# Cara Kritikos > User Research Leader in Health Tech Location: Santa Cruz, California, United States Profile: https://flows.cv/carakritikos User research leader with a background in design, deep experience in healthcare, and passion for collaborating closely with designers and PMs to prioritize the right research, identify and craft the key insights, and share clear and actionable recommendations that drive product direction. ## Work Experience ### Sr. Manager, UX Research @ Cohere Health Jan 2024 – Present | San Francisco Bay Area Lead the user research practice within the product design team, collaborating with PMs, designers, and business leaders to ensure that all our products and features improve our complex healthcare system by being centered around real user needs. ### Senior UX Researcher @ Cohere Health Jan 2022 – Jan 2024 | San Francisco Bay Area ### UX Researcher @ Cohere Health Jan 2020 – Jan 2022 | San Francisco Bay Area ### Service Designer @ Iora Health Jan 2018 – Jan 2020 | Greater Boston Area Applied Human-Centered Design to improving and expanding the care delivery model of Iora's human-centric, value-based primary care for 40k Medicare-eligible seniors across the US. Used design research, journey-mapping, service blueprints and co-design, within a Scrum framework, to design services and supporting artifacts - including workflows, job aids, videos, trainings, and management tools - to improve patient experience and support care teams in providing exceptional care. ### Contract Design Researcher @ YLabs Jan 2017 – Jan 2018 | Oakland, CA & Burkina Faso Conducted evaluative research in Burkina Faso, testing rough prototypes with users for Beyond Bias: a Gates Foundation-funded project using human-centered design to increase youth access to family planning by addressing healthcare provider bias in Tanzania, Pakistan, and Burkina Faso. • In the field, conducted 38 hours of interviews and co-design sessions with midwives to test seven rough prototypes for desirability, and iterated on prototypes based on user feedback • Back in the US, collaborated with project lead to synthesize findings to determine the most desirable and impactful concepts to move into live prototyping • Wrote and designed 140-page Rough Prototyping final report for the five partner organizations ### Design Researcher @ Winnow Research Studio Jan 2016 – Jan 2017 | Oakland, CA Worked for two IDEO veteran design researchers, using qualitative research and design thinking techniques to bring actionable, relevant insights about real humans to inspire product and experience innovation. • Supported proposal-writing and research study design and planning • Led participant recruiting, with carefully-crafted criteria to build the most valuable mix of perspectives • Conducted in-context interviews, incorporating card sorts and co-design exercises • Thoroughly documented findings with photos, audio recordings, and interview transcriptions • Collaboratively and independently synthesized findings into actionable journeys, personas, and frameworks • Conducted remote diary studies through dscout • Prototyped and user-tested digital, print and service design concepts • Co-led workshops with clients, including presenting findings and facilitating brainstorms and concept development sessions Projects: Helping a nutrition brand understand how young moms think about health and diet; Helping a men's clothing brand understand how men think about clothes and shopping; helping a luxury furniture brand understand what customers want from delivery experience. ### Freelance Designer @ Self Employed Jan 2016 – Jan 2016 | San Francisco, California Designed user experiences, packaging, and graphics for clients in civic innovation, user research, and the outdoor industries. ### Product Experience Designer @ Oru Kayak Jan 2015 – Jan 2016 | San Francisco Bay Area Helped successful outdoor start-up grow and expand into retail by designing and implementing a strategy for a more intuitive and cohesive user experience across all brand touchpoints. • Designed Point-of-Purchase display concepts and supported manufacturer in production of final design • Designed and produced out-of-box experience for 12 products, including: packaging, assembly guides, owner's manuals, and additional print collateral • Produced assembly guide videos • Supported marketing team by designing weekly emails and digital ads for Google and Facebook ### Industrial Designer @ Oru Kayak Jan 2014 – Jan 2016 | San Francisco Bay Area • Designed and developed 5 models of award-winning folding kayaks and 6 accessories, from concept development and prototyping, through production • Developed product testing metrics and protocols • Worked closely with domestic and overseas manufacturers to produce components and final products. • Developed branding and strategy for expanding product line from 1 to 5 kayaks ### Industrial Design Intern @ Oru Kayak Jan 2014 – Jan 2014 | San Francisco Bay Area Collaboratively designed the second version of the Oru Kayak, focusing on features that enhanced usability. ### BFA Candidate, Industrial Design @ California College of the Arts Jan 2011 – Jan 2015 ### UX Design & Research Intern @ Intel Corporation Jan 2013 – Jan 2013 | San Francisco Bay Area Led UX design of new physical computing project: developed use cases, built wireframes, planned and conducted qualitative user research, collaborated with developers on interactive prototypes for user testing. Received employment offer. ### Art Dept. Concept Designer @ Cinderbiter / ShadeMaker Productions (Pixar) Jan 2012 – Jan 2012 | San Francisco Bay Area Designed and rapid prototyped concept models for a Henry Selick stop-motion feature film, alongside the makers of Coraline, Nightmare Before Christmas, and James and the Giant Peach. ### UX Research Intern @ Sococo Jan 2012 – Jan 2012 | San Francisco Bay Area Performed user research on sharing social information to make a more compelling experience in a desktop app for remote teams. Prototyped and tested concepts. ### Maker/Builder @ Various Shops & Studios Jan 2009 – Jan 2011 | San Francisco Bay Area Apprenticed with Tadao Arimoto Design & Woodworking, fabricated public art at Gizmo Art Production, restored wooden boats at the Maritime National Historic Park, built photo and video sets, and assisted Adam Savage from Mythbusters. ### Marketing & Communications Associate @ William McDonough + Partners Jan 2007 – Jan 2009 Identified business opportunities, prepared qualifications packages and presentations, fulfilled media requests, assisted with project research, and built project databases at one of the leading ecological architecture firms. ### Research Assistant to Prof. Katy Janda @ Oberlin College Environmental Studies Program Jan 2006 – Jan 2006 | Oberlin, OH Developed literature reviews on biofuel development, focusing on fuels from waste products and biofuel use in establishments of higher education. Initiated Oberlin College’s adoption of biofuels, by setting-up a system for Dining Services to donate their used vegetable oil, and writing a proposal for the Purchasing Dept. to buy a fleet of diesel catering vans. ## Education ### BFA in Industrial Design California College of the Arts ### BA in Environmental Studies Oberlin College ### Architecture Danish Institute for Study Abroad ### San Francisco Waldorf School & Waldorf High School ## Contact & Social - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/carakritikos --- Source: https://flows.cv/carakritikos JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/carakritikos/resume.json Last updated: 2026-04-13