The Path That Has Shaped My Career

I started my career in the startup world designing physical products and packaging work that taught me how to move fast, stay curious, and solve real problems with limited resources. That hands on foundation shaped the way I still approach design today: with a bias for making, iterating, and grounding ideas in real human needs.

From there, I spent nearly a decade in the agency world, leading omni channel experiences across web, mobile, retail, social, and e commerce for global brands. As a Creative Director at Mirum (WPP/VML), I guided multidisciplinary teams and delivered work recognized by organizations like the Effies and Webby Awards. That chapter deepened my understanding of storytelling, behavior, and how to orchestrate meaningful experiences across multiple touchpoints.

I later joined Slalom Consulting, where I helped shape the Product Experience Design practice in Chicago. My work focused on product strategy, enterprise platform redesigns, and guiding large organizations through complex, discovery driven transformation efforts across multiple industries.

Today, I lead UX & Design at TransUnion, helping evolve a large B2B2C and D2C product ecosystem. My role spans research, product strategy, experience design, and design culture working with teams to simplify complexity, modernize legacy experiences, and build clearer, more intuitive products that support people in understanding and protecting their financial identities.

Across every chapter—from startups to agencies to consulting to enterprise I’ve stayed grounded in the belief that great design is both strategic and human. Outside of work, I’m a husband, dad, and lifelong Chicago sports fan, and I stay connected to my hometown community in East Chicago through ongoing volunteer efforts.   

View my latest product, platform, & innovation work at TransUnion. → 

Workshops, written pieces & podcasts

2024: Fire Side Chat – Guest speaker at Chicago Experience Assembly covering “Experience strategies that will shape your industry for 2025 and beyond.

2024: Presenter & Speaker – Guest speaker at Finovate in San Francisco. 

2023: The ROI of User Testing – Behind close door event on the ROI of testing your ideas, hypothesis and more. 

2022: Fail Faster Podcast – (Episode 241) What is this UX research stuff. (Listen)

2021: Fail Faster Podcast – (Episode 198) A collaborative culture leads to great products that are inclusive (Listen)

2021: MEDIUM – Long Distance UX Relationships During The Pandemic

2018: PRINT MAG – Strategic Implications from Walmart.com’s Redesign

2018: MEDIUM – Thank You Experience

2013: lux and concord – featured Photography for ABC’s Bachelor feature

2018: MEDIUM – CX & Shopper Marketing Experience Mapping

2015: Pluralsight – Developing UX for an iOS Social Media App

Active Side Projects
START IT UP – Business publication on Medium – Writer & Contributor
UX Collective – The largest Design publication on Medium – Writer & Contributor
Scclr.org – Vice President and Volunteer Marketer & Creative
xelhaescueladedanza.org – Volunteer Marketer & Creative
Dribble – Design Mentor and Coach

Awards

2019 WEBBY Honoree CX (Series & Campaigns) Creative Director – Mirum (WPP) “Unilever AXE Start His Journey”

2019 EFFIE Gold Award Single-Retailer Program Mass Merchants Creative Director – Mirum (WPP) “Unilever AXE Start His Journey”

2018 Inductee InVision APP Design Leadership Forum: A global community 500+ for design leaders with the mission to to advance the practice of design leadership by fostering a community where the world’s best can learn from one another.

2018 WPP JWT High Potential Award Recipient (only 50 selected RECIPIENTS from over 12,000 employees)

2017 Shopper Marketing EFFIE Silver Award – OMNI-CHANNEL SHOPPER EXPERIENCE Mirum: (Digital ACD) – “Unilever Hellmann’s “Strangewich Challenge”

2016 – Shopper Marketing EFFIE Gold Award – SHOPPER EXPERIENCE
LunchBox: (Digital Art director) – “CVS Love Your Skin Platform”

2015 – HBA Vendor of the Year LunchBox: ACD (Art) – “Dollar General” All Access Beauty Hub”

2011 – Top Designers of Chicago – The Creative Group Inc.

Let’s talk about shaping future experiences

Phone: (219) 781 5256

Email: chavab4228@gmail.com

Connect or Follow: Linkedin, Twitter, or Instagram.