Ali Riehle is a Lead Product Designer at Reforge, where she helps people do the best work of their careers.
Before that, Ali worked at LUMA Institute helping people bring Human-Centered Design into their work through learning experiences, just-in-time support, and on-the-job resources. In her time at LUMA, Ali helped build LUMAWorkplace.com from the ground up—creating wireframes, testing prototypes, writing content, partnering with developers, and leading user research activities.
Spanning the physical product, digital interface, and user research worlds, Ali has designed interfaces, furniture, online classes, and medical devices now going through clinical trials. Her work has been recognized through a U.S. design patent, the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval process, glowing feedback, and consistently high Net-Promoter Scores.
Ali received her Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Industrial Design & Sustainable Design from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. With a passion for social impact and inclusion, Ali has volunteered as a facilitator and coach for community sessions aimed at bringing together diverse groups of people to work on complex issues. As an advocate for remote work and distributed collaboration, Ali has become a skilled facilitator of remote research and team meetings.
Ali lived and worked nomadically between 2018 – 2022 before finding a home back by the Chain of Lakes in Minneapolis. In her free time, Ali can be found exploring cities, hiking in nature, writing, and cooking.
Experience
Reforge • San Francisco, CA (Remote)
Jan 2023 – Present
Lead Product Designer
March 2020 – Jan 2023
Senior Product Designer
LUMA Institute • Pittsburgh, PA
April 2014 – August 2019
User Experience Designer & Researcher
On LUMA’s design & development team, I helped build LUMAworkplace.com from the ground up. For over 5 years, I worked with my team to ensure that the content, classes, and resources we created met the needs of our customers. I served as an Instructional Designer, Producer, and Instructor for four self-paced online classes. In addition to working on digital content, I taught 2-day workshops as a LUMA Certified Instructor. While at LUMA, I volunteered as a facilitator for several community events in Pittsburgh, covering topics such as immigration, women’s entrepreneurship, and inclusive innovation.
Phillips-Medisize • Hudson, WI
Jan 2012 – April 2014
Industrial Designer & Design Researcher
While on Phillips-Medisize’s design team, I worked on projects within the; medical, defense, industrial, and automotive industries. I planned and executed user research studies, synthesizing and presenting actionable recommendations to inform future work.
Phillips-Medisize • Hudson, WI
May 2011 – Jan 2012
Industrial Design Intern
Collaborated with the Phillips team on medical and defense work while conducting trend research. Internship was extended for an additional 4 months.
Fiskars • Madison, WI
Jan 2011 — May 2011
Freelance Designer, Design team lead
Selected by portfolio to chair student design team. Presented research, rough prototypes, and two final concepts to the Fiskars’ design team.
Rockler • Medina, MN
Jan 2010 – May 2010
Freelance Designer
Designed DIY furniture with our industry sponsor, Rockler Woodworking. Design Direction selected for production as Rockler’s 'I-semble’ shelving bracket (United States Patent D675258).
Trek Bikes • Madison, WI
2019 – 2010
Freelance Designer
Designed an emergency cycling kit to fit with the Trek ‘eco’ brand with discarded bicycle inner tube material (rubber tubing). Presented final concept to the Trek design team as part of a student design competition.
TOP SKILLS
• Product Design
• Interviewing
• Think-aloud testing
• Remote research & facilitation
• Wire-framing & diagramming
• Sketching
• Storyboarding
• Strategy & project planning
• UX Content & writing
Education
University of Wisconsin-Stout • 2007 – 2011
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Industrial Design
Minor in Sustainable Design & Development
• Writer for the ‘Stoutonia’ newspaper
• Industrial Designers Society of America
• University Honors Program • 2007 – 2011
• Study abroad: Cultures of India (2009)
• Study abroad: Global Sustainability, Scandinavia (Spring 2010)
ACHIEVEMENTS & Community Involvement
Bike Pittsburgh
Board Member • 2017 — 2018
Served as a BikePGH board member and advocate for pedestrians and cyclists in the city of Pittsburgh. Attended quarterly meetings to discuss: local events, laws, infrastructure, fundraising, and more.
Polish Hill Civic Association
Member • 2017– 2018
As a member of the civic association, I attended community meetings, volunteered on committees and supported neighborhood events.
Leadership Pittsburgh
Steering Committee Member • Pittsburgh, PA • 2015 – 2016
Served as a steering committee member for my Leadership Development Initiative (LDI) cohort, attending monthly leadership classes while planning a class pop-up event highlighting the people, stories, & businesses of Wilkinsburg, PA.
Assemble
Volunteer • Pittsburgh, PA • 2015 – 2016
Served as a volunteer to promote Assemble’s community programming through gallery crawl outreach events. As a 501(c)3 nonprofit, Assemble envisions diverse neighborhoods of empowered people who create, connect, learn, and transform together.
Facilitation & teaching
LUMA Institute • Pittsburgh, PA • July 2014
Certified Instructor
LUMA Institute • Pittsburgh, PA • 2016 – 2017
Curriculum designer, producer, & co-instructor of four self-paced, classes teaching Human-Centered Design on LUMA Workplace:
• Get up to speed with Human-Centered Design (30 minutes)
• Six methods to solve problems faster (2 hours)
• Generate bold ideas and bring them to life (2 hours)
• The power of working visually (4.5 hours)
University of Wisconsin-Stout • Menomonie, WI • 2013
Design course co-creator, presenter, & lecturer
Industrial Design Department • Professor: Jennifer Astwood
partnerships & acknowledgments
Closing the Door on Open Offices
Usability Geek, Alternative Worlds examples for brainstorming
Google Design Sprint Kit
Google Sprint Conference • Oct 2018
Innovative ways to inspire creativity and big ideas
The City of Pittsburgh’s Department of Innovation & Performance
Sanjana Dayananda • City of Pittsburgh • Feb 2018
Using Design Thinking in Your Everyday Work: Webinar
David Chin • MURAL • Feb 2018
4 Design Thinking Facilitation Resources for Nonprofits
Beth Kanter • Yahoo Finance • June 2017
Studio A 4.0 at Avonworth School District
Teacher training workshop design & facilitation • 2016 – 2017