KAYLA GRAVES
SR. DESIGNER
STRATEGIST
INNOVATOR
About Me
I started out learning code; but while building my first app I realized I had more interest in how the app would look and feel... Now I couple design thinking with an entrepreneurial mindset to get results.
Web, Native Mobile, & SaaS Designer with +7 Years of Experience From PA. Worked with Zola & Restaurant365 on both consumer-facing & enterprise SaaS, web, and native apps.
Experience in end-to-end design including: leading teams, owning stakeholder relations, rapid iterative prototyping and even brand strategy and writing code. Microsoft Azure AI Certified.
Solutions
Strategy
RECs
"I directly managed Kayla when we were both working on the commerce team at Zola. We actually initially connected over LinkedIn when she sent me a thoughtful message asking career opportunities for General Assembly UX alumni!
During her time at Zola, Kayla helped with two major user research initiatives: 1) improving the usability of Zola's eCommerce shopping experience and 2) diagnosing issues in the funnel of Zola's newly launched Wedding Albums builder. As part of both these projects, she moderated interviews with customers over Zoom and lead the documentation and organization of research findings. In collaboration with cross functional product, engineering, design, and marketing teams, findings were then translated into on-site UX changes that had an immediate positive impact on conversion.
As my direct report, Kayla was always accountable and proactive. She was highly communicative and always delivered her work on time, and, importantly, took feedback seriously and graciously. Additionally, her warm outgoing personality made her a great team member and collaborator.”
“Kayla is the best. Period."
“I've had the pleasure of working alongside Kayla at Restaurant365, where her talent and dedication as a Senior Product Designer have truly stood out. Kayla is one of the most hard-working professionals I know, always willing to go the extra mile to deliver exceptional results. Her empathy for end users is on a whole other level; she has an innate ability to understand their needs and perspectives, which makes her designs both intuitive and impactful.
Kayla has made a tremendous impact in building enterprise experiences for our major customers, including GPS Hospitality, a major Burger King, Popeyes & Pizza Hut franchisee. Her work has significantly contributed to creating user-centered solutions that align perfectly with the goals of our customers. She's a true asset to any team and an inspiring colleague to work with."
“Kayla is an amazing team member in every sense of the word. She brings brilliant talent and leadership to her teams—always ready to provide excellent feedback and support.
During my time working with Kayla at Zola.com, she never shied away from a challenge that faced her and she turned out amazing work that will live on with Zola for years to come. Kayla truly brings such a positive influence to any team she works on and I know I've grown as a designer because of her.”
Product Designer
- Spearheading end-to-end product development via leading research and strategy initiatives, rapid prototyping, conceptual and live live product testing, and UI design
- Orchestrating and leading in-person, cross-functional planning summits, between design, product, and engineering teams in order to build world class products for SMB, Mid-market, and enterprise customers driving substantial growth in YOY ARR
- Mentoring junior and senior designers through regular 1:1s, ensuring polished feature development and fostering professional growth within the team
Product Designer
- Partnered with cross-functional teams to align project goals, communicate design decisions to internal stakeholders, and ensure synergy between design, engineering, marketing, and the copywriting team - resulting in seamless integration of design solutions into existing Zola
- Pioneered innovative design approaches, contributing to the continuous advancement of Zola's product offerings resulting in a 47% increase in draft to order conversion & an 86% increase in users who ordered an album within 24 hours of starting one within the Zola Albums tool
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Now Product Design Lead @ Branch Care
"I directly managed Kayla when we were both working on the commerce team at Zola. We actually initially connected over LinkedIn when she sent me a thoughtful message asking career opportunities for General Assembly UX alumni!
During her time at Zola, Kayla helped with two major user research initiatives: 1) improving the usability of Zola's eCommerce shopping experience and 2) diagnosing issues in the funnel of Zola's newly launched Wedding Albums builder. As part of both these projects, she moderated interviews with customers over Zoom and lead the documentation and organization of research findings. In collaboration with cross functional product, engineering, design, and marketing teams, findings were then translated into on-site UX changes that had an immediate positive impact on conversion.
As my direct report, Kayla was always accountable and proactive. She was highly communicative and always delivered her work on time, and, importantly, took feedback seriously and graciously. Additionally, her warm outgoing personality made her a great team member and collaborator.”
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“I couldn't be happier with the work this designer did for me! They took my outdated website and gave it a fresh, modern look that really elevated my brand. They were incredibly patient with my endless questions and satisfied.”
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Now Staff Product Designer (Generative AI) @ Mailchimp
“Kayla is an amazing team member in every sense of the word. She brings brilliant talent and leadership to her teams—always ready to provide excellent feedback and support.
During my time working with Kayla at Zola.com, she never shied away from a challenge that faced her and she turned out amazing work that will live on with Zola for years to come. Kayla truly brings such a positive influence to any team she works on and I know I've grown as a designer because of her.”
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Now Head of Product at Craftable
“Kayla is the best. Period."
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