Creative Lead Visual Designer & UI

Michael Kohnke

Senior Visual Designer · UI and Digital Experiences

San Jose CA · *******@*****.*** · 415-***-****

Linkedin.com/michaelkohnke · Portfolio: michaelkohnke.com Visual designer and creative leader with deep expertise in typography, visual systems, UI design, and digital experiences. Experienced translating brand strategy into clear, intuitive interfaces and production ready visual systems, with hands-on experience in Figma and Adobe Creative Cloud. User-centered designer who uses research, testing, and emerging technology to solve complex problems and improve digital experiences.

Career Highlights

· Transformed HP.com’s visual and user experience in six months, doubling digital traffic

· Led 200+ customer usability tests to identify opportunities and improve the HP.com experience

· Led two global HP brand refreshes over four years across website and digital channels, contributing to $150M in added revenue

· Designed and prototyped a unified transit app for 26 San Francisco Bay Area systems, applying user research, information design, visual hierarchy, and iterative testing to simplify complex journeys Skills

Visual Design · User Interface Design · Typography and Composition · Visual Systems · Design Systems

· User Experience and Testing · Visual Hierarchy · Interaction Design · Figma · Digital Experiences · Icon and Information Design · Brand Systems · Motion and Animation · Production Design · Creative Problem Solving · Cross-Functional Collaboration · AI-Enabled Design Software and Tools

Figma · Adobe Creative Cloud: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Firefly, Premiere Pro · HTML5/CSS · Generative AI: ChatGPT, Copilot, Google Gemini · Stensul Design System · Workfront · Salesforce 360 Marketing Cloud · Power BI and Tableau · Microsoft Office · Windows and Mac OS Work experience

HP — Creative Director

Palo Alto, CA · Apr 2014–Sep 2026

Led visual design, UI, brand, marketing, and digital initiatives across HP, partnering with designers, developers, marketing, analytics, and leadership to create clear, engaging user experiences and scalable visual systems.

· Transformed the HP.com website design, resulting in a twofold increase in digital traffic

· Led 200+ customer usability tests to identify user needs and improve the digital experience

· Developed visual systems across websites, digital marketing, CRM, and other customer touch points

· Directed 25+ innovation projects exploring new approaches to digital design and emerging technology

· Integrated AI tools into design processes and methods, boosting workflow efficiency by 50%

· Delivered 500+ advertising campaigns, exceeding performance and revenue targets by more than 20%

· Directed 3,300+ creative projects generating over $134M in revenue for HP THE TECH INTERACTIVE — Creative Director

San Jose, CA · Mar 2010–Mar 2014

Led brand strategy, creative direction, and cross-functional initiatives for a museum, overseeing multiple integrated efforts across visitor experience, digital, communications, fundraising, exhibits, and design.

· Guided website redesign, increasing user engagement by 35%

· Led museum re-branding, improving the visitor experience by 200%

· Developed visual systems across digital, exhibits, environmental graphics, and communications

· Managed five cross-functional teams across PR, advertising, fundraising, exhibits, and design AUTODESK — Creative Director

San Francisco, CA · Jan 2008–Mar 2010

Led visual design and creative projects from concept through production, maintaining brand consistency and high standards across digital, marketing, and event experiences.

· Developed visual concepts and creative systems across 30+ marketing campaigns

· Designed and executed 15 events and sales conferences APPLE — Art Director

Cupertino, CA · Jan 2007–Dec 2007

Led visual design initiatives for Apple retail and event experiences, translating brand strategy into cohesive visual systems across global touch points.

· Created visual system concepts for three Apple Worldwide Developer Conferences

· Designed and managed global retail advertising campaigns supporting the launch of the first iPhone Education

California Institute of the Arts — Valencia — MFA, Graphic Design Western Michigan University — Kalamazoo — BFA, Graphic Design Presidential Scholar Award, Presidential Scholar Award, Design Center Studio Leader, Minor in Geography Other achievements

Founder of Typebox LLC type foundry · Instructor at the Academy of Art University, San Francisco State University and UC Berkeley Extension · National Geographic Society internship

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