I help companies orchestrate user experiences that redefine how people connect with technology, helping companies solve big problems through research-based design. I have launched five zero-to-one products, including AI-powered applications Leadership by Design (LxD), Leadership.ai, and CCL Passport, driving more than $20M in revenue and touching thousands of lives. My mission is to build teams that excel at research-based design, crafting UX that uplifts while aligning UX with business. I mentor designers to excellence, create scalable systems for global brands, and bring over 15 years of experience across food service, finance, and leadership to weave AI with strategic vision. I am passionate about empathetic, innovative UX that stakeholders and users love.

Phillip J. Zannini

I help companies orchestrate user experiences that redefine how people connect with technology, helping companies solve big problems through research-based design. I have launched five zero-to-one products, including AI-powered applications Leadership by Design (LxD), Leadership.ai, and CCL Passport, driving more than $20M in revenue and touching thousands of lives. My mission is to build teams that excel at research-based design, crafting UX that uplifts while aligning UX with business. I mentor designers to excellence, create scalable systems for global brands, and bring over 15 years of experience across food service, finance, and leadership to weave AI with strategic vision. I am passionate about empathetic, innovative UX that stakeholders and users love.

Available to hire

I help companies orchestrate user experiences that redefine how people connect with technology, helping companies solve big problems through research-based design. I have launched five zero-to-one products, including AI-powered applications Leadership by Design (LxD), Leadership.ai, and CCL Passport, driving more than $20M in revenue and touching thousands of lives.

My mission is to build teams that excel at research-based design, crafting UX that uplifts while aligning UX with business. I mentor designers to excellence, create scalable systems for global brands, and bring over 15 years of experience across food service, finance, and leadership to weave AI with strategic vision. I am passionate about empathetic, innovative UX that stakeholders and users love.

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Work Experience

Head of User Experience at Center for Creative Leadership
January 1, 2020 - Present
Architected, designed, and prototyped AI-integrated B2B consumer-focused digital workshop platforms, significantly contributing to over $10M in projected revenue. Developed AI-guided instructional learning platforms that streamline and gamify learning with spin-off potential. Drove a global UX strategy optimizing experiences across desktop, mobile, and emerging platforms. Conducted comprehensive mixed-method user research and overhauled e-commerce and website UX, leading to a 200% increase in engagement and 38% rise in form completion rates. Established accessible WCAG 2.1 AA-compliant Figma design systems optimized for RTL languages. Advocated user-centered design, collaborating closely with product and engineering teams to boost adoption and retention using data-driven insights.
User Experience Lead & Strategist at Compass Group USA
January 1, 2020 - July 15, 2025
Led end-to-end design of a PWA that streamlined workflows and contributed $8.5M in revenue. Redesigned a menu-building tool saving over 3,000 chefs and dietitians 3 hours per week, translating into ~$3.2M in annual savings. Simplified complex payroll and scheduling systems through iterative designs, reducing support costs by $2M and enabling $1M in annual savings. Collaborated with cross-functional teams to embed user-centered designs across multi-platform solutions, delivering intuitive and visually engaging interfaces.
Independent UX Consultant
December 31, 2011 - July 15, 2025
Redesigned key features for Bank of America's Merrill Edge customer-facing tools to improve UX. Developed a meta-tagging schema for Disney Consumer Products, improving catalog search and archiving efficiency with estimated savings of $300K per month. Led UX for international pharmaceutical site relaunch at Isobar, including competitive analysis and accessible design delivery.
Head of User Experience at Center for Creative Leadership
June 30, 2025 - August 26, 2025
Led the development and launch of innovative AI-powered leadership training platforms including Leadership by Design (LxD), an interactive gamified platform, and Leadership.ai, both aimed at expanding market reach. Designed the Passport platform integrating AI to generate $10M in revenue through highly customizable user experiences. Improved web and e-commerce platforms to increase user engagement and form completions significantly through mixed-method research and A/B testing. Built and managed a UX team from scratch, mentoring designers and implementing WCAG 2.1 AA-compliant design systems to support global accessibility.
User Experience Lead & Strategist at Compass Group USA
January 1, 2020 - August 26, 2025
Designed Wicket, a zero-to-one Progressive Web App projecting $8.5M revenue, which streamlined chef-supplier workflows via user research and prototyping. Reimagined WebTrition to improve efficiency for over 3,000 users, saving 3 hours weekly and $3.2M annually. Simplified payroll and scheduling systems reducing support costs by over $2M with user-focused wireframes. Founded and managed a UX design team, mentoring talent to senior roles and leading cross-functional projects for a multi-platform impact.
Independent UX Consultant at Multiple Clients including Bank of America, Disney Consumer Products, Isobar, MyVolt.com, Nationwide, National City Bank, Fidelity
December 31, 2011 - August 26, 2025
Delivered diverse UX projects across financial services and consumer products industries such as redesigning Merrill Edge features, developing meta-tagging systems for Disney catalog search saving $300K monthly, relaunching international pharmaceutical websites, and creating initial user/stakeholder research for Chevy Volt web presence. Enhanced Nationwide and Fidelity digital interfaces via heuristic analyses, A/B testing, and ethnographic research to increase conversions and update customer experiences.
Head of User Experience at Center for Creative Leadership
June 1, 2025 - June 1, 2025
Led the UX function, transforming leadership education with AI-powered platforms. Pioneered Leadership by Design (LxD) and Leadership.ai to unlock new markets, and crafted Passport, an AI-integrated platform generating $10M in revenue. Revamped web/e‑commerce UX, driving 200% engagement, 167% uplift in CTA interactions, and 38% form completions via mixed-method research and A/B testing. Built a UX team from scratch and deployed a WCAG 2.1 AA-compliant Figma system for global accessibility.
User Experience Lead & Strategist at Compass Group USA
January 1, 2020 - January 1, 2020
Designed Wicket, a zero-to-one PWA projecting $8.5M, streamlining chef-supplier workflows with research-driven prototyping and rapid iteration. Reimagined WebTrition, saving 3,000+ users 3 hours weekly and $3.2M annually through iterative, user-focused design. Simplified payroll and scheduling systems, cutting $2M+ in support costs with user-centered workflows. Founded a design team, mentoring talent to senior roles and leading cross-functional efforts for multi-platform impact.
Independent UX Consultant at Various Clients
January 1, 2011 - January 1, 2011
Delivered design strategy and execution for major brands including Bank of America/Merrill Lynch (Merrill Edge redesign), National City Bank (finance tracking), Fidelity NetBenefits (A/B testing and user testing), Nationwide (landing page optimization with 29% conversion lift), Lonza Pharmaceutical (international site relaunch), Disney Consumer Products (meta-tagging schema), and MyVolt.com (Chevy Volt site).

Education

Associate Degree at Community College of Rhode Island
January 1, 2000 - December 31, 2003
Associate Degree, Computer Science at Community College of Rhode Island
January 11, 2030 - August 26, 2025
Associate Degree, Business Administration at Community College of Rhode Island
January 11, 2030 - August 26, 2025
Associate Degree at Community College of Rhode Island
January 11, 2030 - November 5, 2025
Leadership Development Program (LDP) at Center for Creative Leadership
January 11, 2030 - November 5, 2025
Management: Strategy and Tactics at Interaction Design Foundation
January 11, 2030 - November 5, 2025
Information Mapping Certification at Information Mapping Institute (IMI)
January 11, 2030 - November 5, 2025
Behavioral Consultant at Institute for Motivational Living
January 11, 2030 - November 5, 2025

Qualifications

Leadership Development Program (LDP)
January 11, 2030 - July 15, 2025
UX Management: Strategy and Tactics
January 11, 2030 - July 15, 2025
Information Mapping Certification
January 11, 2030 - July 15, 2025
Behavioral Consultant
January 11, 2030 - July 15, 2025
Leadership Development Program (LDP)
January 11, 2030 - August 26, 2025
UX Management: Strategy and Tactics – Interaction Design Foundation
January 11, 2030 - August 26, 2025
Information Mapping Certification – IMI
January 11, 2030 - August 26, 2025
Behavioral Consultant – Institute for Motivational Living
January 11, 2030 - August 26, 2025
Leadership Development Program (LDP)
January 11, 2030 - November 5, 2025
Information Mapping Certification
January 11, 2030 - November 5, 2025
Behavioral Consultant
January 11, 2030 - November 5, 2025

Industry Experience

Professional Services, Education, Consumer Goods, Non-Profit Organization, Software & Internet, Financial Services, Retail, Media & Entertainment