# Kate Huezo

> Founding Designer & Agentic AI UX Architecture Specialist | I build the trust layer between AI systems and the humans who use them | Hackathon winner

Location: San Francisco Bay Area, United States
Profile: https://flows.cv/katehuezo

Autonomous AI isn't a buttons problem. It's a trust problem. That's the thesis I've been designing around — and shipping around — for the past few years.

I'm a founding designer and agentic AI UX specialist. I come in at zero to one, before companies can afford a full team, and I make the design decisions that are hardest to undo later. I think like a founder, move like a senior designer, and have the receipts to prove it.

Recently: won a hackathon at AWS Builder Loft designing an approval-first AI agent interface. Built an AI-driven fantasy dating sim in two days — demoing at GDC 2026. Designed the UX for an autonomous videographer AI agent as a finalist at a YC-hosted hack night. Recurring judge and mentor at Google-sponsored Portfolio Night SF for several years running.

I've spoken at Notion HQ, WorkOS, and AWS Builder Loft on agentic frontends and AI product design. I write about it too — my piece "Designing an Approval-First AI Agent" lays out the core philosophy: the autonomy runs in the background. The human stays in control.

Before going independent, I was the first designer hired in the US at Blume Global, where I built and led a design team while shipping enterprise logistics tools that improved client retention by 25% and helped secure two major contracts.

If you're building an AI-first product and you need someone who can walk in, understand the vision in an hour, and ship something real before the week is out — let's talk.

## Work Experience
### Founder & Founding Designer @ Kate Huezo Designs
Jan 2025 – Present | San Francisco, California, United States
Kate Huezo Designs is my independent practice focused on founding design for early-stage AI startups. I come in at zero to one: before companies can afford a full team, after they desperately need one. I make the design decisions that are hardest to undo later.

Recent work:
Affections of Vissan — Built and shipped an AI-driven fantasy dating sim in 2 days. Demoing at Ukrainian Games Festival @ GDC 2026 (March 10–11)
MindShift — AI perspective-mapping tool. Won hackathon at AWS Builder Loft (Claude Code Hack Day)
Agentic Videographer Rep — UX for autonomous AI video agent. Finalist at Wordware OpenClaw Hack Night (YC S24 hosted)
Visianary — Full UX collaboration on a film crew marketplace startup (LinkedIn/Upwork for film production)
TimeLens / SF Waterfront — Interactive historical location visualization app

### Senior Product Designer @ WiseTech Global
Jan 2024 – Jan 2025 | San Ramon, California, United States
Joined WiseTech following their acquisition of Blume Global, where I had been the founding designer. Stayed through the integration to ensure design continuity and knowledge transfer across the combined product teams.

- Led UX initiatives across enterprise logistics tools, from research through high-fidelity delivery — ensuring seamless, accessible, user-friendly experiences at Fortune 500 scale
- Spearheaded usability improvements that increased client retention by 25%, streamlining interaction flows and reducing friction for complex, high-stakes user tasks
- Developed and refined a cohesive UX identity for WiseTech, balancing innovation with WCAG 2.1 accessibility compliance
- Partnered cross-functionally with PMs, engineers, and analysts through problem discovery workshops and usability research
- Mentored designers and educated cross-functional teams on UX best practices, fostering a culture of user-centered decision-making

### Lead UX Product Designer @ Blume Global
Jan 2023 – Jan 2024
Top 3 projects I've spearheaded:
Appointment scheduling - https://lnkd.in/gWrxYfsK
Port terminal efficiency optimization - https://lnkd.in/gezKkNTA
IoT integration for railroads - https://bit.ly/4akt2TJ

- Designed and prototyped solutions that improved client retention by 25% and contributed to securing two major contracts.
- Led the UX strategy for a detention and demurrage management dashboard (improved user satisfaction 34%) and a port/railway appointment managment system.
Improved automation workflows, optimizing customer network connectivity and logistics orchestration.
- Established a design system aligned with W3 accessibility standards and transitioned the design library from Sketch to Figma.
- Documented component specifications in Confluence and introduced progressive information disclosure to streamline user experiences.
- Collaborated closely with Product Managers, Developers, and Marketing teams to align UX with business goals.
- Mentored three junior designers, fostering team growth and knowledge-sharing.

### Founding Designer @ Blume Global
Jan 2021 – Jan 2024 | United States
First design hire in the United States at Blume Global; established the UX practice from scratch, grew a remote team of 3 designers in India, and saw the company through its acquisition by WiseTech Global (Fortune 500).
- Designed and shipped key enterprise tools including a dashboard for detention and demurrage management and a new port and railway appointment booking interface, directly supporting international freight coordination.
- Developed high-impact demo prototypes that helped the sales team secure 2 major client contracts, showcasing product potential in real-world scenarios.
- Spearheaded usability improvements that increased client retention by 25%, streamlining interaction flows and reducing friction for complex user tasks.
- Enhanced automation and resolution pathways, resulting in more reliable customer network connectivity and increased satisfaction.
- Actively contributed to design system curation in line with WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards and current UX best practices.
- Collaborated cross-functionally with PMs, engineers, and marketers to build cohesive, user-centered experiences across the platform.

### Founding UX Designer @ IntelleXt
Jan 2020 – Jan 2021 | San Francisco Bay Area
First and only designer at an early-stage AI startup; owned the full UX practice from research through delivery. Company acquired by Microsoft.
- Conducted extensive user research, creating personas, user flows, and detailed scenarios to enhance UX strategy.
- Led usability testing and A/B experiments, optimizing prototypes for web, mobile, and browser-based platforms.
- Designed and presented a prototype for a multinational aerospace company Rolls Royce, leading research and brand alignment efforts.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to rewrite website copy, improving value perception by 48%.

### User Experience Designer @ The RealReal
Jan 2019 – Jan 2020 | San Francisco Bay Area
- Reduced cognitive load by 21% through content strategy and journey optimization.
- Designed multi-path buying flows, category navigation, and omnichannel content systems.
- Conducted A/B testing to validate hypotheses on conversion, trust, and content hierarchy.
- Improved transactional clarity by refining pricing displays, condition grading, and authentication messaging.
- Partnered with data analysts to interpret behavioral patterns and spot friction points in funnel performance.
- Developed UX patterns for personalization, recommendations, and collection browsing — foundational for large-scale e-commerce.
- Collaborated with engineers to ensure design feasibility and optimize rendering across mobile + desktop.

### UX Content Writer @ The RealReal
Jan 2018 – Jan 2019 | San Francisco Bay Area
- While working in the team of 3 copywriters facilitated and authentication, evaluation of high luxury products and brands, artwork and furniture. 
- Wrote informative product descriptions using retail industry-standard terms, attributes and styles. 
- Organize and manage time to successfully publish and meet team's quota

### Web Designer @ Unleashed Art Gallery
Jan 2016 – Jan 2018 | Half Moon Bay
-Created responsive layouts, visual systems, and content structures to support exhibitions and online sales.
-Collaborated directly with curators, artists, and developers to translate creative briefs into functional digital experiences.
- Introduced early pattern libraries for consistent branding and navigation.

### Design Teaching Assistant @ Lim Kok Wing International University
Jan 2013 – Jan 2016 | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Led workshops on design fundamentals, interaction basics, and building visual hierarchy — sharpening communication and leadership skills.
- Guided students through iterative critique, helping them develop reasoning behind design decisions.
- Assisted with curriculum planning, design reviews, and project evaluations.

### Graphic & Web Designer @ Wei Ling Contemporary Art Gallery
Jan 2014 – Jan 2016 | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Represented the gallery at major international art fairs—including Art Basel Hong Kong 2015
- Led creative development for marketing campaigns, digital ads, and promotional materials that elevated the gallery’s presence across print and web. 
- Served as a visual consultant and co-director for documentary films on celebrated Malaysian artists, overseeing storyboards, art direction, and production coordination.
- Collaborated closely with gallery directors and artists to develop visual narratives for exhibitions and brand touchpoints.

### Senior Graphic Designer @ Kommersant
Jan 2011 – Jan 2013 | Moscow, Russian Federation
- Supported a fast-paced publishing house by managing end-to-end project logistics and daily operations. 
- Facilitated meetings with internal teams and high-profile clients including Forbes, The Times, Vanity Fair, Bloomberg, and Getty Images. 
- Developed and maintained the publishing’s digital asset library and photo archive, creating efficient systems for versioning and retrieval. 
- Assisted with vendor coordination, invoicing, and budgeting to keep projects on time and within scope.

### Graphic Designer @ Wortmann Holding (Tamaris Shoes Brand)
Jan 2008 – Jan 2012 | Moscow, Russian Federation
Tamaris is a leading European fashion brand represented in 32+ countries.
- Localized and redesigned brand marketing materials for the Russian market (print collateral, lookbooks, in-store signage, digital assets).
- Adapted global brand guidelines into cohesive Russia-market visual systems.
- Created display concepts for seasonal collections, ensuring visual consistency across product storytelling and merchandising.
- Managed the spatial design of event booths and pop-ups to align with brand identity.


## Education
### Certificate in UX/UI Design
University of California, Berkeley

### Master's Degree in Contemporary Art and Design
Limkokwing University of Creative Technology

### Bachelor's Degree in Fine and Studio Arts
Moscow Pedagogical State University

### Associate's degree in Business Administration and Management, General
Moscow State University of Economics, Statistics and Informatics (MESI)

### Course in Creative Writing
English Language Institute


## Contact & Social
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/kate-huezo
- Website: https://katehuezo.com

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Source: https://flows.cv/katehuezo
JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/katehuezo/resume.json
Last updated: 2026-04-08