hillary
Industry collaboration to design Sydney’s Innovation Tech District
Sydney Tech Central People & Skills Collective, 2024
Design Speaker Series Program
Futures Design Thinking with Phil Balagtas, 2023
Facilitator partner for Workshops for new leaders across APAC
Emerging New Leaders, New Campus 2022
“As a host Leader for the APAC region Maria focused on teaching design organisation through theory and practical activities. She guided the global cohort through understanding the shape of their design org, the challenges they were facing and finding practical ways to optimise and improve the value and influence of design across an organisation.”
Echos Program Management
Program Team & Strategy
WooliesX Enrich Mentorship Program 2020
“Maria was a fantastic mentor and helped to review my portfolio. She was also great at following-up afterwards and provided additional frameworks to help with reflecting on my career direction. I’d recommend her to anyone who is looking for UX guidance.”
Albert Brunda, Product Designer Canva
Google & WooliesX
First retail eCom design sprint, 2018-19
CAMP (Chinese Australian Millennial Project) Coach & Delegate
Innovation through Design Thinking Workshop, Shanghai University 2017
“Maria is an exemplary 21st Century leader who builds value wherever their career takes her. Her willingness to help and passion to see people succeed, not only within her own team but across the cohort, made her a true asset to the program.”
Andrea Myles, CEO CAMP
Start Soc Sydney Startup Summit
Seed Startup Pitching, 2014
