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Michaela Cestari
Director-level UX design leader specializing in FinTech and human factors
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About
Product/design leader in financial services who has driven measurable UX impact at Truist, including moving digital banking visual appeal from 9th to 3rd in JD Power through research-led refinement rather than a costly full redesign. Brings hands-on AI product experience with personalized banking insights, strong stakeholder leadership across complex enterprise environments, and a personal commitment to human-centered AI shaped by tutoring experience and a background overcoming poverty through education.
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Key Strengths
- Led enterprise-scale design rebuild that improved Truist's JD Power visual appeal ranking from 9th to 3rd
- Strong evidence-based product judgment; pivoted away from full redesign based on 13 studies with 5,000+ clients
- Expert in translating user research into targeted UX improvements
- AI/personalization product experience in banking using Personetics
- Balances user value against engineering complexity in product decisions
- Human-centered AI philosophy with clear privacy and transparency instincts
- Simplifies complex financial experiences into actionable, trustworthy UX
- Skilled at aligning design, product, engineering, compliance, and business stakeholders
- Navigates organizational tension and vendor constraints to drive clear product direction
- Effective people manager and coach; improved a manager's feedback style through 360-based coaching
- High bar for hiring with strong follow-up evaluation discipline
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Experience
Education
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20 publications
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