Mara Thorsrud

Let’s Work Together

A portrait of you.

About Me

I’m a design leader who uses psychology and systems thinking to reduce complexity and support confident decision-making at scale. My work sits at the intersection of data, human behavior, and business constraints, with a focus on building trust and clarity in high-stakes products.

I’ve led design for enterprise and platform products at Sleep Number and Shutterfly, and partnered with global brands like Estée Lauder during moments of growth and change. I’m often asked to help teams navigate ambiguity, align around priorities, and make thoughtful tradeoffs that scale.

My leadership approach is grounded in judgment, collaboration, and an understanding of how people behave under pressure. I care about craft, but I measure success by whether systems feel calm, intuitive, and supportive in real-world use.

Featured In

From podcasts to public speaking, I enjoy sharing practical perspectives on design, psychology, and leadership.

Beyond UX Design Podcast

Episode 123Listen to the Podcast

UX360 Virtual SummitFebruary 4-5, 2026Register for the Event

Places I’ve Worked

Estée Lauder Companies

Aug 2023-Present

Director of UX, Brand Experience (consultant)

Sleep Number Corporation

Feb 2022-Aug 2023

Head of UX/Product Design for SleepIQ

Shutterfly Inc.

Sept 2018 – Feb 2022

Head of UX Design & Research, Lifetouch

CaaStle, Inc, dba: Gwynnie Bee

Feb 2013 – July 2018

Head of Creative Services (+Founding Designer)

Mara Thorsrud

Let’s Work Together

A portrait of you.

About Me

I’m a design leader who uses psychology and systems thinking to reduce complexity and support confident decision-making at scale. My work sits at the intersection of data, human behavior, and business constraints, with a focus on building trust and clarity in high-stakes products.

I’ve led design for enterprise and platform products at Sleep Number and Shutterfly, and partnered with global brands like Estée Lauder during moments of growth and change. I’m often asked to help teams navigate ambiguity, align around priorities, and make thoughtful tradeoffs that scale.

My leadership approach is grounded in judgment, collaboration, and an understanding of how people behave under pressure. I care about craft, but I measure success by whether systems feel calm, intuitive, and supportive in real-world use.

Featured In

From podcasts to public speaking, I enjoy sharing practical perspectives on design, psychology, and leadership.

Beyond UX Design Podcast

Episode 123Listen to the Podcast

UX360 Virtual SummitFebruary 4-5, 2026Register for the Event

Places I’ve Worked

Estée Lauder Companies

Aug 2023-Present

Director of UX, Brand Experience (consultant)

Sleep Number Corporation

Feb 2022-Aug 2023

Head of UX/Product Design for SleepIQ

Shutterfly Inc.

Sept 2018 – Feb 2022

Head of UX Design & Research, Lifetouch

CaaStle, Inc, dba: Gwynnie Bee

Feb 2013 – July 2018

Head of Creative Services (+Founding Designer)

Mara Thorsrud

Let’s Work Together

A portrait of you.

About Me

I’m a design leader who uses psychology and systems thinking to reduce complexity and support confident decision-making at scale. My work sits at the intersection of data, human behavior, and business constraints, with a focus on building trust and clarity in high-stakes products.

I’ve led design for enterprise and platform products at Sleep Number and Shutterfly, and partnered with global brands like Estée Lauder during moments of growth and change. I’m often asked to help teams navigate ambiguity, align around priorities, and make thoughtful tradeoffs that scale.

My leadership approach is grounded in judgment, collaboration, and an understanding of how people behave under pressure. I care about craft, but I measure success by whether systems feel calm, intuitive, and supportive in real-world use.

Featured In

From podcasts to public speaking, I enjoy sharing practical perspectives on design, psychology, and leadership.

Beyond UX Design Podcast

Episode 123Listen to the Podcast

UX360 Virtual SummitFebruary 4-5, 2026Register for the Event

Places I’ve Worked

Estée Lauder Companies

Aug 2023-Present

Director of UX, Brand Experience (consultant)

Sleep Number Corporation

Feb 2022-Aug 2023

Head of UX/Product Design for SleepIQ

Shutterfly Inc.

Sept 2018 – Feb 2022

Head of UX Design & Research, Lifetouch

CaaStle, Inc, dba: Gwynnie Bee

Feb 2013 – July 2018

Head of Creative Services (+Founding Designer)