jon carroll

Teams + design

through mindfulness

I’m a people-first design leader who’s spent more than two decades shaping products and teams for some of the world’s most recognized brands — from Disney to Nike, and Starbucks to Realtor.com, where I served as Vice President of Product Design.

Throughout my career, I’ve led organizations through growth, mergers, and transformation — uniting design, research, content, and accessibility into high-impact, human-centered systems. I believe great design isn’t just about craft; it’s about clarity, trust, and the cultures we build to support them.

My teams and I have scaled multi-million-user platforms, built design systems adopted company-wide, and elevated design from a function into a force for business and human progress. Whether launching a startup or evolving an enterprise ecosystem, I approach every challenge with the same mindset: lead with empathy, simplify the complex, and help people do their best work.

When I’m not building teams or products, you’ll probably find me training for a marathon, working on a costume or prop I'm trying to build, or exploring how mindfulness and creativity shape leadership.

work experience

Building products, experiences, and organizations. VP+ roles for the last 12 years.

2019-2024

Realtor.com

VP, Product Design

Led a 50+ person global design organization across product design, UX research, content strategy, accessibility, and design operations. Member of the executive leadership team responsible for UX strategy, platform modernization, and multi-surface experience alignment for 75M+ monthly users. Owned a multi-million-dollar P&L covering headcount, tooling, operations, research, and accessibility programs. Key achievements: Directed full redesign of iOS/Android mobile apps using discovery, AI-assisted insights, and rapid testing, raising App Store ratings 4.2 → 4.9 and increasing mobile for-sale revenue 7% YoY. Unified six legacy/acquired design systems into a single scalable, accessible system, creating 7-figure annual savings and accelerating delivery velocity across product and engineering. Modernized experience architecture, navigation, and visual identity for both consumer and Pro SaaS surfaces. Drove operational excellence through migration from Sketch/InVision to Figma Enterprise, reducing contract costs and cross-functional friction by six figures annually. Built design career ladders, mentorship programs, and leadership-development structures that elevated design maturity across the company. Executive Sponsor, Real Accessible ERG for employees with disabilities, as well as caregivers Partnered with People, DEI, and Accessibility teams to strengthen inclusive design practices across the org

2019-2024

Realtor.com

VP, Product Design

Led a 50+ person global design organization across product design, UX research, content strategy, accessibility, and design operations. Member of the executive leadership team responsible for UX strategy, platform modernization, and multi-surface experience alignment for 75M+ monthly users. Owned a multi-million-dollar P&L covering headcount, tooling, operations, research, and accessibility programs. Key achievements: Directed full redesign of iOS/Android mobile apps using discovery, AI-assisted insights, and rapid testing, raising App Store ratings 4.2 → 4.9 and increasing mobile for-sale revenue 7% YoY. Unified six legacy/acquired design systems into a single scalable, accessible system, creating 7-figure annual savings and accelerating delivery velocity across product and engineering. Modernized experience architecture, navigation, and visual identity for both consumer and Pro SaaS surfaces. Drove operational excellence through migration from Sketch/InVision to Figma Enterprise, reducing contract costs and cross-functional friction by six figures annually. Built design career ladders, mentorship programs, and leadership-development structures that elevated design maturity across the company. Executive Sponsor, Real Accessible ERG for employees with disabilities, as well as caregivers Partnered with People, DEI, and Accessibility teams to strengthen inclusive design practices across the org

2016-2019

Spiceworks

Head of Design

Directed product design across SaaS IT management tools and large-scale media products (millions of monthly pageviews). Established the company’s first unified design system and significantly scaled research maturity. Built a comprehensive cross-product design system, driving consistency, accessibility, and engineering alignment across all surfaces. Led IA/UX redesign that increased session duration 27% and improved feature discoverability. Designed a dynamic, server-driven content architecture improving personalization, reducing ad load, and driving monetization. Led 0→1 development of IT education and certification products, integrating content design and game mechanics.

2016-2019

Spiceworks

Head of Design

Directed product design across SaaS IT management tools and large-scale media products (millions of monthly pageviews). Established the company’s first unified design system and significantly scaled research maturity. Built a comprehensive cross-product design system, driving consistency, accessibility, and engineering alignment across all surfaces. Led IA/UX redesign that increased session duration 27% and improved feature discoverability. Designed a dynamic, server-driven content architecture improving personalization, reducing ad load, and driving monetization. Led 0→1 development of IT education and certification products, integrating content design and game mechanics.

2013-2015

Livefyre (Adobe)

VP, Creative

Built and led a multidisciplinary design organization delivering enterprise-scale engagement experiences for global brands. Oversaw multi-million-dollar P&Ls for client programs and creative/UX solutions. Delivered white-label product and interactive experiences for Disney, Nike, Playstation, and The Oscars. Developed frameworks and UX components later adopted by Adobe post-acquisition. Coached senior ICs and managers through leadership development, executive communication, and client strategy.

2013-2015

Livefyre (Adobe)

VP, Creative

Built and led a multidisciplinary design organization delivering enterprise-scale engagement experiences for global brands. Oversaw multi-million-dollar P&Ls for client programs and creative/UX solutions. Delivered white-label product and interactive experiences for Disney, Nike, Playstation, and The Oscars. Developed frameworks and UX components later adopted by Adobe post-acquisition. Coached senior ICs and managers through leadership development, executive communication, and client strategy.

2012-2013

Chaotic Moon (Accenture)

Head of Product Marketing

Partnered with Disney, Starbucks, Marvel, Whole Foods, and other global brands to define digital product strategy, launch new experiences, and drive user engagement.

2012-2013

Chaotic Moon (Accenture)

Head of Product Marketing

Partnered with Disney, Starbucks, Marvel, Whole Foods, and other global brands to define digital product strategy, launch new experiences, and drive user engagement.

2008-2012

Gowalla (Facebook)

Product Marketing

0→1 startup product design and strategy; grew the platform to millions of global users. Partnered with Disney, UMG, Sony Pictures, and other major brands on integrations.

2008-2012

Gowalla (Facebook)

Product Marketing

0→1 startup product design and strategy; grew the platform to millions of global users. Partnered with Disney, UMG, Sony Pictures, and other major brands on integrations.

brands I've worked with

I've created products and experiences for some of the world's most recognizable brands, spanning verticals from consumer and entertainment, to SaaS and healthcare.