Too formal? Ok, let’s try this again. Hello, my name is Brad Manilla and I’m a Manager of User Experience Design within Wolters Kluwer’s Clinical Effectiveness division.
Based in Chicago, I originally studied Industrial Design at Virginia Tech and am currently working on my Master’s Degree in Human-Computer Interaction at DePaul University.
At my core, I’m a problem solver and a storyteller. Crafting engaging, immersive experiences is my addition.
I find it fascinating to see an idea evolve into a finished product, whether that's a user experience, a piece of furniture, or a mixtape. Setting parameters to work within, exploring what's possible within those restrictions, identifying patterns/opportunities, soliciting feedback, and refining the final concept into the best solution that time/money/interest allow.
It's like magic.
I love futurism and imagining what’s possible beyond the confines of our current capabilities or even dimension. For the past 2 years, I’ve become completely enamored by the possibilities and opportunities Web3, DeFi, DAOs, and NFTs could offer society at large. I believe we’re at a historic reconfiguring of economies and am excited to become a larger part of that story and impact it in a positive manner.
Interested in building a better future together? Reach out:
Recommendations
“Brad is one of the easiest designers to work with in almost every aspect of his job. He is easy to talk with, considers technology, and is willing to collaborate until something is done, even if it's a series of meetings on his already booked up calendar. He's got a great handle on the business side of things and how it translates into usable design, while at the same time being willing to compromise on features for the sake of an MVP. This flexibility is part of what will make him a great leader. He's also an advocate for himself and others, especially in seeing that he's willing to coach and advocate for his direct reports which continue to grow. I've been really intrigued to see him grow from a designer with limited digital experience into one that can run an entire digital design team in such a short amount of time. It speaks to his ability to scale quickly, to acknowledge what he doesn't know, and his inherent ability as a leader.”
Tim Palac
Engineering Manager and Web Architect,
Wolters Kluwer
“I worked with Brad for roughly two years at Wolters Kluwer Health, where we designed and built various products, ranging from editorial tools to digitized patient-facing education experiences. I can wholeheartedly say, that in my career as a product manager I have never met a designer I’d rather work with than Brad. From the onset of our professional relationship, he has been exceptional; he constantly delivered on-time and highly executed UX designs, while acting as a true partner.
As a product manager, partnership is incredibly important to me; this is where Brad excels. Between product, business, engineers, and designers, Brad exemplifies what it means to be a great partner. He managed to always work extremely closely and effectively with key stakeholders, explain design aspects in a way that made sense to myself and engineers, while ultimately helping us deliver a seamless user experience.
It was an absolute joy to work with Brad. The bar that I set for a great product & design relationship is based on my experienced with Brad; I assure anyone who considers hiring him that, you found a superstar!”
Ludwig Icevski
Former Product Manager,
Wolters Kluwer
“It's rare to meet someone with such boundless curiosity and a willingness to tackle complex human-centered problems with such optimism and grit. I hired Brad as a Senior UX Designer on my creative team at Wolters Kluwer Health to help map out and improve patient journeys with our patient engagement products. He went above and beyond his role, becoming a true collaborator on various patient and client-facing projects. He's comfortable working with stakeholders across an organization and takes pride in helping his colleagues tell compelling stories, make novel connections, and design human-centered experiences.
Brad is one of those designers whose skills span the range of capabilities from developing the vision and strategy down to executing that strategy himself or finding the right team to do so. Most of all, working with Brad never feels like work. Brad earns my highest recommendation for someone who can lead and execute with enthusiasm, creative vision, and true collaboration.”
Vanessa Ruiz
Former Creative Director,
Wolters Kluwer
“Brad has skill sets that are unique from most members of our functional team, but he doesn't hoard this knowledge. He's great about cross-training which helps expand our capacity as a team. Brad is also good at connecting with others, remembering what they like or where he and they have commonalities really helps establish rapport especially since we have all been working at home. Brad also works in a number of different roles, and serves as a connection point across teams. This could be a difficult place to be in, but he seems to approach this well, managing resources, and balancing the interests of stakeholders with varied wants and needs.”
Anonymous
Wolters Kluwer
“Brad approaches everything with a positive attitude and brings that energy to the projects he leads. I also think that he does a good job of prioritizing and setting expectations - there are often a lot of projects the UX team is working on with completing priorities and Brad is not afraid to say no or push back if something cannot be fit in. This helps to set realistic expectations and also provide the team with the space that they need to actually complete the work.”
Anonymous
Wolters Kluwer