Kyle Peppers

Context Is Everything

Design Leader

Strategist

Creative Catalyst

Two things I like to solve through design: messy problems and operational puzzles.

I took healthcare executives to prison to teach them about kindness. Kindness became the company's first strategic pillar. Client work under NDA

I used a world-class jazz ensemble to teach Googlers how to manage. 250 Google executives committed to new leadership practices, with 30- and 60-day check-ins. Leadership retreat

I built an assessment model out of Cosmo quizzes. 85% participation across 36 client delivery teams. DI SoundCheck → I fought the CEO to protect the customer experience, and won. 73% of members accessed the new in-app service in its first six weeks. WW Chat →

This site is about mutual connection. You're likely here because you have a strategic need. I'm here because I'm looking for the right, dare I say “dream,” next step. Hopefully, your needs and my skills match. To help the process along, I've included a few notes on the type of context I'm looking for, as well as a few examples of the value I've brought to previous roles.

After you've poked around a bit, if you feel like we might align, please reach out. If not, thanks for stopping by, and I hope you find the right person. There are a lot of amazing people out there; you should consider hiring one of them.

The Context I'm Looking For

The Team

That merry band of misfits. The team that:

doesn't make any sense on paper
works because everyone comes from different perspectives
brings their whole, unabashed selves
you turn to when the challenge is messy

The team you rely on to figure out what's next.

The Role

Supporting a design team through:

mentorship
untying messy knots
ferocious advocacy
unlikely partnerships
strategic wayfinding

In other words, leadership.

The Company

An organization that believes in:

understanding real people, not “users”
the value of a thoughtful experience
uncomfortable transparency
trust
not being evil*

*+73 points if you're making the world a better place.

About

My Greatest Lessons

ITERATIONS: DESIGN OPS LEAD | SERVICE DESIGNER | DESIGN STRATEGIST | EXPERIENCE DESIGNER

Leading teams for 9 years taught me how much more can be achieved by helping others shine and learn.
Studying human-centered design taught me “Who?” is always the first question, followed immediately by “Why?”
Managing programs and operations for eight years taught me to lead through collaboration.
Launching an HIV prevention program taught me how to design life-changing services.
Producing events for eight years taught me to design experiences with data and behavioral insights.
Facilitating and teaching for 15 years taught me to value reciprocal learning and engagement.

To read about how this work, and all my previous iterations, has shaped my evolving perspective:

Download a Copy of My Resume

Selected Work