Aaron Forrester

About Aaron Forrester

If at first the idea is not absurd, then there is no hope for it”. — Albert EinsteinI\'m a product design leader with a deep foundation in creative direction, a history of building scalable systems, and a passion for developing people. Over the last 20 years, I\'ve led everything from editorial photo shoots to enterprise-wide design organizations. At the core, my work has always been about shaping experiences that are both intuitive and impactful for customers, for teams, and for the business.I currently serve as Director of Experience Design at a Fortune 100 company, where I oversee a 45+ person team that supports dozens of product teams across a two-sided marketplace. I\'ve led the evolution of our design systems, helped rebuild our organizational architecture, and partnered closely with engineering and product leaders to deliver outcomes that matter, such as increased velocity, reduced rework, and measurable gains in customer satisfaction.Before this, I built a creative agency from the ground up, taught graduate-level design courses, and helped write a human-centered design curriculum still used today. I\'ve worked in the classroom, the startup space, and in enterprise, each one sharpening my belief that good design is equal parts craft, culture, and clarity of purpose.My leadership style is hands-on, systems-minded, and outcome-driven. I care deeply about mentoring new leaders, building healthy teams, and ensuring design isn\'t just a function, but a force multiplier across the organization.If you\'re exploring how design can better support growth, transformation, or strategy, I\'d love to connect.

Experience

1. Director of Experience Design

   CarMax

   Mar 2022 — Present · Richmond, VA, US

   Spearheaded cross-functional design strategy, organizational design, and execution across a scaled design org embedded in a Fortune 100 product ecosystem. Focused on elevating design maturity, systematizing experience delivery, and aligning design value to enterprise priorities.

Skills

• Family Photography
• Commercial Photography
• Art
• Portrait Photography
• Public Speaking
• Adobe Photoshop
• Page Layout
• Microsoft Office
• Cinema 4d
• Photos
• Lightroom
• Art Direction
• Drawing
• Photography
• Painting
• Social Media
• Wedding Photography
• Photoshop
• Graphic Design
• Branding & Identity
• Fine Art Photography
• Layout
• Logo Design
• Digital Photography
• Mac
• Video Production
• Weddings
• Adobe Creative Suite
• Light
• Figure Drawing
• Human Centered Design
• Video Editing
• Portraits
• Final Cut Pro
• Packaging
• University Teaching