# Alonso Castro > Lead AI Interaction Designer | Technologist | Food Futures Artist | Teacher Location: Brooklyn, New York, United States Profile: https://flows.cv/alonsocastro I'm a Multi-Disciplinary Experience Designer with over 14 years in design, spanning graphic design, digital art, physical computing, and over a decade of deep specialization in UX, Interaction Design, and AI-powered conversational experiences. Most recently, I led the design and launch of one of Verizon's first Gen AI experiences — a Billing journey within the Verizon Assistant powered by an SLM — establishing a blueprint for AI-powered product development across the organization. Since then, my involvement in AI has only grown; I'm currently leading multiple tracks of Generative AI work, each pushing me to apply my design skills in new ways — from crafting interactions that bring out the best in AI responses, to collaborating closely with engineers to identify and address gaps in guardrails, ensuring experiences that feel transparent, accurate, and worthy of customer trust. My experience spans UX for Generative AI, Voice, Conversation Design, Design Systems, IoT, Mixed Reality, and Hardware — always with a focus on making complex technology feel intuitive. My design practice is grounded in interaction design and strategic thinking — focused on defining the right experience, the right flow, and the right system architecture before ever getting to how something looks. I rely on design systems to handle visual consistency, which frees me to focus on what I find most meaningful: understanding business requirements, deeply listening to customer needs, and using feedback as a continuous input to refine and improve experiences over time. Beyond my work in tech, I'm an artist, researcher, and educator. My last course at Parsons School of Design's MFA Design & Technology program was Immigrant Food Futures — a speculative art and design course that allowed students to use technology to explore the intersection of immigration, agriculture, and food systems. My research and artistic practice span topics like immigration, gastronomy, agriculture, women's rights, climate change, and the future of food — though not always in the same conversation. I believe design has the power to change policy and impact society — and I try to live that out in both my professional and creative practice. I'm also fluent in a variety of design tools and programming languages — including JavaScript, ReactJS, Node, and Python — which allows me to bridge design and development in ways that make teams faster and products better. ## Work Experience ### Lead Experience Designer @ Verizon Jan 2021 – Present | New York, NY Lead Designer for Billing, Payments, and Account Management journeys — providing design direction, quality oversight, and representing design in cross-functional discussions while protecting timelines under the pressure of fast-moving AI launches. Collaborate with our lead design strategist to apply an experience design rubric assessing Generative AI responses through a UX lens — providing structured feedback on accuracy, personalization, and response quality to guide engineering and product partners. Led the design and launch of one of Verizon's first Gen AI experiences (2025): 'Bill Explain', using SLM responses to generate accurate, personalized bill summaries — increasing CSAT by 34% and establishing a standardized practice for AI product workflows across the Customer Experience Organization. Following the initial release of 'Bill Explain', I led design of Bill Dispute, Authentication enhancements, and Value-Centric Education features in Q4 2025–Q1 2026, adapting our practice to fit the speed and structure demands of Generative AI launches. Led One Bot — unifying Verizon's Wireless and Home chatbots into a single conversational experience — surpassing the 70% CSAT goal and reaching 79% in the first three months of full release. Led redesign of the Search and Assistant entry point, unifying and enhancing the rebranding experience across the My Verizon app. Spearheaded assisted sales chat experiences including live chat, video call, and callback functionality within the Verizon Assistant environment. Orchestrated implementation of the conversational design system to seamlessly integrate Verizon's Wireless and Home chatbot experiences. Mentored and guided emerging design team members through onboarding and professional development. ### Sr. Experience Designer @ Verizon Jan 2019 – Jan 2021 | New York City Metropolitan Area Lead an initiative to build Principles and Guidelines for Ethical Design intended to be used by the organization at large and was presented to senior leadership and the design organization. Participate in the design, documentation and development of the digital personality for the Verizon Assistant. Help build a conversational design system in which reusable linguistic content and design components support AI-enabled customer service experiences. Research, develop and design new initiatives aimed to increase AI-driven customer centered solutions across company channels. ### Lead Creative Technologist @ Verizon Jan 2017 – Jan 2019 | New York, New York Collaborate with designers to translate research, strategy and design thinking into front-end web, mobile and voice A.I prototypes. Contribute to building the first enterprise-wide design system, from inception to prototyping to development. Inform design teams on the impact of technologies, libraries, interactions, software and hardware on customer experiences. Facilitate design and technology working sessions with stakeholders and partners. Assist teams with design and development through prototyping and documentation. Help build the Design Technologist role in the Customer Experience (CX) design team. ### Sr. Product Designer @ Verizon Jan 2017 – Jan 2017 | Greater New York City Area Design and conceptualize new products through the use of technologies such as A.I, VR/AR and IoT for OTT streaming services which were part of an experimental team called Open Innovation Lab (now called 5G Labs). ### Adjunct Professor - Emigrant Food Futures @ Parsons School of Design - The New School Jan 2020 – Jan 2022 | New York City Metropolitan Area Aim to help graduate students discover the origins of technologies, how they impact our world, how to design for them and how to apply their technical skills to support present and futurist concepts. Course description: How would we use technology to imagine new ways of preserving potatoes? Or, if the spicy chili pepper goes extinct, how would technology remind us of the textures and tastes of a Sichuanese hotpot kitchen? Could you even imagine tacos in a world without corn? Emigrant Food Futures, a unifying evolution of gastronomy, aims to bring together cultural perspectives of how we can prototype new ideas behind the way we produce, package, transport, plate, cook, consume and dispose of food. In this course, students will understand the context and realities of immigrants and their food in the United States. Students will learn from topics like food extinction, climate change, agriculture, farmers knowledge and the current socio-political environment. Students will put into practice expressive points of view about the past, present and future of society in relation to food. In this course, students will be given short readings, podcasts, articles, documentaries and recipes as weekly assignments. There will be discussions, guest lectures, online cooking workshops and constant critique to inspire student concepts while improving their technical skills and design practice. Students will be expected to work on prototyping, development and deployment of their concepts. ### Adjunct Professor - Internet of Things @ Parsons School of Design - The New School Jan 2017 – Jan 2020 | Greater New York City Area Adjunct for Internet of Things in the MFA Design and Technology program. As an adjunct, my goal is to help students discover origins of technologies, how these impact our world, how to design for them and apply all technical skills to support concepts for courses like Major Studio or Thesis Studio in the graduate program. Course Description: By the end of 2020, society will surpass 55 billion internet-connected devices. Devices are now an extension of our connected self, as we easily connect ourselves online, anytime and anywhere. The internet no longer exists solely within our screens. Powered devices talk to other devices and we no longer interact with objects in the same way. As more devices get connected, the privacy and security of data generated by these devices increasingly becomes a concern. The rapid evolution of the Internet of Things is transforming how our cities and governments operate and revolutionizing how businesses deliver products and services. In this studio-based course, discover the origins of IoT, what technological innovations make it possible, and how it impacts our daily lives. Students will create their own Internet of Things enabled projects from concept to prototyping, development, and deployment. ### Adjunct Professor - Creativity and Computation @ Parsons School of Design - The New School Jan 2017 – Jan 2017 | Greater New York City Area Critical Computation Lab teacher in the MFA Design and Technology program. CC Lab is a 1st year core class that enables students to explore the basics of programming for art and design. Collaborated to develop the syllabus for the Fall 2017 semester which included physical computing with Arduino, front end development through Javascript and creative coding with the OpenFrameworks library. ### Studio Assistant @ Dark Matter Manufacturing Jan 2016 – Jan 2017 | Brooklyn, New York Partnering with award-winning Artist, Maker and Technologist Ayodamola Okunseinde working on a variety of projects related to food, agriculture, immigration and race at Dark Matter Studio in Brooklyn, NY. ### Fellow Advisor @ XRC Labs Jan 2016 – Jan 2017 | New York City Give advice and generate multiple ideas from a creative process thinking to various type of companies, particularly in the digital technology industry. ### Graduate Teaching Assistant @ Parsons School of Design - The New School Jan 2016 – Jan 2016 | New York, New York T.A for an Internet of Things course focusing on the use of raspberry pi communicating with a variety of other components like the Arduino or RFduino and the inclusion of sensors ### Design & Technology Bootcamp Teaching Fellow @ Parsons School of Design - The New School Jan 2016 – Jan 2016 | New York, New York Teaching fellow and chair of the Web section of Bootcamp, an intensive 23 day preparatory program for the incoming Parsons MFA Design & Technology students. Developed the curriculum and lesson plans for incoming students beginning in March throughout the summer. As a Web teaching fellow worked with the course teammates to develop the curricula and plan weekly activities. Required to meet for once a day 3 hour classes and open studio tutoring hours during the week. Exhibited sensitivity to cultural differences and demonstrated active support of the diversity reflected in the Design and Technology program. ### Design Project Assistant @ gadgITERATION - Parsons School of Design at The New School Jan 2016 – Jan 2016 | New York, New York Redeveloped the NoiseMaker project, which is an open source device that teaches children about the basics of electric circuits and switches. ### Laser Technician @ Jamieson Laser Jan 2012 – Jan 2015 | Litchfield, CT - Designed, developed, and managed marketing process and assets. Responsible for handling communication with vendors and partners and verifying proper execution. - Pitched and developed redesign of brand assets; including logo, stationery, marketing collateral, and packaging. - Designed mobile version of website to allow for improved user experience on tablets and phones. - Developed, implemented and managed new SEO initiatives. - Spearheaded the implementation of marketing investments that resulted in new lead generation strategies and a successful return on investment. - Implemented new process to manage new parts inventory, office supplies, vendor and customer contacts. - Operated Jamieson Laser machines for testing of new materials, troubleshooting with softwares, machine errors, change of spare parts, and find the various ways to accurately use our machines in a fast paced environment. - Taught new customers about laser machine systems and how they work. - Helped train new customers on how to install their machines and its parts (Water cooler for the CO2 laser, exhaust fan, and air assist compressor). - Performed great customer service duties such as answering phone calls and e-mails from customers asking about our laser systems. ### Shift Lead @ Ben & Jerry's Jan 2012 – Jan 2012 Performed opening and closing duties that included cash handling and a perfect store maintenance, as well as gave and kept an excellent customer service through management of staff (scoopers). ### Customer Service Associate/Scooper @ Ben & Jerry's Jan 2008 – Jan 2012 Performed customer service duties which included scooping ice cream and making other company products. Also, showed knowledge of all company products ranging from flavour ingredients and allergens to clothing products. Then, completed other duties such as managing cash transactions and ensuring customers a unique and enjoyable brand experience. ### Graphic Designer @ Well Wed Magazine Jan 2012 – Jan 2012 | Burlington, Vermont Area Worked on online advertising banners, managed customer phone calls; and draft, storyboarded, and designed advertisements for magazine clients. ### Gallery Assistant @ University of New Haven The Seton Art Gallery Jan 2009 – Jan 2011 | West Haven Assisted Gallery Director in managing the gallery. Gave gallery tours which included summary and history of art work exhibiting, while answering customer questions regarding design and point of sale. ### Graphic Design Freelancer @ socially good business Jan 2011 – Jan 2011 Gave advice on a identity/logo project for a new company especializing on providing CSR (Corporate Social Responsability) service. ### Graphic Design Freelancer @ Brenna, Brenna & Boyce, PLLC Jan 2011 – Jan 2011 Redesigned their logo using a new and crisp typeface accompanied by a personal design inspired on the history of the law firm. ### Graphic Design Apprentice @ Thoughtfaucet Jan 2011 – Jan 2011 Designed, storyboarded, and tested reality projects. Projects include Web Analytics Wednesdays: Burlington, Burlington Art Hop, Internet Flotsam Department, and Internet Cleanup Day. ### Graphic Design Intern @ Qualia Publicidad Jan 2009 – Jan 2009 ## Education ### Master of Fine Arts - MFA in Design & Technology Parsons School of Design - The New School ### Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design University of New Haven ### No Degree in Graphic Design Community College of Vermont ### High School Diploma Colegio Alpamayo ## Contact & Social - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/alonsojcastro - Portfolio: https://alonsocastrodesign.com - Portfolio: https://alonsocastrodesign.com/the-expelled - Portfolio: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tp9Bjr8VxDIOGEW6VrLkidYsbhf9XiL0/view?usp=sharing --- Source: https://flows.cv/alonsocastro JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/alonsocastro/resume.json Last updated: 2026-04-14