RESUME

SUMMARY

I facilitate the creation of useful, delightful services, strategies, and digital products.

Let’s build something amazing! AI-obsessed, user-centered, product-minded leader, researcher, designer, and strategist with a proven track record in driving innovation and improving productivity through user interviews, journey mapping, prototyping, and cross-functional collaboration.

>> Full list of publications, public speaking engagements and other community involvement

EXPERIENCE

Business Owner / Contractor

I Need That Art, Saint Louis, MO | March 2017-Present

Through my consultancy, I Need That Art, I help startups and small businesses with UX, Product,, and Strategy. I also run my Art businesses. Current consulting work includes: Associate Entrepreneur in Residence for Kirk Bowman at BioVentures, Social Media Management for Disabled Journalists Association, and Product Management Consulting for Green Fin Amendments.

Strategic Guidance & Support:

  • Collaborate with Entrepreneur in Residence at BioVentures to seek out and guide startups in solar and healthcare sectors.

  • Spearhead growth strategies and digital presence development for the Disabled Journalists Association.

  • Advise Green Fin Amendments in defining customer segments, market positioning, and e-commerce setup.

  • Founded and manage I Need That Art Gallery, overseeing all operations.

  • Created MVP concepts for websites, artworks, and art experiences, then conducted a variety of Service Design and User Experience Research on the products.

Innovative Marketing:

  • Utilize AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude AI to refine business models and develop digital marketing strategies.

  • Achieved a 142.65% increase in Instagram followers for the Disabled Journalists Association within two months.

  • Targeted interactions with key niche influencers to build strong brand followings for Disabled Journalists Association, I Need That Art Gallery, and Martha Valenta Art

Content Creation & Artistic Expression:

  • Create compelling, inclusive content for social media platforms.

  • Leverage AI tools and design applications to generate artistic concepts and pieces.

  • Create sketches and digital concepts, then translate them into accessible, inclusive, sensory-based art such as tactile paintings and immersive installations, promoting empathy and acceptance.

  • Immersive art “Lost & Found Meditation” to be featured in the Saint Louis Art Museum.

Director of Product

Freight Science, Saint Louis, MO | Aug 2022 - May 2023

Led the strategy for two interwoven Clinical products at an early-stage, decision science-powered, B2B, SaaS logistics startup.

Core SaaS Product:

  • Implemented three critical features to enhance data quality and user experience

  • Implemented new front-end to improve user and developer experience

Web + Mobile Brokerage Product (Zero to One):

  • Led discovery and pilot of the Freight Science Brokerage product, bringing the company into a new market segment

  • Addressed various users, including in-office employees (desktop SaaS portal) and truck drivers (mobile portal)

  • Validated feedback and worked on solving driver retention issues

  • Captured out-of-scope items for future releases and an upcoming, tangential product

General Duties:

  • Managed the UX design and full-stack development teams

  • Conducted user research and testing

  • Implemented agile methodology, including cross-functional ceremonies, to ensure clear communication of business requirements and priorities, focusing on outcomes

Senior Product Manager - Clinical (Enterprise)

AliveCor, Mountain View, CA | May 2021 - May 2022

Responsible for leading the strategy for two, interwoven Clinical products (one legacy software platform and one multi-platform service).

  • B2B Product Manager for these Clinical (Enterprise) Products and Portals:

    • AliveCor Labs: A 30-day heart monitoring product featuring the KardiaMobile 6-Lead connected device and supporting other, standard IDTF monitors (Holter and MCT). This product leveraged the KardiaRx Mobile App, KardiaPro Admin portal, KardiaPro Web portal, and TechTool web portal. 

    • Long-Term Monitoring: An annual monitoring connection between a Patient (via our suite of connected (IoT) devices and the Kardia mobile app or KardiaRx mobile app) and their Physician (via KardiaPro, our Clinical/Physician SaaS web portal). 

    • BioPharma: A variety of services supporting CRO (Clinical Research Organization) studies.

    • KardiaPro Admin Tool: An Internal web portal used by AliveCor Admins.

    • KardiaPro: A SaaS, web portal used by Providers (Physicians and Clinicians).

    • Tech Tool: A SaaS, web portal used by Certified Cardiac Technicians.

    • KardiaStation: A SaaS, mobile portal used by Providers and Patients with our connected (IoT) devices.

    • KardiaRx: A SaaS, mobile portal for our connected (IoT) devices used by Patients. 

  • Led Discovery, Pilot Launch, and Successful Commercial Launch of AliveCor Labs, an IDTF (Independent Diagnostic Testing Facility) product bringing AliveCor into a new market segment. AliveCor Labs addresses a variety of users via a connected device and multiple portals. 

  • Conducted VOC (voice of the customer) research with Physicians, Clinicians, Techs, and Patients to inform the workflow designs for all of the products in my portfolio. 

  • Communicated cross-functionally across all levels of the organization to ensure clarity and consistency.

  • Organized and Facilitated a variety of cross-functional workshops across all levels of the company including but not limited to Design Sprints and Backlog Grooming. 

  • Wrote User Stories in Jira including Business Value, User Story, Acceptance Criteria, and Priority.

  • Created documentation for senior leadership to consume such as Now-Next-Later, and slide decks. 

  • Organized and facilitated flow mapping workshops for interwoven Clinical products. 

  • Organized cross-functional Agile ceremonies (Grooming, Stand-ups, Retros).

  • Recruited, interviewed, and advised on hiring Product vertical candidates.

  • Managed the Backlog (prioritization, User Story writing, connecting UX designs).

  • Identified products in need of attention and proactively folded their needs into the backlog and roadmap wherever there were low-effort, high-return opportunities.

Praise from Al Woo, Chief Product Officer (CPO) of AliveCor:

Martha is the unique individual with incredible passion, work ethic, and ability to learn and grow into new roles. As a product manager, she rises to challenges in every way. She takes the self-directed initiative to educate herself and become better and better at what she does. She is fearless and tireless, and will dive into any challenge headfirst. At AliveCor, she jumpstarted our entry into a new market segment, which required a suite of all-new software products. Her ability to deconstruct a larger objective into actionable tasks was instrumental to delivering the solution on schedule.

UX Design Lead - Clinical (Enterprise)

AliveCor, Mountain View, CA | February 2021 - December 2021

  • Recruited, interviewed, and advised on hiring Product vertical candidates.

  • UX Strategy and Research:

    • Created Service Design Blueprints, Journey Maps, and Flow maps.

    • Interviews with IDTF SMEs, Cardiologists, and EPs (Electrophysiologists).

    • Participatory Design with Cardiologists and EPs (Electrophysiologists).

    • Pilot Studies: Patient Diary, Patient and Provider Surveys.

  • Managed the Clinical UX Design work and a team of UX Designers.

  • Led the design of a new IDTF (Independent Diagnostic Testing Facility) product which addressed a variety of users via a connected device and multiple portals: Patients (Mobile portal), Admin (Web portal), Providers (Web portal), Certified Cardiac Technician (Web portal).

  • Designed a variety of elements and workflows using Figma.

  • Partnered with Product Managers and Developers.

  • Led design critique.

  • Organized and Facilitated participatory design workshops.

  • Organized and Facilitated UX Research.

HCD Practice Area Lead

1904labs, ​Saint Louis, MO | June 2017 - January 2021

  • HCD/Product Management consultant work

    • Gently educated clients about developing products using human-centered design and agile methodologies.

    • Initiated Design Sprints and Design Thinking workshops to reduce the risk when bringing new products, services, or features to the market.

    • Facilitated story mapping workshops for business and developer alignment. This added definition to the roadmap and helped prioritize the backlog.

    • Organized and facilitated contextual inquiry research, and validation research.

    • Designed CLI and API developer experiences for a major financial industry client.

    • Created visualizations to create a shared understanding of the projects.

  • Led internal HCD (human-centered design) professional development for current
    and future trends:

    • Recruited, interviewed, and hired human-centered designers.

    • Mentored human-centered designers and developers.

    • Developed and led training around story mapping and facilitation.

    • Led practice-wide design thinking certification effort.

    • Sought out and shared up-and-coming Product Management and UX thought leaders, methodologies, and events with the entire team.

    • Worked cross-functionally to develop an internal onboarding plan.

Experience Strategist

CoCreate Collective LLC, Saint Louis, MO | June 2017 - June 2018

Case Study (Password required)

  • Led Design Sprint workshops for a major financial industry client to: 

    • Better define new products.

    • Reduce the risk around developing those new products. 

  • Initiated and Facilitated Scenario Planning workshop around a new product
    for a major financial industry client.

  • Conducted Research.

    • Facilitated Contextual Inquiry research.

    • Conducted expert reviews of mobile enterprise applications. 

  • Synthesized data and developed a go-forward plan.

  • Presented findings to stakeholders and sponsors (senior leadership).

CX Interaction Designer & Researcher

Wells Fargo Advisors, ​Saint Louis, MO | December 2015 - June 2017

I stepped into the first agile development project for Wells Fargo Advisors at an early stage. However, the developers were already ahead of design. As a result, they were delivering coded screens that they had designed. I analyzed and prioritized the backlog with the team. I also worked with the designer who had been on the project to get the design patterns. I began to rapidly deliver high-priority backlog items. Once we were caught up, I collaborated and strategized at a higher level in the UX organization to get the user research resources we needed to deliver proven designs. I then collaborated with other teams on the project to organize research activities.

Praise from Jonathan Sidarous, Senior Vice President (SVP), User-Centered Design &
Innovation Manager at Wells Fargo Advisors:

Martha really wore many hats during her time on our team from strategist to user researcher to interaction designer to everything in between and she handled it like a
pro. We are sad to see her leave our team and wished we could have kept her longer.
She really took the time to understand our processes and procedures and get the most
out of her skill-sets to have the biggest impact on our project. I would highly
recommend Martha to anyone looking for a multi-talented UX professional!

  • Took a lead role on an Agile transformation project.

  • Collaborated cross-functionally with stakeholders, team members, developers, and customers.

  • Conducted user research studies including contextual inquiry, focus groups, surveys, scenarios, task analysis, and validation testing.

  • Organized, prepared and facilitated design thinking workshops.

  • Led sprint backlog grooming meetings.

  • Designed and validated interaction designs for enterprise software for financial transactions

  • Created wireframes (Adobe InDesign and Adobe Illustrator).

  • Analyzed and wrote agile stories.

  • Designed for a responsive framework, utilizing universal controls, for long-term product viability.

Design Sprint Facilitator

XWORX, ​Saint Louis, MO | April 2016 - May 2016

I organized and facilitated a design sprint. The focus of the sprint was around brand strategy, including the website, for a roofing company now known as Hail Hero.

Case Study

User Experience Architect / Business Analyst

Federal Reserve Bank, Saint Louis, MO | March 2015 - October 2015

As part of the new usability business analyst team in IT for Treasury Services, I collected, analyzed, and documented business requirements. I also researched, analyzed, and synthesized the data. I leveraged the information gathered to define (as user stories) and prioritize requirements for Agile Scrum development of the U.S. Treasury's Bank Management Service (BMS) application. Then, I assisted in coding the front-end stories. Finally, I identified project risks to management and provided strategies to overcome project obstacles.

Praise from Alison Hollowell, Senior IT Project Manager at the Federal Reserve Bank:

Martha is extremely detail-oriented and takes pride in everything she delivers. She is passionate about providing the users with the best experience possible when they step into your "stage". She understands what the customer wants and needs and is a great liaison between the clients, that design they desire, and the developmental discipline that the clients don't quite understand themselves. Martha is also a very hard worker and willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done and we appreciated all her hard work to assist us in reaching our goals.

  • Analyzed existing applications.

  • Observed and interviewed users.

  • Gathered requirements from users and key stakeholders.

  • Created and maintained personas and use cases.

  • Handled project coordination for UX and BA deliverables.

  • Led and coordinated incremental product demonstrations for key stakeholders.

  • Performed competitive analysis and expert reviews.

  • Conducted usability tests (in-person and remote) and contextual inquiries.

  • Prepared and presented usability study reports.

  • Ensured 508 compliance.

  • Developed front end (HTML5 and CSS using Bootstrap 3, JQuery, DataTables, and Select2).

  • Managed documentation and code (Word, Excel, Jira, Confluence, Crucible, Eclipse, and SVN).

Vice President / Sr. User Experience Business Analyst

Citi, ​O’Fallon, MO | August 2011 - February 2015

Acted on behalf of the user to visualize experiences for the Real Estate Lending business and developers. Depending on the project size and scope, conducted research activities such as contextual inquiry, card sorts, user acceptance testing, competitive analysis, surveys, and more. Then created prototypes ranging from paper prototypes and whiteboard wireframes to high fidelity, clickable wireframes.

  • Prototyping: paper prototyping, rapid prototyping, iRise (high-fidelity) prototyping.

  • Followed Agile & Waterfall methodologies.

  • Agile transformation project.

  • Researched, designed, and tested an internal, mobile, warehouse management product.

  • Researched, designed, and validated a mortgage sales management product.

  • Facilitated requirements documentation.

  • Developed front-end (HTML5 and CSS using Bootstrap 3 and JQuery).

  • Performed in-person and remote user testing using the think-aloud protocol.

  • Analysis: expert review, heuristic evaluation, competitive analysis, accessibility.

  • Accessibility/508 compliance reviews.

  • Led and assisted in moderated, in-person usability labs: card sorts, task analysis, validation testing, and journey mapping.

  • Planned and conducted contextual inquiry research, then created user personas.

  • Created user surveys, use cases, user stories, and usability lab scripts.

  • Created and presented analysis, prototypes, and study readout presentations.

  • Planned and led design thinking sessions.

  • Managed documentation (Word, Excel, Jira, Confluence, and Eclipse).

User Interface Designer/Usability/Senior Business Analyst

MasterCard, O​’Fallon, MO | November 2007 - August 2011

I led User Experience for MasterCard Integrated Processing Solutions™ (IPS) products, including Portfolio Viewer. I was the single point of contact for the front-end design and usability for this project. I worked with Business Analysts to capture the desired business outcomes. I conducted user testing to determine the needs of the Users. I created wireframes and coded (HTML) front-end solutions. And, I worked with developers to bring balanced business and user goals to life.

The overall goal of the project was to get MasterCard into the realm of Card Processing via creating a single sign-on, single look and feel product that connected seamlessly to seven back-end systems and offered clients their own view into the B2B and B2C products that they were authorized to access. The entire system was designed in such a way that individual financial institutions could re-skin it with their branding.

In addition to being a major development project, this was the first agile project for MasterCard.

Quote from Rob Reeg, MasterCard CTO and Interim President of MasterCard Global Technology and Operations in the MasterCard IPS Press Release:

“With MasterCard IPS, we have eliminated the need for banks to dedicate significant time and resources to learning and managing payment portfolio interface systems Portfolio Viewer is a substantial advancement for the industry because it is intuitive and easy for users of any skill level, and it provides banks with an unprecedented ability to customize the processing platform interface while freeing them from interaction with the back-end system mechanics.”

  • Managed usability/front-end team.

    • Managed team workload.

    • Sourced, interviewed, and hired the team.

    • Coordinated with other project teams (including Business and Development).

    • Performed competitive analysis.

    • Organized and facilitated user research.

  • Created and maintained UI for globally utilized web applications with both business-to-business and public-facing portals from the ground up.

  • Developed front-end (HTML, CSS, Dreamweaver, JQuery, Dojo, JavaScript, GWT UiBinder).

  • Led Internationalization work for the web application (usability analysis and design).

  • Created Prototypes.

    • Paper prototypes.

    • Balsamiq prototypes.

    • High-fidelity, clickable HTML prototype.

  • Created HTML click-through demos that were leveraged:

    • To onboard people to the project.

    • By Marketing to sell the product.

    • As a communication method with an offshore development team.

  • Branded the application to suit business-to-business customers.

  • Agile methodology (wrote user stories, worked in Jira and Confluence).

Creative Manager

Morris Communications/The Florida Times-Union, ​Jacksonville, FL | January 1996 - August 1999

In addition to my role as Creative Manager, I acted as Interim Sales Manager for several months. During that time I developed a product and sales strategy that increased annual revenue from $400,000 to $1.2 million in one year.

  • Managed a team of eight graphic designers..

  • Managed and coordinated all single-sheet projects and design work.

  • Assisted with sales calls. Interacted with clients to determine their needs.

  • Designed print ads (1, 2, and 4-color process; special sizes and folds).

  • Sourced and managed print vendors (local and national).

  • Print ad production/preparation.

EDUCATION

  • XPLANE - Visual Thinking, Online. 2020
    Visual Thinking 101
    Visual Thinking 201

  • IBM - Enterprise Design Thinking, Online. 2020
    Co-Creator Certificate
    Team Essentials for Artificial Intelligence Certificate
    Practitioner Certificate

  • Edward Tufte / Graphics Press, Chicago, IL. 2019
    Presenting Data and Information

  • IDEO U / +Acumen, Online. 2016-2017
    Leading for Creativity
    Storytelling for Influence
    Systems Practice
    Design Kit: Facilitator's Guide
    Design Kit: The Course for Human-Centered Design
    Design Kit: Prototyping

  • Columbia University - Columbia Business School, Online. 2016
    Design Thinking for Innovation Certificate

  • Webster University, ​St. Louis, MO. 2004-2007
    B.A., Business Management, Marketing Minor

  • University of Missouri, ​St. Louis, MO. 2003-2004
    Chancellor's Certificate, Web Design

  • Westlake Professional Training, ​Boston, MA. 2000
    Springboard: Web Development and Design

  • St. Louis Community College at Meramec, S​t.Louis, MO. 1994 - 1996
    A.A.S., Graphic Communications