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Summary

My name is Victor Carlstrom

15+ years of UI/UX leadership experience driving user-centered design solutions for federal agencies, with proven expertise in managing cross-functional teams and executing large-scale platform modernizations from research to production.

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Comprehensive technical expertise spanning HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, AngularJS, React, Appian low-code platforms, and Drupal development, with specialization in legacy system modernization, responsive design, and 508 compliance for government environments.

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Strategic design leadership encompassing user research methodologies, stakeholder management, and enterprise-level application development in Agile environments, with proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, Axure, and extensive experience delivering measurable user satisfaction improvements across mission-critical systems.

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Experience

UI/UX Manager - CX Lead

JULY 2011 - Present

  • Design and develop responsive websites and applications.

  • Conduct user research activities and generate artifacts to inform the approach.

  • Create wireframes, mockups, and prototypes of applications.

  • Develop research and documentation methodologies to ensure consistent UX output quality.

  • Develop user interface standards and conventions with referenceable documentation, such as design systems and accessibility guidelines.

  • Coordinate internal Customer Experience cohort to collaborate across business units and projects to refi ne our CX practice, including being a key writer of the REI CX Playbook.

  • Strategize and direct customer experience practices within the internal cohort.

  • Manage UI/UX resources as direct reports and mentor junior UI/UX resources to expand their professional skills.

Assignments

OCT 2021 – PRESENT

UI/UX Lead and Manager - ORA SCAIL, Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

  • Spearheaded comprehensive UI/UX modernization of FDA's SCAIL platform serving 6,000+ active users, successfully migrated legacy applications to Appian low-code environment while achieving increased user satisfaction and maintaining full regulatory compliance.

  • Established enterprise-wide design system and user research protocols, conducting 30+ stakeholder interviews and creating standardized design documentation that accelerated development across applications.

  • Led critical modernization of CMARS system for Office of Criminal Investigations (OCI), managing cross-functional team of 12 members through extensive redesign process. Successful launch of the new CMARS replaced a 20+ year old application with a modern low-code solution, supporting the OCI’s mission of enforcement.

  • Directed UI/UX consistency initiatives across multiple platforms, architecting Angular component libraries and mentoring 4 junior designers while collaborating with C-level stakeholders on strategic design decisions.

APR 2020 – OCT 2021

Principal Web Designer and UI/UX Lead - ECAS Data Rationalization (OGP), General Services Administration (GSA)

  • Directed comprehensive UX research strategy for IT Dashboard modernization, conducting extensive stakeholder interviews and user sessions that informed platform redesign and significantly reduced user task errors.

  • Developed dynamic style guide and component library in Drupal, accelerating developer integration while ensuring design consistency across multiple government dashboards.

APR 2020 – APR 2021

Principal Web Designer and UI/UX Lead - Personal Property Management System (PPMS), General Services Administration (GSA)

  • Orchestrated complete UI/UX transformation from GSAXcess to PPMS, redesigning complex property management workflows into streamlined, user-friendly interfaces that dramatically reduced processing time for government users.

  • Led cross-functional design collaboration with business analysts, project managers, and stakeholders, driving implementation of unified interface while ensuring seamless user transition.

OCT 2019 – MAR 2020

Principal Web Designer and UI/UX Lead - General Services Administration (GSA)

  • Spearheaded strategic UX research for multi-system AoA initiative, conducting extensive stakeholder interviews across multiple agencies and identifying critical pain points that informed comprehensive modernization roadmap.

  • Delivered comprehensive UX strategy including wireframes and implementation plan that unified disparate systems and aligned technical improvements across integrated platforms.

OCT 2019 – MAR 2020

Principal Web Designer and UI/UX Lead - General Services Administration (GSA)

  • Spearheaded strategic UX research for multi-system AoA initiative, conducting extensive stakeholder interviews across multiple agencies and identifying critical pain points that informed comprehensive modernization roadmap.

  • Delivered comprehensive UX strategy including wireframes and implementation plan that unified disparate systems and aligned technical improvements across integrated platforms.

NOV 2016 – NOV 2019

UI/UX Lead and Front-end Developer - Energy Information Administration Website, Department of Energy (DOE)

  • Promoted to lead designer across 3 high-visibility EIA platforms (New England Dashboard, State Energy Portal, Energy Explained) based on exceptional performance, managing design consistency for an extensive user base while delivering multiple feature releases in Agile sprints.

  • Developed responsive front-end interfaces using HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript while creating high-fidelity interactive prototypes that streamlined development workflows and enhanced user journey visualization.

NOV 2018 – NOV 2019

UI/UX Designer - NASA Electronic Handbooks (EHB), NASA

  • Designed critical UI components for NASA's EHBs system, actively participating in daily Agile standups and delivering essential interface elements that significantly improved system usability.

  • Conducted comprehensive on-site user research for the Review and Select (RevSel) process, evaluating critical engineering workflows and delivering strategic wireframes that enhanced review efficiency for mission-critical documentation.

NOV 2016 – NOV 2018

Principal Web Designer - SBIR.gov, Small Business Administration (SBA)

  • Led comprehensive front-end modernization of SBIR.gov serving small business applicants, designing innovative page layouts and developing reusable components that significantly improved page load performance in Drupal/PHP environment.

  • Optimized codebase architecture through custom CSS and PHP template refinement, resolving critical performance issues while collaborating effectively in 2-week Agile sprints on AWS infrastructure.

NOV 2016 – NOV 2018

UI/UX Lead and Senior Web Designer - National Oil and Gas Gateway, Energy Information Administration, Department of Energy (DOE)

  • Directed and developed end-to-end UI/UX design for complex energy database platform, transforming technical data visualization to serve a broad industry audience while maintaining regular client alignment through bi-weekly meetings.

  • Architected responsive front-end interfaces from scratch using HTML5/CSS3, partnering closely with the JavaScript development team to deliver a fully functional AWS-hosted platform.

NOV 2012 – NOV 2014

Web Designer - NYC Checkbook, NYC Comptroller

  • Designed comprehensive website mockups for NYC's transparency platform, creating detailed interface designs that consistently met client requirements and improved public data accessibility.

  • Established streamlined design review process with direct client collaboration, maintaining organized asset management and ensuring smooth design-to-development handoff workflow.

JUL 2011 – JUL 2017

Web Designer - Electronic Handbooks (EHB), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)

  • Maintained and enhanced UI consistency for HRSA's EHBs system supporting healthcare professionals, implementing comprehensive interface updates and ensuring complete cross-browser compatibility across all major browsers.

  • Developed responsive mobile interfaces including mobile EHBs version and customized Telerik control themes, significantly improving mobile user experience and system accessibility.

Education

AUG 2004 - MAY 2009

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Graphic Information Design

George Mason University | Fairfax, VA

AUG 2004 - MAY 2009

Bachelor of Science,
Marketing

George Mason University | Fairfax, VA

Skills
& Expertise

  • User Interface/User Experience Design

  • Customer Experience specialty

  • Web and Graphic Design

  • Website, Mobile, and Responsive Design and Development

  • Prototyping Software Skills (Figma, Axure RP, Adobe XD)

  • Adobe Creative Suite: 20+ years (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign)

  • HTML/HTML5, SASS/LESS, and CSS/CSS3

  • Bootstrap Experience and Customization

  • Appian Low Code Experience

  • JavaScript/JQuery/Angular.JS Experience

  • AWS Experience

  • Drupal theme development

  • Proficient with MAC and PC

  • Microsoft SharePoint Training and Office Suite

  • Microsoft Visual Studio Code

  • Website Management

  • Time and Resource Management

Awards & Certifications

Nielsen Norman Group UX Certification - In Progress

Courses Completed:

  • Designing Complex Apps for Specialized Domains - MAY 2023

  • DesignOps: Scaling UX Design and User Research - JUN 2022

  • Emerging Patterns in Interface Design - SEPT 2021

 

University of Virginia - Customer Experience Leadership - Certificate of Completion - OCT 2023
 

REI Systems, Inc.

  • “Going the Extra Mile” GEM Award - 2023

  • “Going the Extra Mile” GEM Award - 2021

  • Excellence Recognition Award - SEPT 2015

  • “On The Spot” Award - SEPT 2013

  • “On The Spot” Award - OCT 2012

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Boy Scouts of America - Eagle Scout Award
 

National Scholastic Arts Award - National Gold Medallion for Animation

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