CORY M BURNETT
SUMMARY
Builder and design leader with twenty-five years designing and building software, four-plus of them forward-deployed — working with businesses, inside the systems they actually run. Owns the full cycle: discovery, design, build, deploy, iterate. Currently Head of Product + Design at Sutra.AI, building AI applications for mid-market and enterprise businesses. Prior design leadership at Uptime.com, Refersion, Xeeva, Avvir, Oracle and Fieldlens, including scaling Oracle CEGBU's design practice from 4 to 15 and driving its design maturity from Level 1 to Level 4.
WORK EXPERIENCE
Sutra.AI
Head of Product + Design
Apr 2025 - Present
• Lead Product + Design for AI applications built for mid-market and enterprise businesses, owning the full cycle: discovery, design, build, deploy, iterate.
• Work forward-deployed with customers, scoping against the systems a business really runs rather than the ones they wish they had, and aligning messy, underdocumented processes.
• Built an internal agent that takes in business context and carries it across the whole process, enabling the team to rapidly build out the customer use cases that realize AI value, contributing to the backend as often as the frontend.
• Focus the platform on getting customer data enriched and production-ready, giving each business a data layer they own rather than one they rent from someone else's servers.
Uptime.com
Head of UX & Product Design
Feb 2023 - Oct 2024
• Spearheaded the development and implementation of a comprehensive design system, enhancing product consistency and design efficiency across the platform.
• Led cross-functional efforts to align design, engineering, and product teams, resulting in a $400k+ increase in ARR and the delivery of 3 new foundational features.
• Established a future vision for the product's look and feel, driving visual design excellence and user-centered design principles.
• Implemented new design tools and processes, facilitating seamless adoption and deployment of the design system across various platforms.
Refersion
Director UX Design & Research
Jul 2021 - Dec 2022
• Built and led a high-performing Design team, establishing a foundation for data-driven, user-centered design across products.
• Developed and implemented a robust Design System, streamlining the design process and ensuring consistency across all user touchpoints.
• Introduced and managed a comprehensive research practice, resulting in data-informed, higher quality design iterations.
Xeeva
Director UX Design & Research
Oct 2019 - Jul 2021
• Led UX design and research for 3 AI-powered products, driving user engagement and product innovation through extensive user research and interviews.
• Developed an MVP-to-production prototype using Ionic PWA and Tableau, from which we closed 2 new customers. Showcasing technical proficiency and ability to bridge design and engineering. Delivering bottom-line value in ~3 months.
• Collaborated with cross-functional teams to align design strategy with overall product goals and company vision.
Avvir
Head of UX & Product Design
Jan 2019 - Oct 2019
• As founding designer, led the creation and implementation of a comprehensive design system, ensuring consistency and scalability across all products.
• Spearheaded product design, brand refresh, and marketing website development, driven by on-site visits and in-depth user research.
• Contributed to product management, showcasing ability to balance design excellence with business objectives.
Oracle
UX Design Manager
Feb 2015 - Jan 2019
• Built and led a UX & research practice with 15 designers, covering 4 primary products.
• Instilled a data-driven design process with validation from prototypes and lean design methodologies.
• Advocated for and implemented user-centered design thinking across the organization, improving overall product quality and user satisfaction.
Fieldlens
Head of UX & Product Design
Mar 2012 - Feb 2015
• Started as one, doing Design, UX and Product Management, from concept to completion in all aspects; iOS, Android, Web, corporate, email.
• Built a team of 4 designers, implementing user-centered, data-driven, design processes and principals, while working in an agile environment.
• Worked in parallel with the Product and Engineering teams to constantly iterate based on user feedback and product strategy.
McCann Worldgroup
UX & Mobile Design/Development
Mar 2011 - Dec 2011
• Developed hybrid mobile sales tools for Verizon using PhoneGap and JavaScript, enhancing sales team efficiency and contributing to revenue growth.
• Transitioned to UX Planner role, focusing on creating interactive prototypes for client projects.
• Conducted user research and validation studies to refine prototype designs.
• Progressed from wireframe development to incorporating visual designs into later-stage prototypes.
• Collaborated with clients throughout the design and validation process
terra45
Creator
Oct 2009 - Sep 2011
• Founded and operated terra45, a Utah-based lifestyle brand specializing in small-batch, water-based ink t-shirts celebrating local culture and outdoor lifestyle.
• Developed and managed a network of contributors to generate Utah-centric content for the brand's blog.
• Designed and built a visually striking website/blog showcasing Utah's unique appeal.
• Implemented comprehensive marketing strategies, including building a strong social media presence and community engagement.
• Organized and participated in multiple community events to increase brand visibility and foster local connections.
• Established partnerships with local businesses for collaborative products and initiatives, expanding the brand's reach and impact
O'Leary and Partners
Interactive Designer
Jan 2007 - Nov 2008
• Member of a two-person interactive design team, creating Flash banner ads and websites (with Actionscript) for major clients including In-N-Out Burger, WD-40, AAA Northeast, Kawasaki and Fantastic Sams.
• Adapted traditional creative concepts for effective digital implementation.
• Created a high-profile ad for Kawasaki motorcycles featured on the ESPN.com homepage.
• Managed external contractors to support project delivery.
PIMCO
Designer
Mar 2004 - Sep 2006
• Designed investment materials using Adobe Creative Suite, maintaining high visual standards for company publications.
• Managed in-house printing for those marketing and investment materials.
• Pioneered the company's digital advertising efforts by designing and developing its first digital ad campaigns.
• Conceptualized and implemented a SharePoint portal for the marketing department, enhancing interdepartmental visibility and collaboration.
• Contributed to PIMCO's digital transformation by bridging traditional print design with emerging digital marketing strategies.
Calendar Systems
Designer
Jan 1999 - Dec 2003
• Served as the longest-standing designer, specializing in rebranding and collateral creation for multiple car dealerships.
• Functioned as an in-house design agency, adapting dealership branding across various media formats.
• Managed the printing process for calendars and marketing materials, ensuring high-quality output for clients.
• Meticulously recreated and refined dealership logos and branding, developing a keen eye for detail and strong foundation in design aesthetics.
• Maintained consistent brand identity across diverse marketing materials for numerous automotive clients.
• Balanced the needs of multiple clients simultaneously, demonstrating strong project management skills.
SKILLS
EDUCATION
Weber State University
Visual Communication - Design
Aug 1998 - Dec 2003
SFSU - Online
Multimedia Studies Program
Aug 2003 - Dec 2003
VOLUNTEERING
Design Leadership Forum
InVision
Jan 2018 - Present
Student Mentor
Designlab
Feb 2018 - Jan 2022
Big Brother
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah
Jun 2001 - May 2011
Newport Lido Isle Club; Member, VP and President
Toastmasters International
Mar 2005 - Feb 2007
Ogden Team Lead
Local First Utah
Jul 2010 - Jun 2011