
Pia Anderson
Scaling Design. Shaping Systems. Raising the Bar.
I build and scale UX organizations while staying close to the work. From defining product vision to shaping interaction models and systems, I dive into the details when craft and clarity matter most.
Principal UX Leader
I design AI powered, human centered products that drive real outcomes. I've led cross functional teams, scaled design organizations, and shaped systems used by millions. Whether building from zero or transforming legacy platforms, I bring clarity, craft, and a deep commitment to the people doing the work.
My Philosophy
Great design aligns user needs with business intent. I'm committed to accessible systems, rigorous thinking, and creating environments where teams deliver meaningful, measurable impact.
Selected Work
Case studies spanning hands-on design and leadership impact.
Experience
Over a decade of shaping products, teams, and culture.
PricewaterhouseCoopers
2017 - Present · 8 years
Director of Client Experience
Pricewaterhouse Coopers
Jan 2025 - Present
Leading the newly formed Client Experience organization, encompassing UX, Creative Studio (video, illustration, graphic design), Accessibility, and Customer Success teams.
- Driving end-to-end client satisfaction through coordinated design, communication, support initiatives
- Building new frameworks for collaboration across service teams to streamline delivery, reinforce brand consistency
- Advancing AI and automation strategies across functions, supporting training, communication, and customer engagement
Director of User Experience
PwC Digital
2021 - 2024
Led cross-functional teams in delivering AI-powered tools, including agentic workflow builders, accessibility remediation platforms, and healthcare decision support systems.
- Collaborated on and scaled custom GPTs to enhance internal processes like creative briefs, personas, and journey mapping
- Championed accessible, inclusive design and established scalable systems for consistency, and brand alignment across platforms
- Led the growth of UX team from 7 to over 130 globally within PwC Digital
UX Sr Manager
PwC Digital
2019 - 2021
Played a central role in evolving design strategy and collaboration across Advisory tech initiatives.
- Helped shape and promote a celebrated team culture through onboarding practices, peer reviews, virtual team building
- Mentored growing teams in design ops, system thinking, and inclusive design practices
- Introduced user-centered design to complex legacy systems, dramatically improving usability and visual appeal
UX Manager
PwC Tax Technology
2017 - 2019
Helped grow UX maturity from non-existent to fully embedded, leading to NNVg certifications across roles.
- Elevated perception of internal tools by aligning usability and aesthetics with client expectations
- Established design quality standards and user satisfaction metrics
- Built comprehensive design systems for tax technology platforms
Projekt202
2014 - 2016 · 2 years
UX Creative Director
Projekt202
2014 - 2016
Led the design of an AI-powered network recovery optimizer for Southwest Airlines, including creation of a custom light/dark mode design system.
- Directed a unified design system and change management strategy at Sabre
- Led projects across industries including retail, POS systems, healthcare, and food service
- Enhanced usability, accessibility, and brand cohesion across varied environments
American Airlines
2011 - 2014 · 3 years
UX Creative Director
American Airlines
2011 - 2014
Co-led a 45-person UX and visual design team through a full rebranding of AA.com and the mobile app.
- Directed modernization from a design standpoint, working closely with front-end developers
- Participated in extensive usability research including in-lab task-based validation and eye-tracking studies
- Elevated design quality and user satisfaction while aligning digital touchpoints with new brand identity
What People Say
Recommendations from colleagues and collaborators.
"Pia has a clarity of mind and attention to detail that is rare, even among UX people. She has an amazing ability to manage the details of many complex overlapping projects, and see patterns and trends that others might overlook. I found that Pia's opinions were always well structured, based on facts, and focused on the customer's best interests. When I began setting up the UX leadership team at American Airlines for dot com, I knew there was really only one choice for the Design Director, Pia Anderson. I would trust Pia on any project, to manage any UX team, and add immense value to any UX delivery. Trust what she says and you'll have no regrets."
David R Jennings
User Experience Leader, Five Pack
"Pia is an awesome person to work with and has a great personality! Being very organized and having a broad range of experience Pia's leadership role expanded very quickly in AA.com. She truly is the embodiment of servant leadership and has the unique insight to understand complex challenges and provide creative solutions for our customers. Pia was very instrumental to the success of many projects by having the ability to provide leadership in several areas (Information Architect, User Experience, and Visual Designer). Pia is able to manage several large efforts at once and keep them all in line. I highly recommend Pia to be a part of the leadership team in any organization!"
Ethan Hodges Jr
IT Manager - Manage Reservations, American Airlines
"Whether designing and delivering a comprehensive Web design to the developers or leading and maintaining other UX Designers in the right direction, Pia clearly has the talent to help make your project a success! Having worked with her on several demanding projects for AA.com, I can say without a doubt, this is the young woman you want to lead your next UX Project. Meticulous in nature with a focus on UX Design and UX Leadership, and a 'let's get it done' attitude, Pia is ahead of her class in the UX Field. So if talent is what you are looking for, you've found it! Contact Pia today and see for yourself why she should be on your Team."
Rob Busby
Manager Web Services, Trellix
"Pia's skills lie in both communication and design. Her ability to understand complex problems and then be able to come back with the right answers the first time is not something you see everyday. Her ability to be thrown into a project and take charge was something that really helped me out and I have enjoyed working with her on projects since. Pia is a great IA, a great UX Designer, and a fun co-worker with a great attitude."
Mike Townson
Director of Product Design, CNN
"Pia is a rare design talent and a truly empathic advocate for the user. In a role where many different teams needs must be balanced, Pia could always find a solution that worked for everyone in the company, and the most important one outside the company, the user."
Jimmy Ball
Director of Global Product Design, Solera
"Pia is someone that anyone would want on their team or within their organization. She brings an infectious energy and an aptitude that is beyond measure, which helps everyone around her level up. Her keen eye for detail, a measured approach to tough UX problems, and a true servant leader make her an asset to everyone she's around. I truly enjoyed my time working alongside her and learned a lot from her."
Issac Holcomb, M.S.
Design Manager, H-E-B
"Pia and I worked together at AA.com during the recent Rebrand across their digital media while she was leading a group of UX and IA teams using agile! She provided excellent coaching and leadership to all teams. Pia clearly explained how to accurately create presentations for the customer as well as user stories for the agile teams, a Rebrand style guide, creating acceptance criteria and creating UX reviews to produce optimum results. She was motivational, fun to work with, professional, and extremely knowledgeable about all areas of UX and Lean UX!"
Peter Graves, RTE, SSM, PMP, SA, SP
Agile Principal, Cognizant
"Pia has a clarity of mind and attention to detail that is rare, even among UX people. She has an amazing ability to manage the details of many complex overlapping projects, and see patterns and trends that others might overlook. I found that Pia's opinions were always well structured, based on facts, and focused on the customer's best interests. When I began setting up the UX leadership team at American Airlines for dot com, I knew there was really only one choice for the Design Director, Pia Anderson. I would trust Pia on any project, to manage any UX team, and add immense value to any UX delivery. Trust what she says and you'll have no regrets."
David R Jennings
User Experience Leader, Five Pack
"Pia is an awesome person to work with and has a great personality! Being very organized and having a broad range of experience Pia's leadership role expanded very quickly in AA.com. She truly is the embodiment of servant leadership and has the unique insight to understand complex challenges and provide creative solutions for our customers. Pia was very instrumental to the success of many projects by having the ability to provide leadership in several areas (Information Architect, User Experience, and Visual Designer). Pia is able to manage several large efforts at once and keep them all in line. I highly recommend Pia to be a part of the leadership team in any organization!"
Ethan Hodges Jr
IT Manager - Manage Reservations, American Airlines
"Whether designing and delivering a comprehensive Web design to the developers or leading and maintaining other UX Designers in the right direction, Pia clearly has the talent to help make your project a success! Having worked with her on several demanding projects for AA.com, I can say without a doubt, this is the young woman you want to lead your next UX Project. Meticulous in nature with a focus on UX Design and UX Leadership, and a 'let's get it done' attitude, Pia is ahead of her class in the UX Field. So if talent is what you are looking for, you've found it! Contact Pia today and see for yourself why she should be on your Team."
Rob Busby
Manager Web Services, Trellix
"Pia's skills lie in both communication and design. Her ability to understand complex problems and then be able to come back with the right answers the first time is not something you see everyday. Her ability to be thrown into a project and take charge was something that really helped me out and I have enjoyed working with her on projects since. Pia is a great IA, a great UX Designer, and a fun co-worker with a great attitude."
Mike Townson
Director of Product Design, CNN
"Pia is a rare design talent and a truly empathic advocate for the user. In a role where many different teams needs must be balanced, Pia could always find a solution that worked for everyone in the company, and the most important one outside the company, the user."
Jimmy Ball
Director of Global Product Design, Solera
"Pia is someone that anyone would want on their team or within their organization. She brings an infectious energy and an aptitude that is beyond measure, which helps everyone around her level up. Her keen eye for detail, a measured approach to tough UX problems, and a true servant leader make her an asset to everyone she's around. I truly enjoyed my time working alongside her and learned a lot from her."
Issac Holcomb, M.S.
Design Manager, H-E-B
"Pia and I worked together at AA.com during the recent Rebrand across their digital media while she was leading a group of UX and IA teams using agile! She provided excellent coaching and leadership to all teams. Pia clearly explained how to accurately create presentations for the customer as well as user stories for the agile teams, a Rebrand style guide, creating acceptance criteria and creating UX reviews to produce optimum results. She was motivational, fun to work with, professional, and extremely knowledgeable about all areas of UX and Lean UX!"
Peter Graves, RTE, SSM, PMP, SA, SP
Agile Principal, Cognizant
"Pia has a clarity of mind and attention to detail that is rare, even among UX people. She has an amazing ability to manage the details of many complex overlapping projects, and see patterns and trends that others might overlook. I found that Pia's opinions were always well structured, based on facts, and focused on the customer's best interests. When I began setting up the UX leadership team at American Airlines for dot com, I knew there was really only one choice for the Design Director, Pia Anderson. I would trust Pia on any project, to manage any UX team, and add immense value to any UX delivery. Trust what she says and you'll have no regrets."
David R Jennings
User Experience Leader, Five Pack
"Pia is an awesome person to work with and has a great personality! Being very organized and having a broad range of experience Pia's leadership role expanded very quickly in AA.com. She truly is the embodiment of servant leadership and has the unique insight to understand complex challenges and provide creative solutions for our customers. Pia was very instrumental to the success of many projects by having the ability to provide leadership in several areas (Information Architect, User Experience, and Visual Designer). Pia is able to manage several large efforts at once and keep them all in line. I highly recommend Pia to be a part of the leadership team in any organization!"
Ethan Hodges Jr
IT Manager - Manage Reservations, American Airlines
"Whether designing and delivering a comprehensive Web design to the developers or leading and maintaining other UX Designers in the right direction, Pia clearly has the talent to help make your project a success! Having worked with her on several demanding projects for AA.com, I can say without a doubt, this is the young woman you want to lead your next UX Project. Meticulous in nature with a focus on UX Design and UX Leadership, and a 'let's get it done' attitude, Pia is ahead of her class in the UX Field. So if talent is what you are looking for, you've found it! Contact Pia today and see for yourself why she should be on your Team."
Rob Busby
Manager Web Services, Trellix
"Pia's skills lie in both communication and design. Her ability to understand complex problems and then be able to come back with the right answers the first time is not something you see everyday. Her ability to be thrown into a project and take charge was something that really helped me out and I have enjoyed working with her on projects since. Pia is a great IA, a great UX Designer, and a fun co-worker with a great attitude."
Mike Townson
Director of Product Design, CNN
"Pia is a rare design talent and a truly empathic advocate for the user. In a role where many different teams needs must be balanced, Pia could always find a solution that worked for everyone in the company, and the most important one outside the company, the user."
Jimmy Ball
Director of Global Product Design, Solera
"Pia is someone that anyone would want on their team or within their organization. She brings an infectious energy and an aptitude that is beyond measure, which helps everyone around her level up. Her keen eye for detail, a measured approach to tough UX problems, and a true servant leader make her an asset to everyone she's around. I truly enjoyed my time working alongside her and learned a lot from her."
Issac Holcomb, M.S.
Design Manager, H-E-B
"Pia and I worked together at AA.com during the recent Rebrand across their digital media while she was leading a group of UX and IA teams using agile! She provided excellent coaching and leadership to all teams. Pia clearly explained how to accurately create presentations for the customer as well as user stories for the agile teams, a Rebrand style guide, creating acceptance criteria and creating UX reviews to produce optimum results. She was motivational, fun to work with, professional, and extremely knowledgeable about all areas of UX and Lean UX!"
Peter Graves, RTE, SSM, PMP, SA, SP
Agile Principal, Cognizant
Let's Connect
I'm always interested in discussing UX leadership, AI-powered design, or new opportunities. Reach out and let's start a conversation.