Hi, I'm Michaela UlibarriUser Experience Advocate and Leadership Nerd
Global UX and Design executive with 15+ years leading and scaling multi-disciplinary design organizations across complex enterprise SaaS environments.
About Me
My Superpower
At my core, I'm driven by a passion for transforming complexity into clarity. Whether that's working with your designers on designing intuitive interfaces, or working with your executives defining product strategy and enhancing customer experience, I thrive on solving tough challenges with innovative solutions. My problem-solving mindset extends beyond pixels and code—it's about understanding user needs, anticipating edge cases, and fostering a mindset where quality and simplicity meet.
My enthusiasm for creating seamless experiences isn't just professional—it's personal. In my free time I dig into new hobbies and interests like pickleball, coding and hiking. I'm just as focused on ensuring every detail is optimized to deliver maximum value.
Turning Ideas into Reality
User Experience Design and Product Strategy
Creating intuitive, accessible user interfaces. I excel at defining product roadmaps that balance user needs, business objectives, and technical feasibility.
Design System Frameworks and Leadership
Building design systems and leading multi-disciplinary teams. I am passionate about creating scalable design systems and fostering collaborative, high-performing teams.
User Research and Customer Experience
Championing user-centered design and customer experience improvements. I prioritize data-driven insights to guide design decisions, optimize usability, and elevate overall customer satisfaction.
I believe in the power of design to transform how users interact with technology—making it more intuitive, accessible, and delightful.
Skills & Technologies
A versatile skill set that spans design, development, and strategy.
Figma
HTML/CSS
JavaScript/TypeScript
React
Next.js
Tailwind CSS
User Research
Design Systems
Accessibility
Recent Projects
Some of the exciting projects I've had the privilege to work on.
What People Say
Here's what colleagues and clients have to say about working with me.
Lisa Johnson
Director of Technical Writing, Google
"Michaela is an exceptional designer and leader. Her ability to understand complex user needs and translate them into intuitive designs is remarkable. We started our professional careers together and I'm glad to call her a friend."
C. Vincent Plummer
Principal UI/UX Designer, Conga
"Mic is a groovy boss and a better human. She nurtured my career and I'd work for her anywhere."
Carmen Chiarello
Director of Program Management, PMP, CSM, Conga
"Michaela (Mic's) collaborative spirit makes working together a pleasure."
Let's Work Together
Have a project in mind or want to discuss opportunities? Feel free to reach out!
umichaela@gmail.com