Speaking & Workshops
I speak to university programs, conferences, and product teams about experience design, innovation strategy, and behavior change. Whether you’re a classroom looking to connect theory to real-world practice, or a product organization navigating large-scale change, I bring 20+ years of experience as a UX executive, designer, and storyteller.
Available Topics
Design with Intension
Move Hearts. Shape Minds. Change Behavior.
Design can do more than improve usability—it can influence decisions, form habits, and foster connection. In this talk, I share how intentional design rooted in behavioral science and emotional storytelling can lead to lasting behavior change. Drawing from real-world examples, I’ll show how to thoughtfully shape experiences that serve people and meet strategic goals. Ideal for product teams, UX students, and mission-driven innovators.
Creativity in the Age of AI
Designing What Comes Next
AI is changing how we work, think, and create—but it’s not replacing creativity. In this talk, I explore how AI enhances core design skills, expands our strategic influence, and opens new paths for the new “design thinker”. I share how we’re approaching this at Vanguard and why I believe creativity will remain our most valuable advantage.
Crafting a Client-Centered Vision
Define your product strategy & outline the path forward.
A shared product vision is essential—but a client-centered vision is transformative. In this session, I walk through methods for defining future-state visions grounded in customer insight and co-created across disciplines. You’ll learn how to facilitate alignment between design, product, and technology teams to build momentum and clarity across complex organizations.
How We Kept CX at the Heart of Organizational Change
Our key learnings growing from 1 to 250+ teams.
What happens when a design practice grows from one team to more than 250? In this talk, I share the key lessons I’ve learned from scaling CX across a large product organization—while keeping the client experience front and center. I’ll cover the structures, rituals, and frameworks we used to protect design integrity and enable collaboration at scale.
Venture Design: From Idea to Impact
From napkin sketch to market launch, every new venture faces the same question: build, invest, or partner? In this session, I introduce a strategic approach to innovation through three venture models. I’ll help you assess organizational capabilities and select the right model to bring bold ideas to life. With real case studies and a clear framework, I make the path from idea to impact easier to navigate.
Custom Topics Available
Looking for something more tailored to your class or team? I regularly speak on other topics related to careers and organizational leadership, including:
- UX career paths and how to grow from junior to executive
- What it means to be a “strategic designer” in today’s workplace
- Building cross-functional collaboration with product and engineering
- Structuring design teams in large organizations
- Facilitating great critiques and improving team feedback culture
Testimonials
Laurie ChurchmanPrincipal of Designlore | Educator
Gavin brings an enviable amount of design leadership expertise, actionable advice and humble humor to each classroom talk. Students are eager for his timely insights and love engaging in a lively Q&A!
Maribeth Kradel-WeitzelProfessor and Assistant Provost, Thomas Jefferson University
Gavin is a dynamic speaker who easily combines his considerable professional expertise with the engaging and approachable presentation style of an experienced educator. His passion for mentoring is evident in his desire to thoughtfully customize content to meet learners where they are. His presentations provide relevant skills and new ways of thinking that inspire positive change.
Eric KarnesAssociate Professor, Drexel University
As both a professional and educator, Gavin has long been a master at bridging the (too-often disconnected) fields of business strategy, user interaction, and design. In his speaking, his humor and approachable style bely a serious expertise–chock full of practical and actionable insights for students and colleagues alike.