Alexa Katz

hello.

I’m a UX Director with a background that isn’t in graphic design or marketing…wild, I know. I studied biology and fine art, and got a master’s in interior design before going digital, and brought the best of it all with me. Currently, I build the products & experiences and lead the UX team at BASIC/DEPT®.

about.

A copywriter once called me a "calm, heavy-hitting, thoughtful powerhouse", and I think it fits. I sweat details, skip drama, and put people and craft first. I’m also always finding reasons to laugh and keep things lighthearted, because if you’re not enjoying the process, what’s the point?

I make art on the side, so I enjoy thinking, explaining, and collaborating visually.

I dive deep into subject matter and make informed decisions, thanks to my science brain.

I get close with my teammates to learn from everyone’s ideas and drive a shared vision forward.

I care about diverse human experiences and commit to creating informed, impactful solutions.

Truthfully, it’s the ridiculously talented people I’ve met along the way who keep me doing what I do every day and have taught me more than any tool ever could.

more.

  • Not in a linear way, but who really has? I graduated undergrad with a double major in biology and studio art, headed towards medical school but unable to ignore my creative side.

    I turned from medicine and went all in on art, earning a Post-Baccalaureate in Studio Art and Italian Language from the Siena Art Institute. As one does in Italy, I fell for architecture and art. When my Italian pipe dream came to an end I still wasn’t ready for a 9-5. So I stayed east of the Atlantic and went north of Italy, landing at The Glasgow School of Art where I earned a Master’s in Interior Design. Besides living my best abroad life, I found myself nerding out on design theory, built environments, people, and psychogeography—like I said, nerdy.

    It all made sense in my head. I was learning how and why people move through environments and places the way they do. Which got me thinking, what about digital spaces?

  • It’s twofold. I love driving the vision early on, where ideas are messy, energy is high, and there’s space to explore and innovate. That front-end strategy and ideation is my sweet spot, especially when different minds bring fresh angles and a shared direction starts to click.

    Then, I really love getting to build the thing. Guiding the team to bring it all to life, figuring out how to tackle all the complex logic, challenges, getting into the details. In a way, both tap into what I naturally love—driving ideas, then rolling up my sleeves to make them real.

  • Athletics, arts, and travel. Nothing groundbreaking, but all three have played a big part in who I am and how I approach what I do.

    I grew up playing competitive tennis through college, and since then I’ve traded in the larger court for padel and pickleball. I’m an avid boxer too. And lately, long walks have become an unexpected highlight of my day.

    I’m also a bit of a jack-of-all-trades, master of none in the world of artistic adventures. With classic oil painting as my foundation, I've explored everything from digital photography to pottery, and even tried my hand at DJing. Recently, I bought a new film camera, and excited to go analog.