# Flavia Stoian > Head of Research @Candescent Location: San Francisco, California, United States Profile: https://flows.cv/flavia Research leader with a finance and quant background, with 10+ years of mixed-methods experience and 4+ years leading high-performing teams. I specialize in translating complex journeys into product priorities, scaling research programs and team operations, and improving product outcomes through clear, actionable insights. Known for strategic clarity, cross-functional influence, and building systems that accelerate research velocity and quality. ## Work Experience ### Head of Research and Insights @ Candescent Jan 2026 – Present | San Francisco Bay Area ### Research Manager - Growth and Banking Products @ Chime Jan 2024 – Jan 2026 ### Research Manager - Growth @ Chime Jan 2023 – Jan 2024 ### Research Manager - Core Experience @ Chime Jan 2021 – Jan 2023 | San Francisco Bay Area ### Senior User Experience Researcher @ Chime Jan 2020 – Jan 2021 | San Francisco Bay Area ### Senior User Experience Researcher @ Tripadvisor Jan 2020 – Jan 2020 | San Francisco Bay Area ### User Experience Researcher @ Tripadvisor Jan 2018 – Jan 2020 | San Francisco Bay Area Working with cross-functional teams on the world's largest traveling platform to understand user behaviors, needs, and attitudes, with the goal of designing a better infrastructure for suppliers all around the world to share authentic and memorable experiences. ### UX Design and Research Associate @ User Experience Center at Bentley University Jan 2016 – Jan 2018 | Greater Boston Area • I translated client’s strategic business goals into compelling, highly interactive prototypes, wireframes and UI specifications, built upon a strong foundation of research, information architecture and best practices in usability. • Developed qualitative research plans, task-based testing, and usability evaluations of products in various stages of development. • Conducted 1:1 interviews, prototype feedback, remote moderated and unmoderated testing, card sorting activities and designed surveys. • Analyzed user research findings, identified key behaviors and aggregated results into user empathy maps, roadmaps, and workflows that define user interactions, expectations, and experiences. • Worked with native mobile apps, web apps, video, and tabletop games, chatbots, e-commerce, consumer products, and services. ### Founder/Owner @ Whims MEDIA Jan 2011 – Jan 2015 | Bucharest based, worldwide availability • Provided corporate and government clients with a modular infrastructure and a set of services for video-streaming, designed to support the market for e-learning and remote professional training. • Designed the b2b informational flow and the UI with our online platform and our support service. • Designed the studio setup, including sound and light architecture. I overlapped the needs of the viewers with the needs of the lecturers and converged towards a solution within the business constraints to design a thoughtful and balanced experience. • Exited the company in 2015. ### Tenured Faculty & Researcher @ The Bucharest University of Economic Studies Jan 2008 – Jan 2015 | Bucharest • Researched, designed, taught, and authored student-centered class formats, grounded in user research with consideration for accessibility and inclusion. • Conducted qualitative and quantitative academic research projects. • Mentored and supervised and avg. of 15 graduate and undergraduate dissertations, annually. • Authored textbooks, school materials, and several research papers. • Associate director for the “Audit and Consultancy” M.S. program during 2008-2010. ## Education ### Master of Science (MS) in Human Factors in Information Design (HCI) Bentley University ### Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) in Business Administration and Management Bentley University ### Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Economics Academia de Studii Economice din București ## Contact & Social - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/flaviastoian - Portfolio: https://www.flaviastoian.com --- Source: https://flows.cv/flavia JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/flavia/resume.json Last updated: 2026-03-30