Hi, I’m Diego.

Even before I became a designer I was driven by curiosity. Now I use it to lower the barriers between people and powerful technology.

Even before I became a designer I was driven by curiosity. Now I use it to lower the barriers between people and powerful technology.

Even before I became a designer I was driven by curiosity. Now I use it to lower the barriers between people and powerful technology.

Leading design and research at the forefront of AI innovation, I help startups build products that balance business with human-centered value. For the past 4 years I've served as Director of Design & Research at Balto, where we're modernizing contact center technology with GenAI while preserving the human touch only a call can have.

My career has been focused on startups because I thrive in environments where curiosity and pushing boundaries is an asset. I've built design practices from zero at early-stage companies and scaled them through hypergrowth. Whether I'm shipping features, orchestrating research, or developing designers from entry to senior level, I bring over a decade of experience knowing which bets are worth pursuing.

Beyond my primary role, I explore ways to give back to the design community as a whole and most recently I've been building Practice Round, a community that connects designers for mock interview practice and professional growth.

Leading design and research at the forefront of AI innovation, I help startups build products that balance business with human-centered value. For the past 4 years I've served as Director of Design & Research at Balto, where we're modernizing contact center technology with GenAI while preserving the human touch only a call can have.

My career has been focused on startups because I thrive in environments where curiosity and pushing boundaries is an asset. I've built design practices from zero at early-stage companies and scaled them through hypergrowth. Whether I'm shipping features, orchestrating research, or developing designers from entry to senior level, I bring over a decade of experience knowing which bets are worth pursuing.

Beyond my primary role, I explore ways to give back to the design community as a whole and most recently I've been building Practice Round, a community that connects designers for mock interview practice and professional growth.

Leading design and research at the forefront of AI innovation, I help startups build products that balance business with human-centered value. For the past 4 years I've served as Director of Design & Research at Balto, where we're modernizing contact center technology with GenAI while preserving the human touch only a call can have.

My career has been focused on startups because I thrive in environments where curiosity and pushing boundaries is an asset. I've built design practices from zero at early-stage companies and scaled them through hypergrowth. Whether I'm shipping features, orchestrating research, or developing designers from entry to senior level, I bring over a decade of experience knowing which bets are worth pursuing.

Beyond my primary role, I explore ways to give back to the design community as a whole and most recently I've been building Practice Round, a community that connects designers for mock interview practice and professional growth.

© 2025 Diego Fernandez