JoEllen Kames

JoEllen Kames holds an Adjunct Professor position at the Institute of Design (ID) at Illinois Institute of Technology, alongside her role as Director of User Experience Design at Tableau (Salesforce). She has served as a guest lecturer at MIT (2009–2014) and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management (2011–2015). Her academic background includes a B.A. in History from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a B.F.A. in Communication Design from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Her research interests span User Experience Design, Interaction Design, and Ethnographic Research, with a focus on applying design strategies to healthcare (e.g., population health) and AI-driven analytics. She has led multidisciplinary teams at organizations like UnitedHealthcare and Motorola, emphasizing data-driven frameworks for measuring digital experiences.

Her notable publication, Contacts 3.0, explores collaborative approaches to merging research and design for product innovation. Though no awards are explicitly listed, her industry roles highlight recognition for her expertise in UX and design leadership.

JoEllen’s career includes executive positions such as Portfolio Lead at Northern Trust (2016–2019) and Senior Principal at Motorola Mobility (2005–2014). She has contributed to labs and innovation centers, including the Human-Centered Design Studio at UnitedHealthcare (2014–2016).