RYAN KENNEDY

Led a Special Ops design team focused on creative innovation — crafting bold interaction models, developing scalable design systems from the ground up, and pushing the boundaries of visual and UX design in a pre-Figma world. We operated like a creative R&D lab, prototyping new patterns, experimenting with workflows, and building custom design infrastructure that unified vision, craft, and execution across teams.

These efforts directly shaped high-impact digital experiences for global brands including Starbucks, Volvo, American Express, and IBM — each project requiring a unique blend of systems thinking, storytelling, and hands-on creativity.

Crafted responsive design systems and interactive experiences across web, mobile, and in-car platforms — collaborating with engineers, strategists, and brand teams to push creative boundaries. Projects included SiriusXM CarPlay, NYC Parks, Chopt, and the Guggenheim.

From 2006 to 2014, I worked across New York's entertainment marketing, creative technology, and early mobile application landscape — helping shape the first wave of interactive storytelling. At Deep Focus, I created experiences for HBO, AMC, Nintendo, and Twentieth Century Fox, blending design, animation, and code into groundbreaking digital campaigns. I was the creative lead on Mad Men Yourself, an avatar creator that became a viral milestone and helped define participatory brand engagement for its time.

I later joined NYC.com, where I explored mobile-first experiences, immersive activations, and early product incubation. I directed design and product concepting for a labs division focused on building prototypes around travel, Broadway, and culture — reimagining how audiences connect with place and story through emerging platforms.