FIRST DESIGNER IN

/

Portfolio

Download Resume

Hi. I'm Tara Kelly

I am a UX & Product Design Leader

For over a decade, I've worked as a hands-on designer,
and design leader. I have:

* founded three companies
* sold one
* been the first hire at multiple startups
* worked in large multinational companies

I love to work on data and workflow-heavy B2B products.

Feel free to email me.

I am a UX & Product Design Leader

For over a decade, I've worked as a hands-on designer, and design leader. I have:

* founded three companies
* sold one
* been the first hire at multiple startups
* worked in large multinational companies

Feel free to email me.

Testimonials

Tara is a patient, tactful, and inspiring leader who is excellent at solving complex business problems, leading the design function within the organization, and supporting the career growth of her team members. I became a better designer under her mentorship, and I look forward to work with her again!

Lucian Tan
Product Designer

Direct report at Second Measure

Tara is a patient, tactful, and inspiring leader who is excellent at solving complex business problems, leading the design function within the organization, and supporting the career growth of her team members. I became a better designer under her mentorship, and I look forward to work with her again!

Lucian Tan
Product Designer

Direct report at Second Measure

Tara is phenomenal beyond what I expect from a UI/UX lead. She dives in and learns the subject. Figures out what customers need, not just what they say. Creates a clean and attractive presentation design, and can then help implement it. Her project management capabilities are good enough to cover other departments needs at the same time.

Anthony Aragues
Engineering Leader & Author

Collaborator at Norse

I mean this with the utmost sincerity, Tara is one of the best bosses I've ever had. She was and is a great mentor, patient and kind, but also knowing how to push to get you to do your best. I am measurably a better designer, leader, and communicator as a result of her leadership and mentorship [… ]If Tara is knocking on your door, I assure you things will get done!

Gene Dreyband
Senior Product Designer

Direct report at Sonicwall

Selected Work

Frontlist

Author Services, B2C

Year

2023

Role

Designer // Founder

Results

Validated market

Read More

From 2020 to 2022 I founded a small press. I published both my First Designer In book, as well as seven children's picture books. The latter was under the pen name Kelly Tills for which I designed an eCommerce shop. This publishing experience lead me to founding Frontlist (above).

Second Measure

Fintech Analytics, B2B

Year

2018-2020

Role

Designer // Team Lead

Results

From stuck, to scalable, to acquired

Read More

Sonicwall

Firewall Appliance, B2B

Year

2017

Role

Designer // Team Lead

Results

#1 customer-driven release in 20yrs

Download PDF

Prior to Sonicwall, I worked on two of my own startups. One a news reading app serving over a million blogs. The other was an online password manager which I started while living in Rome, Italy before bringing it to the US to sell it. I moved to Rome after graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design. Download my resume for a complete work history.