Adobe MAX, 2024

From concept to community: designing culturally rooted brand experiences

As Senior Designer and Miami native, I spearheaded the complete conceptualization and visual design of the Learn Lounge at MAX, demonstrating my ability to translate strategic vision into cohesive, culturally intelligent experiences. I used illustrations and renderings to establish the foundational visual tone while I championing a community-first approach that went beyond traditional booth design, anchoring the entire experience around authentic local partnerships with Cienfuegos Coffee and celebrated Miami creatives like Steve Saiz, Lillian Banderas, and Cyn Lagos.

This wasn't just event design; it was strategic brand storytelling that positioned Adobe Learn as genuinely connected to creative communities rather than extractive of them. By leading with cultural empathy and place-based authenticity, I created a space that celebrated peer-to-peer inspiration while building lasting trust with our creative users—exactly the kind of welcoming, inclusive experience that helps people discover and connect with Adobe's tools through genuine human connection rather than corporate messaging.

Managing complex cross-functional execution at enterprise scale

As the concept evolved toward a culturally relevant learning lounge, I saw an opportunity to blend user research with authentic community engagement, using our cafecito truck as both cultural touchpoint and research incentive. This required me to orchestrate the complex logistics of enterprise-level execution: coordinating Adobe vendors, managing partner schedules, aligning Education team resources, handling artist media requirements, overseeing furniture and AV setup, while simultaneously leading a complete redesign of our Adobe.com/Learn catalog page.

Building authentic partnerships with artists

After months of strategic planning and iterative design thinking, I successfully brought local artist partnerships to life in our Learn Lounge, demonstrating my ability to guide teams through ambiguity toward meaningful outcomes. This wasn't just event programming; it was purposeful community building that allowed us to listen intently to creatives' real experiences while showcasing Adobe Learn's commitment to supporting diverse artistic voices. By creating welcoming spaces for authentic dialogue, I generated genuine excitement around our platform while gathering invaluable insights directly from our creative community.

Connecting directly with Adobe's creative community

At Adobe MAX, our Cienfuegos coffee truck became more than a crowd-pleaser, it was a strategic user research opportunity that exemplified my approach to customer-first design. While introducing attendees to the authentic ventanita experience, I facilitated meaningful conversations with our core creative community, gathering nearly 1,000 research surveys that provided deep insights into user needs and pain points. This direct engagement with users—combined with my ability to translate those insights into actionable design vision, demonstrates exactly the kind of customer empathy and respectful candor this role demands. The experience reinforced my belief that the best design solutions emerge from genuine human connection, and these insights directly shaped our Learn design strategy, proving my ability to build strong points of view through listening and observation while navigating the complexity of translating user feedback into cohesive product direction.

Designing brand experiences that celebrate creative communities

I spearheaded the design of exclusive Learn merchandise that went beyond typical swag to create meaningful brand touchpoints celebrating Adobe's creative community. My custom sticker sheets and enamel pins weren't just promotional items, they were carefully crafted visual storytelling pieces that honored our tutorial content while incorporating culturally resonant elements like cafecito cups and dominoes. This work demonstrates my ability to translate complex product experiences into cohesive visual language while maintaining deep respect for diverse creative communities. By infusing personal and playful touches into these brand artifacts, I showed how thoughtful design can build emotional connections and trust—exactly the kind of welcoming, inclusive approach needed to help users discover and connect with Firefly's creative tools. This project exemplifies my commitment to design that feels both intentional and authentic, creating moments of delight that strengthen the relationship between Adobe and its creative users.

Leading strategic design innovation through cross-platform integration

I identified an untapped opportunity to amplify our creative community impact by designing a seamless integration that connected tutorials from our MAX booth with our broader Learn platform, while strategically updating our tutorial pages to host more culturally relevant content. This dual approach ensured our learning experiences resonated authentically with diverse creative communities rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach. This initiative showcased my capacity to navigate organizational complexity while building cross-functional alignment, translating strategic vision into intuitive user experiences that expand access to creative learning while honoring the cultural richness of Adobe's global user base.