Nick Heggestad

UX Design | Strategy | Leadership

Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States

About

Hi, I am Nick- a designer and leader with eight years of experience guiding teams to create data-informed, customer-centered products. My approach blends strategic vision with hands-on execution, ensuring that every decision connects user needs with business outcomes. I’ve led multiple design teams across complex initiatives, fostering clarity, alignment, and momentum from discovery through delivery. A core strength of my leadership is cultivating high-trust, cross-functional collaboration. I thrive in environments where product, engineering, and research work as true partners, and I take pride in building the rituals, communication frameworks, and shared ownership models that make this possible. Whether scaling workflows or shaping design ops foundations, I’m dedicated to creating team dynamics that enable impactful, repeatable success. I’m also deeply committed to elevating design practice across organizations and communities. I’ve led workshops, presentations, and collaborative working sessions that help teams adopt design thinking, deepen customer empathy, and unlock creative problem-solving. Outside of my role at Steampunk, I organize the A2UX meetup in Ann Arbor, creating space for designers to learn from one another, share ideas, and build a stronger local design community. My career began in professional theatre as a props artisan and manager and production designer—an environment where collaboration, iteration, and resourceful problem-solving are essential. That foundation continues to shape how I lead: with empathy, adaptability, and a commitment to craft. Today, I channel those strengths into designing and delivering meaningful digital experiences that improve how people live, work, and connect.

Experience

  • Senior Product Designer at Consumers Energy
    Mar 2026 - Present · 4 mos

  • Senior UI/UX Designer at Steampunk, Inc.
    Nov 2024 - Feb 2026 · 1 yr 4 mos

  • Thrivent (3 yrs 7 mos)
    • Product Design Lead
      Aug 2022 - Jul 2024 · 2 yrs

    • Senior Product Designer
      Jan 2022 - Aug 2022 · 8 mos

    • UX Designer
      Jan 2021 - Jan 2022 · 1 yr 1 mo

  • UX Designer at Springbox, a Prophet company
    Jan 2020 - Jan 2021 · 1 yr 1 mo

  • MAX Digital (Greater Chicago Area)
    • Product Designer
      Aug 2019 - Jan 2020 · 6 mos

    • UX Designer
      Jun 2019 - Aug 2019 · 3 mos