Hello!

I’m an accomplished UX design and research leader and thrive on balancing strategy and guidance with hands-on contribution. Partnering closely with business leaders, stakeholders, and team members, I deliver exceptional products that both delight our users and align with business goals. I lead, support and inspire teams to develop innovative solutions, delivering on vision while crafting user experiences through thoughtful design and in-depth research.

Testimonials

Dave Peak

Global Head of Digital Strategy & Partnership, Sanofi

I am writing to wholeheartedly recommend Lisa Sysun for any position related to User Experience Design and Leadership. Lisa's profound understanding and application of UX best practices set her apart in the industry. Her dedication to championing user-centric solutions is evident in every project she undertakes. Beyond her technical prowess, Lisa's leadership style is characterized by positivity, effectiveness, and a drive for continuous improvement. In conclusion, Lisa's expertise in User Experience Design, combined with her leadership qualities, positions her as a top-tier professional in the field. Any organization would greatly benefit from her insights, dedication, and passion for excellence.

Dan Sloat

Senior Director, UX Strategy, Fresenius Medical Care

I consider myself extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to work alongside Lisa for several years at Fresenius Medical Care. Lisa is not just a colleague but also a wonderful friend and an exemplary leader in the world of UX. Lisa's leadership style is characterized by her caring and collaborative nature. She consistently goes the extra mile to support her team and ensure the success of our projects. What truly makes Lisa exceptional is her readiness to step in and assist whenever it's needed. She's the kind of partner you can always rely on.

Lisa's approach-ability, combined with her delightful sense of humor and positive attitude, create an incredibly enjoyable work environment. She has a unique ability to bring out the best in people and foster a spirit of teamwork.

Without any hesitation, I wholeheartedly recommend Lisa. Her dedication to her work, along with her remarkable interpersonal skills, makes her an invaluable asset to any team. Working with Lisa has been an absolute pleasure, and I have no doubt that she will continue to shine in her career, leaving a positive impact wherever she goes.

Beth Kun

Principal UX Strategist, Fresenius Medical Care

Lisa Sysun is, without question, one of the best managers I have ever had. This is why, when my company, Fresenius, needed a UX manager, I immediately and enthusiastically recommended her for the job. Previous to our time at Fresenius, I worked with Lisa at Pearson Education for eight years, and during much of that time she managed me directly.

Lisa is authentic, unflappable, creative, and has a magnetic personality. She is a “servant leader,” in that she always does the work to set her teams up for success, from beginning to end. Her teams repay her with a sense of trust and loyalty not often seen in workplaces. As my manager, she always made me feel safe, supported, encouraged and heard. She provided just the right balance of guidance and freedom to allow me to explore new directions, and thrive both creatively and professionally. Whether leading teams to produce educational programs or interconnected medical systems, Lisa excels at streamlining workflows, and adding the right people to each project. Lisa’s combination of intelligence, humor, and steadiness allow her to connect across teams, and build valuable alliances. She is reliable, fair, organized and hard-working, always serving as an example for others.

I can't recommend Lisa highly enough. Please do not hesitate to contact me as a reference.

Larissa Doronina

Senior UX Designer, Fresenius Medical Care

Lisa's leadership as the Head of the Department of User Experience has consistently impressed me over the last four+ years. She brings a rare depth of empathy and understanding to her role, particularly in dealing with the wide variety of personalities within our team.

One remarkable project that stands out is our collaboration on the Clinic Managers' experience research project. Lisa's leadership was instrumental in creating an environment where diverse perspectives were valued, leading to groundbreaking insights and solutions. Her ability to navigate complex situations and facilitate collaboration among team members was truly exceptional. What sets Lisa apart is her dedication to understanding the nuances of each project and her talent for matching designer skills with the right projects. This approach not only ensures the success of our initiatives but also fosters an environment where team members feel empowered and motivated.

Lisa's leadership style is a testament to her commitment to excellence and her unwavering support for our team. Her ability to lead with empathy while maintaining a keen focus on results is a rare and valuable quality. I wholeheartedly recommend Lisa for her exceptional leadership and her invaluable contributions to our Department of User Experience.

Sundar Ramaswamy

Director, Product Management - Connected Health, Fresenius Medical Care

I have worked with Lisa and her teams for the past 4+ years. What stands out about Lisa is her calmness under stress and quiet competence. She is very collaborative, personable, and volunteers her time for enterprise initiatives, that bring people together to build durable relationships for greater productivity. This approach is laudable as she consistently focuses on people aspect in the technology innovation ecosystem.

Lisa’s team’s UX work during the patient portal re-platform helped us enormously, though there were some bumps along the way. Her team worked diligently to integrate the UX SDLC into the overall development process to streamline the overall development lifecycle. Lisa is an asset and her teams bring good value to their engagements.

Hope Morley

Senior Director, Design at Curriculum Associates

I can whole-heartedly recommend Lisa Sysun for any professional opportunity that values organizational skills, meticulous planning, a calm demeanor, and a wealth of experience. I had the opportunity to work alongside Lisa for many years and always appreciated her creative spark and ability to persevere when leading her team through the often complex process of product development.

Lisa has a natural ability to break down intricate tasks into manageable steps and orchestrate them with an organized and composed approach.

She leads her team to find creative solutions to even the most challenging problems. She is consistently reliable and remains the voice of reason during high-pressure situations while always putting the user at the center of her focus. Her approach fosters a collaborative and productive work environment with her team and her ability to remain calm under pressure not only reassures colleagues but also enables them to focus on the work at hand, confident that Lisa is leading and supporting them to deliver their best.

Ellen Granter

Artist

I am writing to recommend Lisa Sysun. Working with Lisa for approximately 12 years at Pearson was an honor and a pleasure.

In our first years at Pearson, we were colleagues. As a teammate, when the sheer volume of product that passed through was astounding, I appreciated her always taking her work seriously, always delivering on time, and always being prepared. As a friend, I appreciated that she was delightfully lighthearted, intelligent, thoughtful, careful, and kind. In later years, after I stepped back from Math Design Director, she served as my manager in the Science Division. Then I appreciated her for another group of reasons. Lisa's team always made the deadlines, and did so with no drama. As a manager, she was among the precious few that was truly observant of each team member's performance, and would write the most useful appraisals I ever received. A quick learner, resourceful, creative, capable, calm under pressure were among her best qualities.

While the world of educational curriculum design changed around us from day to day at a rapid pace, Lisa always stayed at the cutting edge of both creative design and technology. I was fortunate to work with Lisa, and recommended her with all my heart!

Jamie Head

Principal UX Designer

Lisa is more than a manager. She’s a leader and has the rare ability to be able to drive progress and change while also being as approachable as an old friend.

I’ve worked closely with Lisa as she successfully navigated almost impossible scenarios and not only did she push through every time, but she did so with care, compassion and relentlessness. Not only is Lisa a great manager and leader but she’s also a rockstar designer and can help in a meaningful way if she needs to get her hands dirty (it happens sometimes, right?).

I truly enjoyed working for and with Lisa. Our 1:1 meetings were something I looked forward to on my calendar, I really did. Even when I transferred to another team we stayed connected and built bridges. I would love to work with, or for Lisa again.

Lynette H.

Senior Designer, Usability Analyst

Lisa consistently demonstrates exceptional leadership by fostering a collaborative and inclusive team environment, resulting in increased employee morale and productivity. She possesses a remarkable talent for simplifying complex design challenges, making it easier for our team to collaborate and innovate.