In this sixth and final episode of season 5 of Design Futures, I talk with Taneisha Lugo, a principal product designer at Peacock, NBCUniversal’s streaming platform, where she designs interactive features including mini games, short form content, and experiences tied to major properties like the NBA and the Olympics. Taneisha has previously worked at companies including Instagram, BuzzFeed, HuffPost, and 2communiqué, and her work has been recognized by the Albany Ad Club, Adweek, and the Webby Awards. She is a 2014 graduate of The College of Saint Rose.

We trace Taneisha’s path from studying fine arts to discovering graphic design and ultimately building a career in digital product design. She reflects on balancing school with real world agency work, and how early exposure to social media campaigns and app design introduced her to UI and UX as distinct but increasingly connected disciplines.

Much of the conversation centers on her evolution from visual designer to product designer, and what that role actually means today. Taneisha walks through how product design brings together user flows, visual systems, prototyping, and collaboration within cross functional teams made up of design, engineering, and product leads. She shares how her role has expanded to include leadership, mentorship, and guiding projects from early ideation through launch and iteration. She discusses the challenge of creating intuitive, engaging experiences for TV interfaces, where users interact through a remote and where innovation often means designing without clear precedents.

We wrap up with talk of New York City walks, bakery research, shortbread cookies, and the realities of balancing work, life, and creative growth.

Time to grab a coffee and a pastry, and have a listen.

Show Links

• Taneisha’s Portfolio
• LinkedIn Profile
• Peacock
• NBCUniversal
• BuzzFeed
• HuffPost
• 2communiqué
• The College of Saint Rose
• NBA
• Olympics
• Adweek
• The Webby Awards
  

The Intro Music

• • Synergistic Effect by morgantj (copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.)

In episode 5, I talk with Alex Terry, the Global Social Creative Innovation Lead at Motorola, who develops large-scale digital and social campaigns for global audiences. Alex’s work spans brand, advertising, and social media innovation, and includes campaigns connected to Super Bowl 59 as well as work for brands such as Rocket Mortgage, Walgreens Health, 92 Shoes, and Sky Zone. Alex is also an entrepreneur who launched Wisher, a grain-free vodka made from beets, and previously founded EM + ME, a pet and party supply company. He is a 2012 graduate of Ringling College of Art and Design.

We start at the beginning, tracing Alex’s creative path from growing up in Texas and initially considering architecture at Texas A&M before realizing that math heavy blueprints were not quite the right fit. A high school animation teacher encouraged him to explore Ringling, and a quickly assembled portfolio ultimately led him to join the inaugural advertising design class.

Much of the conversation centers on how Alex combines creativity, business thinking, and experimentation across multiple industries. At Ringling he gravitated toward advertising as a natural bridge between art and business, reflecting the influence of both sides of his family. He also shares memories from his time as a student, including foundational design exercises and some very unexpected extracurricular activities.

One of those activities involved bringing real life Quidditch to campus. What started as a playful student club quickly grew into something much bigger, eventually leading Alex to serve as chairman of the board for the International Quidditch Association. The story is a perfect example of how curiosity, community, and a willingness to experiment can turn into a global phenomenon.

We also talk about his current work leading social innovation at Motorola, how modern campaigns move fluidly across platforms, and why creative careers often look less like a straight line and more like a series of experiments. Alex shares insights on entrepreneurship, brand storytelling, and the value of staying open to unexpected opportunities.

It’s time for the wisdom and magic of episode 5.

Show Links

• Alex’s Portfolio
• LinkedIn Profile
• Instagram Profile
• EM + ME
• EM + ME (Instagram)
• Motorola
• Wisher Vodka
• International Quidditch Association
• Ringling College of Art and Design
• Super Bowl
  

The Intro Music

• Synergistic Effect by morgantj (copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.)

In this episode of Design Futures, I talk with Alyssa Varsanyi, a UX/UI designer, formerly of Oomph, where they worked on high performance digital solutions for mission driven organizations including the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, National Environmental Education Foundation, Roger Williams Park Zoo, Columbia Health, and Massachusetts Legal Help. In 2024, they were named a Person to Watch by Graphic Design USA. Alyssa holds a Master of Professional Studies in UX Design from the Maryland Institute College of Art and is a 2018 graduate of The College of Saint Rose.

We trace Alyssa’s creative beginnings, from Microsoft Paint experiments and Neopets HTML hacks to becoming a tour guide for the Saint Rose art department and fully embracing what they call “graphic design bootcamp.” They reflect on how critique culture, interdisciplinary thinking, and following threads between subjects, including a geology inspired typeface project, shaped their design philosophy.

Much of the conversation centers on their pivot from print focused graphic design to UX strategy. Alyssa talks candidly about feeling stuck while working at a pharmaceutical company, enrolling in graduate school during the pandemic, and discovering a deep love for research, user interviews, affinity mapping, and design strategy. We dig into their MICA thesis project, a theater companion app built through field research in New York City, and how learning to choose the right methodology became one of their most valuable skills.

We also explore their UX work on projects involving suicide prevention and legal aid platforms, designing for users in vulnerable, high stress situations and advocating for accessibility and clarity above aesthetics. Alyssa shares how research, empathy, and strategy guide their process, and why staying curious is the most important trait a designer can cultivate.

We wrap up with Broadway soundtracks, true crime podcasts, Pokémon Go, mini cans of Dr Pepper, and a memorable no shirt user interview story that reinforces the importance of boundaries in research.

Time to get dressed, grab a seltzer or a mini Dr Pepper, and have a listen.

Show Links

• Alyssa’s Portfolio
• LinkedIn Profile
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
• National Environmental Education Foundation
• Roger Williams Park Zoo
• Massachusetts Legal Help
• The College of Saint Rose
• Graphic Design USA
• Adobe Dreamweaver
• Figma
• UX Strategy by Jaime Levy
• Neopets
• Pokémon Go
• Boop! The Musical
  

The Intro Music

• Synergistic Effect by morgantj (copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.)