Sonia Caltvedt // UX Researcher

San Francisco Bay Area | 415-271-2255 | sonia.caltvedt@gmail.com | LinkedIn


I am a qualitative and mixed methods UX researcher and thought partner. I uncover insights from user feedback and reduce risk in decision-making in contexts ranging from enterprise software for government to higher education. While process-driven, I am highly adaptable in changing environments: business and stakeholder needs evolve, and I am prepared to shift along with them. I believe that aligning continuous user insights with business goals leads to more successful products, features, and teams.

SKILLS
UX research: User interviews • Usability testing • Surveys • Contextual inquiry • Card sorting • A/B testing • Heuristic evaluation • Mixed-methods research • Qualitative and quantitative data analysis

Design strategy: User-centered design • Design thinking • Journey mapping • Personas • Service blueprinting • Ecosystem mapping • Problem framing • Stakeholder workshops • Product roadmapping

Communications and content: Cross-functional alignment • Executive presentation • Stakeholder education • Workshop facilitation • Trust building • Empathy and storytelling • Clear and actionable deliverables

TOOLS
Figma • Miro • Maze • UserTesting • Qualtrics • SurveyMonkey • Optimal Sort • Google Analytics • Jira • Confluence • Slack • MS Teams • G Suite • Photoshop • InDesign • WordPress

EXPERIENCE
Senior UX Researcher | ASRC Federal | Remote | May 2024 – July 2025
As the sole UX researcher on our UX team and Agile Release Train, I guided and de-risked design decisions by helping teams understand the workflows and user experiences of the people who use our software every day.

  • Led end-to-end user research for three enterprise applications, shaping strategy and design

  • Conducted 30+ research initiatives influencing over 8,000 agency staff and the American public

  • Drove product decisions across 60+ features through actionable user insights

  • Cut task completion time by 50% in a critical compliance workflow, improving efficiency and accuracy

  • Launched three in-app CSAT surveys, enabling continuous user feedback loops

  • Boosted CSAT scores by 12 points through improvements to a complex application workflow

  • Achieved a post-launch Single Ease Question (SEQ) score of 6/7 for redesigned CRM feature

  • Directly informed the decision to build and test a mobile application for agency employees

  • Partnered closely with business stakeholders and product managers to identify areas of uncertainty or risk, prioritize research efforts, and present findings and next steps to decision-makers

  • Fostered a culture of continuous learning by integrating iterative research in a SAFe environmentGuided decision-making behind 60+ business application features using UX research best practices

UX Researcher | ASRC Federal | Remote | July 2022 – May 2024

  • Built the user research program from the ground up on a major federal contract (USDA NRCS), including research method selection, study design, recruitment, execution, and analysis

  • Synthesized data from stakeholder and user interviews, secondary sources, previous research, usability tests, contextual inquiry, and surveys

  • Created research plans, scripts, and training to enable the design team to conduct user interviews and usability testing

  • Developed user personas and journey maps to reveal systemic pain points across workflows

  • Tracked cross-project insights over time to identify patterns and deepen understanding

  • Facilitated research workshops with leadership and cross-functional teams to inform product decisions

  • Collaborated with the product design team to ensure designs were accessible and met user needs

  • Established and socialized a research repository in Confluence to enable widespread access and adoption

User Experience Design Immersive | General Assembly | Remote | February 2022 – May 2022

Expert-led instruction in UX design principles and hands-on learning in design thinking, user research, visual design fundamentals, digital accessibility, and working with developers. 

  • UX Research and Usability Lead | knowRX Health medication adherence app, The Owl App. View Case Study

  • User Research and Usability Lead | FiveThirtyEight election prep app, VoteSmart. View Case Study

  • UX Designer | World of Stones and Mystics website redesign. View Case Study


Director of Marketing and Communications | Holy Names University | Oakland, CA | August 2017 – February 2022

  • Led website redesign leading to a 32% increase in new visitors, 100%+ increase in form completions YoY

  • Conducted user and stakeholder interviews, usability tests, and focus groups pre- and post-web redesign 

  • Implemented website feedback survey and Intercom chat functionality

  • Pulling from multiple data sources, worked with enrollment consultants to develop student personas

  • Worked on market research initiatives, e.g., brand awareness study, market analyses

  • Developed and executed strategies leading to a 20% increase in enrollment between fall 2017 and 2021

  • Built multi-channel campaigns spanning the enrollment funnel, including paid social, PPC, and email drip campaigns performing above industry averages

  • Led institutional brand update, including focus groups, all-campus presentations, and open forums

  • Led the design and production of all institutional, recruiting, and fundraising collateral

  • Co-developed HNU’s editorial calendar with Multimedia Communications Director

  • Developed content for and supported production of alumni magazine and monthly newsletter

  • Managed media relations, led campus crisis communications team, and prepared presidential statements

  • Served on the President’s Cabinet

Marketing Director, Community Music Center | San Francisco, CA | January 2008 – July 2017

  • Led two website redesigns, including stakeholder and user interviews: unique users tripled from 2013-2017

  • Guided an institutional brand update, facilitating community surveys and focus groups

  • Designed and wrote content for email marketing program: subscribers grew from 1,000 to 7,500 

  • Designed ads and marketing collateral e.g. fliers, brochures, annual reports, and catalogs

  • Led video, social media, and public relations campaigns


Marketing Director, CleanFish | San Francisco, CA | March 2007 – January 2008

  • Developed content and oversaw collateral design e.g., sell sheets, product packaging, point of sale materials, video productions, and website

  • Conducted competitive research and built brand positioning and awareness during start-up phase


Marketing and Communications Manager, SPINS | San Francisco, CA | September 2004 – March 2007 

  • Led website redesign and designed all sales and marketing collateral, including the quarterly newsletter 

  • Co-authored contributed articles on health and wellness trends for trade journals

  • Provided media with data and analyst interviews regarding the natural products market


Design and Marketing Associate, Fair Trade USA | Oakland, CA | May 2001 – September 2004

  • Managed the website and coordinated redesign, participating in user research 

  • Designed or art-directed collateral, including press kits, annual reports, datasheets, tradeshow graphics, point-of-purchase materials, advertising, videos, and monthly newsletter

Freelance Web Designer | San Francisco, CA | December 2000 – April 2001

Web Designer and Marketing Coordinator, ZipSend, Inc. | San Francisco, CA | October 1999 – October 2000

  • Developed and maintained the company’s e-commerce website

  • Designed or art-directed all marketing collateral

EDUCATION

UX Certification Badge from Nielsen Norman Group

Nielsen Norman Group | UX Certification with User Research Specialty | Remote

General Assembly | User Experience Design Immersive | Remote 

Bachelor of Arts with Honors | McGill University | Montreal, Canada