About Aaron.
Design Executive
In my current role as Vice President of Customer Experience at Randstad Digital, I elevate customer and employee insights to improve businesses and help our clients capitalize on their investments by demonstrating ROI.
I lead design teams, advancing customer-centered innovation. I support the maturation of our clients design practices across their enterprises to create cohesive, scalable solutions for businesses.
As part of Randstad Digital’s management consulting senior executive leadership, I strengthen collaboration among product, technology, organizational change management, and design teams, fostering a culture of shared goals and improving experience metrics.
Thought Leader
My ideas and opinions have appeared in The Responsive Enterprise and across Randstad Digital’s operating companies. Read some of my recent articles:
The future of loyalty: winning a larger share of your customer’s life.
Optimizing the Customer Journey: The Key to Unlocking Superior CX
Speaking, Workshops, and Teaching
The Psychology Behind Customer Journeys
Illuminate by Cella Conference
Speaker · Atlanta · 2024
The GenAI Fairway to Customer Delight
Randstad Digital Executive Roundtable
Panelist · Phoenix · 2024
Transforming Wasteful Business Meetings into Structured Collaboration
Illuminate by Cella Conference
Workshop Facilitator · Chicago · 2023
Organizational Strategy
Walmart Global Tech
Workshop Facilitator · Bentonville · 2023
Optimizing Design for Conversion: Turning Usability Into ROI
Penn State University
Speaker · Virtual · 2023
From Meetings to Workshops: How to Drive Open Innovation by Improving How We Meet
CMP Design Thinking Conference
Workshop Facilitator · Austin · 2022
The Art of Prototyping: Rapid Design for Maximum Usability Impact
Penn State University
Speaker · Virtual · 2022
Service blueprinting explained: The key to optimizing employee productivity
BrightTALK Summit
Speaker · Virtual · 2022
Nailing Customer Experience
Linkedin Live by Celerity - now Randstad Digital
Fireside chat with Greg Melia, President CXPA · Speaker · Virtual · 2021
Human-Centered Design in Action: Crafting Products with Purpose
Penn State University
Speaker · Virtual · 2021
Breaking Down Silos: Collaborative Product Design Across the Customer Journey
Central PA Innovate!
Speaker · Virtual · 2021
Strategic Fundraising Ideation
American Red Cross
Workshop Facilitator · Virtual · 2020
The Usability Playbook: Strategies for Crafting Intuitive Products
Penn State University
Speaker · Virtual · 2020
So You Have A Journey Map. Now What?
Celerity - now Randstad Digital
Speaker · Virtual · 2020
Journey Mapping for UX Professionals
Celerity - now Randstad Digital
Workshop Facilitator · McLean · 2020
Innovating at Speed and Scale
UPMC, Strategic Consumer Innovation
Speaker · Pittsburgh · 2019
Scaling Human-centered Design and Design Thinking for Experimentation
NoVA UX
Speaker · McLean · 2019
Launch for Libre the Ambassador
Speranza Animal Rescue Annual Gala
Keynote Speaker · Harrisburg · 2017
Design and Production Course
Harrisburg University
Adjunct Professor · Harrisburg · 2015
Recommendations
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Anne Van Itallie
“Aaron Kennelly is one of the most enthusiastic design leaders that I've encountered. He is deeply knowledgeable about customer experience, human-centered design, service design, and user research. But with Aaron, you get expertise, plus a genuinely enjoyable experience based on seeing a world full of possibility. Often conversations with Aaron are met with "yes, and!" or "what if we...?" He's a fun collaborator and his clients see the benefit of his creative thinking firsthand.”
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Edward Stull
“Aaron exemplifies what makes a great leader. He balances diligence with kindness, guiding his team with clarity, empathy, and a deep commitment to both individual growth and collective success.
Aaron navigates complex organizations, often shifting between business development, HR challenges, and creative problem-solving—often all within the same hour. He is an unwavering advocate for his teammates and a skilled practitioner of all things CX and UX. More than just a strong leader, Aaron is a talented organizer, aligning teams around common goals—whether crafting a pitch deck, addressing client requests, or uplifting team morale.
An accomplished facilitator and public speaker, Aaron blends his deep expertise of CX with an engaging and approachable presence. Most one-to-one conversations with Aaron end with a laugh and a thank-you as you’ll find yourself in a better place for having sought his advice, expertise, or to simply catch up. You would enjoy working with Aaron.
I’m grateful for the opportunity to have worked with him and even more so to now call him a friend. Your team would be fortunate to have him at the helm.”