DESIGN DIRECTOR & PRODUCT DESIGNER

SAMANTHA
HAWKINS

Hi, I’m Samantha.

I’m a creative strategist and digital product designer based in Maine.  I help organizations create impactful user experiences and drive business growth through design.

Work
A Financial Services Company’s Digital Renaissance

A Financial Services Company’s Digital Renaissance

Transforming Retirement Planning from Within

Transforming Retirement Planning from Within

Streamlining the Healthcare Financing Journey

Streamlining the Healthcare Financing Journey

Empowering BioTech Talent

Empowering BioTech Talent

Lights, Camera, Corporate Action: Inside A Media Company’s Event Video

Lights, Camera, Corporate Action: Inside A Media Company’s Event Video

Transforming Financial Advisor Tools

Transforming Financial Advisor Tools

Synergy in the Cloud: Redefining Insurance Workspaces

Synergy in the Cloud: Redefining Insurance Workspaces

Protected: Building An Investment Brand As Bold As Its Mission

Protected: Building An Investment Brand As Bold As Its Mission

Calculated Change: Mortgages Go Digital

Calculated Change: Mortgages Go Digital

Modernizing Client Services at a Global Asset Manager

Modernizing Client Services at a Global Asset Manager

Improving Animal Health With Design Thinking

Improving Animal Health With Design Thinking

Overview

UX Expertise & Design Leadership

Samantha is a seasoned design leader and UX expert with a strategic focus on driving business growth. With over 15 years of experience, she excels at transforming complex design challenges into innovative digital solutions. Her deep understanding of user-centered design, enterprise UX, and SaaS enables her to lead teams in crafting products that significantly enhance customer satisfaction.

 

Samantha has partnered with mission-driven startups and industry leaders such as the American Red Cross, Comcast, Merck, and TJMaxx. She has successfully led both domestic and global design teams on complex, multi-million dollar UX projects.

A Financial Services Company’s Digital Renaissance

A Fortune 500 company embraced a digital transformation opportunity to showcase its rich legacy and unique value in an increasingly online world.

  • Client

    Ameriprise

  • Role

    Design Director

  • Project Type

    Research & Strategy

  • Year

    2016

View Project

Transforming Retirement Planning from Within

When a financial services leader sought to enhance its retirement planning tools, a strategic partnership and a well-crafted prototype became the keys to internal…

  • Client

    Northwestern Mutual

  • Project Type

    Prototype

  • Role

    Design Director

  • Year

    2020

View Project

Streamlining the Healthcare Financing Journey

This healthcare financing company’s fragmented digital experience stalled growth. A user-centric partnership revitalized their platform.

  • Design

    UI/UX Design, Design Strategy, Prototyping

  • Client

    CareCredit

  • Role

    Design Director

  • Year

    2015-2020

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Empowering BioTech Talent

A leading multinational pharmaceutical and biotech company sought a transformative employee portal powered by the ServiceNow platform.

  • Project Type

    Pitch

  • Role

    Design Director

  • Date

    2020

View Project

Lights, Camera, Corporate Action: Inside A Media Company’s Event Video

Turning boardroom breakthroughs into blockbuster viewing for the team.

View Project

Transforming Financial Advisor Tools

Strategic UX design reshapes digital tools for global investment bank, transforming financial advisory workflows.

  • Client

    Morgan Stanley

  • Role

    Design Director

  • Date

    2016-2018

View Project

Synergy in the Cloud: Redefining Insurance Workspaces

An innovative proposal reimagines the employee experience through a dynamic digital platform for a leading insurance firm.

  • Design

    Pitch, Design Direction, UX Strategy, UX/UI Design

  • Role

    Design Director

  • Year

    2020

View Project

Protected: Building An Investment Brand As Bold As Its Mission

A startup investment management firm looks for a brand identity to reflect its commitment to empowering women and driving positive social change through investment.…

  • Client

    Tesser Capital Management

  • Date

    2024

  • Role

    Design Director

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Calculated Change: Mortgages Go Digital

UX strategy transforms complex lending decisions into engaging digital experiences, helping financial institutions envision their digital future.

  • Client

    Fannie Mae

  • Role

    Design Director

  • Year

    2016-2017

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Modernizing Client Services at a Global Asset Manager

In a bold move, a premier asset manager embraced cutting-edge technology and automation to transform client-servicing.

  • Client

    Global Asset Manager

  • Role

    Design Director

  • Year

    2021

View Project

Improving Animal Health With Design Thinking

When a leading veterinary pharmaceutical company empowered its IT team with human-centered design, a new era of animal care innovation was born.

  • Client

    Merck Animal Health

  • Role

    Design Director

  • Date

    2018

View Project