Catherine Batacan

415.806.6182 | catbat007@gmail.com | El Cerrito, CA 94530

UX LEADER

Human-Centered Innovation | Scalable Design Systems | Vision-Driven Product Design Leadership

Product design leader with deep experience shaping enterprise and consumer experiences across healthtech, fintech-adjacent, e-commerce, and platform ecosystems. Known for building and scaling inclusive, high-performing design teams, embedding design as a strategic partner across organizations, and delivering measurable business and user impact. Expertise spans design systems, UX research integration, agile product development, and experience strategy. Proven track record of transforming design functions, accelerating delivery, and driving cross-functional alignment from discovery to launch.

 

CORE COMPETENCIES

Product Design Leadership • Cross-Functional Collaboration • Team Building & Mentorship • Strategic Roadmapping
Design Systems • Human-Centered Design • UX Research Integration • Accessibility & Inclusive Design
Agile Product Development • Design Thinking • Sprint Facilitation • Data-Informed Decision Making

Tools & Systems: Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, Jira, Confluence

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Senior Manager, UX (FTE) | DELTA DENTAL, Oakland, CA  Oct 2020 – Present

Led design transformation for the nation’s largest dental benefits provider, advancing enterprise-wide UX strategy and scaling a 7-person, high-performing UX design team embedded across agile product squads. Repositioned design as a strategic partner to product, engineering, research, marketing, and executive leadership teams—accelerating innovation, operational efficiency, and user engagement across digital touchpoints.

  • Spearheaded team building and team-growth strategy, resulting in 50% increase in headcount and reduced skill gaps.

  • Integrated design function into agile development lifecycle; trained on story writing and partnered with scrum master to institute rituals, velocity tracking, and Jira visibility, achieving 100% accountability and improved planning precision.

  • ·Reduced design strategy cycles from six (6) months to one (1) week, accelerating time-to-market; partnered with product and engineering on optimizing processes, from product strategy to execution.

  • ·Led product visioning, strategy, and roadmap for AARP storefront, launching plan comparison, upfront pricing, and guided selection wizard—doubling conversion from 1.8% to 3.4% YoY.

  • Redesigned self-service cost estimator, enabling seamless cost visibility across member journeys; directly influenced roadmap prioritization and delivered 5 of 9 sprint-identified features.

  • Grew UX research maturity by embedding qualitative and quantitative methodologies across product development lifecycle, enhancing insight-driven decision-making and user satisfaction.

  • Mobilized design system team to standardize components in Figma and code; ensured accessibility compliance, elevated design consistency across teams, and increased product development velocity.

  • Advocated for design thinking as a core innovation lever; fostered an inclusive, curiosity-driven culture recognized for craft excellence, forward-thinking vision, and cross-functional trust.

 

UXDI Instructor (full-time contract) | GENERAL ASSEMBLY, San Francisco, CA Oct 2016 – Oct 2020

Taught, mentored, and inspired the next generation of UX professionals at one of the most respected design bootcamps in the industry. Brought real-world experience into the classroom, championing practical, inclusive, and industry-aligned design practices. Refined curriculum with instructional team to reflect current industry practices and evolving toolsets.

  • Led immersive UX design instruction across full-time cohorts; taught design thinking, research, prototyping, visual and system design, advanced usability testing, and product development lifecycle, among other topics.

  • ·Mentored students on “capstone” projects in partnership with local startups and businesses; helped translate design theory into real-world, portfolio-ready solutions.

  • ·Hosted industry panels, invited guest speakers, and created networking opportunities to bridge classroom and career.

  • Coached students through portfolio development, design critique, and job-search strategies—many of whom went on to join leading tech companies.

Product Design Manager (FTE) | INDEED.COM, San Francisco, CA  Apr 2018 – Dec 2019

Led cross-functional efforts to establish and scale a design system supporting hundreds of internal users—product designers, engineers, design technologists, and project managers—across Indeed’s global platform. Played a pivotal role in aligning teams, codifying standards, and accelerating design and development through a centralized system.

  • Managed eight (8) designers across San Francisco and Austin; provided mentorship in high-growth environment.

  • Partnered cross-functionally to define system vision, prioritize use cases, and align design and development with business goals; championed design reviews and retrospectives to drive feedback culture and shared accountability.

  • Facilitated design system adoption and scalable design practices through workshops, training, and documentation.

  • ·Streamlined collaboration and communication across distributed teams by evaluating and implementing design tools.

  • Planned and launched the organization’s new design system, increased adoption by 2x over the previous program.

 

Product Design Manager (FTE) | BIGCOMMERCE, San Francisco, CA  Feb 2016 – Feb 2018

On creative leadership team, led design strategy for NASDAQ-listed SaaS platform enabling retailers to build and manage their e-commerce stores. Oversaw storefront customization experience and launched scalable design systems to improve consistency, speed, and usability. Mentored designers, and onboarded new UX members. 

  • Directed UX strategy and design for storefront experience, enabling non-technical users to create and manage branded e-commerce sites through themes and modular components.

  • Launched “Pattern Lab” to standardize UI components; improved consistency, accelerated delivery, and reduce rework for both designers and engineers.

  • Integrated research and usability testing into design lifecycle, grounding UX decisions in real-world customer insights. Aligned roadmap priorities with user needs. Managed design resources across multiple workstreams.

 

Principal IDX (contract) | LOGITECH & ULTIMATE EARS, Newark, CA  Jul 2015 – Feb 2016

Led UX for wireless speaker and peripheral integration, including native app design for Ultimate Ears. Designed “Lost and Found” feature and cross-device functionality. Improved legacy hardware UX for multi-device compatibility.

UX Design Lead (contract) | SEPHORA, San Francisco, CA  Nov 2013 – Jun 2015

Drove digital innovation across flagship experiences including “Beauty Board” social platform (desktop, mobile, iOS), Color IQ and Fragrance IQ digital products, in-store point of sales (POS) systems, in-store iOS apps and beacon integration, and store of the future concept. Elevated omnichannel UX through strategy, testing, and hands-on design execution.

 

Product Design Lead (contract) | MADISON REED, San Francisco, CA  Jun 2013 – Nov 2013

Redesigned e-commerce platform and mobile app using responsive design and social commerce strategies; partnered closely with product and engineering in agile environment. Mentored junior UX designers.

 

Principal Product Designer (contract) | MODCLOTH, San Francisco, CA Dec 2012 – May 2013

Led UX for social commerce features “Style Gallery” and “Write a Review,” driving 30% increase in engagement within 30 days post-launch through user-centered design and rapid iteration.

 

Senior Interaction Designer (contract) | GOOGLE, Mountain View, CA  Apr 2012 – Dec 2012

Designed core billing and purchase infrastructure for new platform used for all Google products globally, with Google Wallet integration. Supported AdWords, AdSense, and enterprise products through UX design for complex financial workflows.

 

UX Manager (FTE) | TRX TRAINING, San Francisco, CA  Oct 2008 – Apr 2012

Led UX for global fitness brand known for its innovative suspension training system. Drove redesign of digital platforms and product experiences during high-growth phase, advancing both e-commerce capabilities and brand engagement. Managed  and mentored three (3) designers and one (1) manager. Promoted for UX/UI Lead to UX Manager in 2011.

Redesigned and re-platformed e-commerce site with custom bundling functionality, and launched “Find a Trainer” tool to extend brand reach and improve user engagement.

Led cross-functional workshops to align UX vision with merchandising, product, and engineering priorities.

Established design review practices and onboarding programs; fostered a high-performance, feedback-driven culture.

 

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Science, CALIFORNIA POLYTECHNIC STATE UNIVERSITY (Cal Poly), San Luis Obispo, CA