I'm a strategic design leader focused on building the next generation of AI-native products and cognitive systems. By day, I'm Executive Director of Design Strategy at frog design. By night, I teach Design Strategies as an adjunct at NYU and build cognitive systems like this one.
For 11 years at frog I've led multi-disciplinary teams through high-stakes product and innovation challenges for Fortune 500 companies across healthcare, fintech, food delivery, and government. Over the past year, the AI boom has shifted my role significantly — I'm now working almost exclusively on AI product design, with a focus on cognitive and agentic systems. That's required me to step back into a player-coach mode: leading creative exploration with the new mediums while still fulfilling senior management duties.
My core thesis is that cognitive systems — software that maintains structured knowledge and reasons over it — will drive the next wave of product innovation. This RAG Resume is itself a cognitive system, designed to demonstrate that thesis firsthand.
What I'm looking for next
I'm focused on designing and building AI products that improve the human experience. I want a player-coach role where I can be hands-on with exploration, design, and build — with a special focus on cognitive and agentic systems — while still leveraging 12 years of strategic leadership experience to lead teams when necessary.
I'm open to both principal and director roles, as long as they empower building alongside leadership.
Resume
Download PDFCraig Cisero
Executive Director, Design Strategy · frog design · Brooklyn, NY
Experience
frog design
Present2015 – Present
Executive Director, Design Strategy
- Lead multi-disciplinary teams on high-stakes product, growth, and innovation challenges for Fortune 500 clients across healthcare, fintech, food delivery, and government.
- Now working almost exclusively on AI product design, with a focus on cognitive and agentic systems — operating in a player-coach mode that pairs hands-on building with executive leadership.
- Started as a strategist 11 years ago and grew into the executive director role leading frog's product strategy practice.
NYU
2021 – Present
Adjunct Professor, Design Strategies
- Teach undergraduates how to combine design and business frameworks to convert human insights into high-impact product and growth strategy. 5 years in the role.
Amazon
2014
Vendor Manager, Books — Milan
- Designed strategy to accelerate growth of a new retail category, driving 2x revenue and a 500-point margin increase.
Pre-MBA — Software Project Management
2009 – 2012
Healthcare IT & Executive Search SaaS
- Led a major EHR transformation for a healthcare organization, designing and delivering training and change management across 100 field offices.
- Project-managed CRM strategy, data readiness, and process design for a software company in the executive search industry.
Education
SDA Bocconi
MBA · Milan
2014
University of Maryland, College Park
BA, International Economics (Literature minor)
2009
Skills & Expertise
Get in touch
Interested in working together, or just want to talk shop? I'd love to hear from you.