Professional Summary
Professional Overview
Kat Holmes is a highly accomplished design leader with over 20 years of experience in the technology industry. As the Chief Design Officer and Executive Vice President at Salesforce, she is responsible for driving the company's overall design strategy, overseeing the user experience of its suite of products, and fostering a culture of inclusive design.
Experience Summary
Current Role
Kat currently serves as the Chief Design Officer and EVP at Salesforce, where she has been instrumental in shaping the company's design vision since 2022. In this role, she is responsible for leading a team of talented designers, researchers, and content strategists to deliver seamless and inclusive user experiences across Salesforce's cloud-based solutions. Under her leadership, the design organization has consistently delivered high-impact product innovations that have contributed to Salesforce's market dominance and customer satisfaction.
Career Progression
Prior to her current role, Kat held various design leadership positions at prominent technology companies. She served as the SVP of Product Design and UX at Salesforce, where she led the design strategy for the company's core product offerings. Before that, she was the Director of User Experience Design, Research, and Content at Google, where she played a pivotal role in enhancing the user experience of the tech giant's suite of products and services.
Kat's career also includes notable roles at Microsoft, where she was the Principal Design Director for Inclusive Design and the Principal Design Manager for the Windows Operating System. She is also an accomplished author, having written the acclaimed book "Mismatch: How Inclusion Shapes Design," published by The MIT Press.
Academic Background
Kat holds a strong academic background, having been a member of the Affiliate Faculty and a guest lecturer at the University of Washington. Her educational foundation includes a degree in Electromechanical Engineering, which has provided her with a unique perspective on the intersection of technology and design.
Areas of Expertise
Kat's areas of expertise span a wide range of design disciplines, including user experience design, product design, inclusive design, and content strategy. She is a recognized thought leader in the field of inclusive design, advocating for the creation of products and services that are accessible and inclusive to all users. Her technical competencies include proficiency in design tools, research methodologies, and agile development practices.
Professional Impact
Throughout her career, Kat has led the design of numerous award-winning products and initiatives that have had a significant impact on the technology industry. Her work has been recognized for its innovation, user-centricity, and commitment to accessibility and inclusion. As an author and industry speaker, she has also made substantial contributions to the broader design community, inspiring others to adopt more inclusive design practices.
Conclusion
Kat Holmes is a seasoned design executive with a proven track record of driving innovation and leading high-performing design teams. With her extensive experience, deep industry expertise, and commitment to inclusive design, she is poised to continue making a lasting impact at Salesforce and within the technology landscape.
