UX Design Consultants in Seattle to Watch for in 2025
Seattle UX Experts to Know in 2025
Seattle is more than just coffee, rain, and iconic skylines—it's a hub of human-centered innovation. From the bustling offices of major tech players to nimble startup studios tucked into Capitol Hill lofts, UX design is shaping how the city works, learns, connects, and thrives. And behind these meaningful experiences are some of the most brilliant and empathetic UX consultants in the country.
At Digital Reference, we know that the value of a digital product is determined by the clarity and care of its user experience. That’s why we created this annual spotlight: to help businesses, founders, and design leaders find the UX design consultants in Seattle who are truly pushing the craft forward.
Whether they’re freelancers, small studio founders, or leaders within larger firms, each of the following professionals is doing something truly special. To create this list, we used a multi-tiered selection methodology that includes:
- Intensive portfolio reviews
- Cross-platform reputation analysis (LinkedIn, website, speaking engagements, etc.)
- First-hand insights from product leaders and design collaborators
- Relevance to Seattle's tech and innovation ecosystem
- Alignment with Digital Reference's values: clarity, inclusivity, insight-driven creativity, and ethical design
Now, let’s dive into the standout UX consultants shaping Seattle's design future in 2025.
Matt Heilman
Matt Heilman has made a career out of making the complex feel intuitive—and even enjoyable. As the founding UX designer at Upbound, Matt has spent over five years building cloud-native tools that empower organizations to scale across public and private clouds. But don’t let the technical context fool you; Matt's designs are filled with warmth and clarity.
Why he stands out:
- ✨ Spearheaded design and user testing for Upbound's Kubernetes-based control planes
- ✨ Known for balancing data-heavy UX with friendly, branded visuals (mascot design included!)
- ✨ Brings deep experience in mobile app design, responsive systems, and SaaS ecosystems
- ✨ Actively works in agile, scrappy teams, bridging design and engineering
Matt's personal mission? "Make traditionally unexciting tasks more delightful" through clean, user-first interaction patterns. This perspective shows up in every click, hover state, and dashboard detail.
Nick Finck
A true heavyweight in the design world, Nick Finck has done it all: led teams at Amazon Web Services, Facebook, Ubermind, projekt202, and more. Today, as founder of Craft & Rigor, he offers a level of UX strategy that can redefinean organization.
Nick's key impact areas:
- 🔹 Optimized design operations for Fortune 100 teams
- 🔹 Mentored countless designers in career transitions
- 🔹 Delivered over 100 public talks across 10 countries
- 🔹 Published Digital Web Magazine, one of the first digital pubs for UX pros
Nick is who companies call when they need more than a great designer—they need a systems thinker who can level-up an entire org. From design systems to hiring pipelines, his consulting work is deeply embedded in the people and processes that support sustainable UX success.
Jeff White
If you’ve ever used a Kindle app, you’ve probably interacted with Jeff White’s work. After six intense years at Amazon (and more presentations to Jeff Bezos than he can count), Jeff co-founded Stepladder, a design studio with a focus on healthcare and high-stakes systems.
Highlights of Jeff's journey:
- 🔹 Designed and launched dozens of Kindle products
- 🔹 Built Stepladder into a 7-figure design firm that’s 100% referral-based
- 🔹 97% client return rate, thanks to strong relationship building
- 🔹 Focus on medical technologies and patient-centered design
Jeff’s philosophy: "You can't do it alone." It’s a humble but powerful reminder of why Stepladder succeeds—great design is always a team sport.
Corey Gutch
Corey Gutch brings design activism into the spotlight. As co-founder of Civilization, he leads work that spans climate action, LGBTQ+ history, immigration rights, and beyond. With a career that began at Adobe and a teaching background at UW, Corey is deeply rooted in design excellence and civic engagement.
Design impact with purpose:
- 🌟 Winner of the Cooper Hewitt National Design Award
- 🌟 Webby winner for Best Activism Website
- 🌟 Led design workshops globally, from Hong Kong to Seattle
- 🌟 Clients include: Smithsonian, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Shout Your Abortion
Corey’s work shows how UX can be a form of advocacy. With every project, Civilization proves that design can change hearts, policies, and lives.
Kevin Decker
Few UX leaders move as fluidly across research, strategy, and systems thinking as Kevin Decker. As Co-founder and Head of Research & Strategy at Dupla Studios, Kevin has spent nearly a decade helping ambitious teams—from grassroots nonprofits to global tech giants—turn ambiguity into clarity.
What sets Kevin apart:
🔹 Former UXR strategy lead at Microsoft and AWS
🔹 1,000+ global interviews and 9+ years leading Dupla Studios
🔹 Known for turning complex workflows into intuitive experiences
Kevin’s work spans AI, education, health, and sustainability—always rooted in inclusive research and deep curiosity. Whether building trust into event logistics tools for dBocl, designing CES-stageworthy teleoperation UIs for autonomous driving, or helping nonprofits like WACEFE reach underserved communities, Kevin’s work unlocks direction, not just insight.
Teams don’t just get research—they get a partner who challenges assumptions, facilitates strategy, and makes the complex beautifully clear.
Hayley Higgins
At Allovus, Hayley Higgins bridges UX and talent cultivation. As a creative leader with a deep background in UX hiring and mentoring, she ensures companies find not just the right skillsets—but the right humans to lead them.
Why Hayley matters:
- 🔹 Expert in UX staffing and design team development
- 🔹 Deeply involved in fostering diverse, equitable design ecosystems
- 🔹 Leads with empathy and a long-term view of team growth
Hayley doesn’t just connect designers with companies—she helps build sustainable design cultures that last.
Suzanne Boyd
With a company name like Anthro-Tech, you know Suzanne Boyd is serious about human-centered design. Her consultancy is laser-focused on public sector, nonprofit, and mission-driven orgs.
Core strengths:
- 🔹 25+ years of UX research leadership
- 🔹 Trusted advisor to government and social impact orgs
- 🔹 Applies rigorous usability standards in high-stakes environments
Suzanne’s approach blends research rigor with civic compassion. In a city that values both innovation and inclusion, her work hits the mark.
Rob Girling
As co-founder and CEO of Artefact, Rob Girling is shaping what it means to be a design futurist. His team blends product, strategy, and systems thinking to help major companies navigate ethically complex spaces.
Why Rob is a leader to know:
- 🔹 Runs one of Seattle's most respected design strategy firms
- 🔹 Leads projects with a focus on equity, AI, and public policy
- 🔹 A pioneer in responsible tech and sustainable design frameworks
Artefact is where vision meets values, and Rob is the compass.
Khaiersta Flowers English
Founder of Flower Press Interactive, Khaiersta brings decades of product and UX experience to projects that span industries and impact areas. Her team designs and builds with clarity, beauty, and purpose.
Where she shines:
- 🔹 Worked with Visa, Adobe, SurveyMonkey, Nike, Time Inc.
- 🔹 Focus on health, environmental, and educational products
- 🔹 Leads projects end-to-end: from research to development to launch
Khaiersta is a full-stack design leader who brings compassion into every build.
Aaron Shurts
LinkedIn | Mentor Creative Group
At Mentor Creative Group, Aaron Shurts stands out not just as a Founder and Creative Director, but as a builder of teams, trust, and truly resonant digital experiences. What began in 2014 as a one-person studio has grown into a bicoastal agency with a reputation for collaborative, high-touch partnerships and consistently excellent UX and creative delivery.
What sets Aaron apart:
- 🔹Founder-led creative with scale: Aaron transformed Mentor from a solo venture into a full-service design studio with offices in Seattle and Miami—proving that quality, craft, and culture don’t have to be sacrificed for growth.
- Human-centered leadership: Aaron sees team development as inseparable from project success. He fosters an environment where personal growth drives business impact, and mentorship is baked into the day-to-day.
- Trusted advisor, not just vendor: Clients don’t just come to Mentor for execution—they stay for strategy. Aaron brings a consultative approach that helps clients build long-term capabilities, not just one-off solutions.
- Design that serves the whole ecosystem: From enterprise platforms to creative campaigns, Aaron’s work is grounded in aligning user needs, business goals, and team aspirations—because when those are in sync, innovation follows.
Aaron’s north star? Design work that uplifts everyone it touches: the user, the client, and the team delivering it.
Josh Kornfeld
Josh Kornfeld leads Tactile, a UX and product design consultancy that crafts delightful, durable experiences across industries. Think industrial, medical, and consumer tech—but with heart.
Key points of difference:
- 🔹 Design philosophy focused on functional beauty
- 🔹 Long-term partnerships with brands like Microsoft, GE, and Disney
- 🔹 Emphasizes collaboration between engineers and designers
Josh is passionate about designing products that actually make life better. Not just for show. Not just for launch day.
Matt Cibelli
Founder of UX Animal, Matt Cibelli is the go-to consultant for aligning design strategy with team motivation. With 15+ years of leading UX for giants like Amazon and Apple, Matt knows how to bring vision and execution into harmony.
What makes Matt great:
- 🔹 Skilled in team consensus building and stakeholder alignment
- 🔹 Expert in launching high-quality products on deadline
- 🔹 Known for motivating teams through clear communication and inspiration
Matt’s superpower? Turning ambiguity into alignment.
Why These Consultants (and Why Now)?
Seattle's UX scene is thriving. It’s packed with design thinkers who care deeply about clarity, access, and better outcomes. These consultants bring something extra: a point of view, a history of delivery, and a commitment to evolving the craft.
At Digital Reference, we believe great UX is more than a job title—it’s a mindset. That’s why we spotlight those who raise the bar across ethics, execution, and empathy.
Digital Reference is your go-to partner for surfacing great UX talent, decoding hiring trends, and helping design leaders grow. We connect the dots between digital teams and the insights they need to thrive.
Check out who we are and what we stand for—because your next design decision deserves clarity, too.
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