Tom Brinck

Tom Brinck is an **Adjunct Lecturer** at the **INFO College, University of Maryland**, specializing in Human-Computer Interaction and User Experience (UX) Design. He holds a dual role as a Board Member at the Palo Alto Art Center Foundation. His career spans over two decades of leadership in design and innovation, with roles at Amazon (A9.com), Samsung, Cisco (via Broadsoft acquisition), and Bellcore, alongside founding RetroAccess, a startup focused on accessibility.

**Education & Background**: Tom’s academic journey includes advanced studies in collaborative systems and UX design, reflected in his graduate work on collaborative whiteboards and subsequent industry contributions. He has taught graduate UX courses at the University of Michigan and Academy of Art University, co-authoring the influential book *Usability for the Web*.

**Research Focus**: His work emphasizes accessibility, usability evaluation, and collaborative technologies. Early contributions include foundational research in groupware and videoconferencing systems, while recent efforts focus on UX in telecommunication platforms and AI-driven learning systems.

**Industry Impact**: Tom’s career highlights include pioneering accessibility standards at RetroAccess, leading UX teams at Samsung and Cisco, and innovating search and advertising UX at Amazon. His work bridges academia and industry, emphasizing practical solutions for inclusive design and measurable ROI in usability investments.

**Labs & Teams**: He directed UX Innovations labs at Samsung and led Calling UX teams at Cisco, demonstrating expertise in scaling UX practices across large organizations. His board role at the Palo Alto Art Center Foundation reflects his commitment to interdisciplinary creativity.