INVITE-ONLY SESSION
FOR EXECUTIVE DESIGN LEADERS
CLARITY IN CHAOS
Leading Design into the Future
Facilitated by Jose Coronado & Sara Wachter-Boettcher
Thursday, October 29, 4-6pm | Happy hour to follow
Priceline offices at the Empire State Building
You’ve heard about the “big design freak out.” You’ve seen “the UX buzz” fade. You probably aren’t surprised to hear that almost half our field is reporting significant burnout—and that for 1 in 4 designers, that burnout is severe.
As a design executive, this is a lot to hold: you’re supposed to have a vision for design’s next era, while simultaneously leading stressed-out teams through today’s chaos. All while taking care of yourself, too.
If this resonates, we invite you to join us for an intimate, invite-only session with other executive design leaders. We’ll facilitate an open conversation about the state of executive design leadership—creating a space where we can learn from one another, generate new paths forward, and continue to lead our teams with clarity, calm, and trust.
about the facilitators
We’re Sara Wachter-Boettcher and Jose Coronado, and in our roles as consultants and coaches, we’ve spoken with dozens of senior design leaders this year who are going through these challenges. But too often, they’re going through them alone.
That’s what we hope to change with this session. We’ll facilitate the conversation with powerful questions that spark exploration and shared insights—ensuring everyone walks away with fresh ideas, a renewed sense of their values, and a whole new set of connections who really get where you’re coming from.
What we’ll cover
We’ll use this space to explore the state of executive design leadership right now through three lenses:
YOURSELF
How is this moment impacting you personally? What’s been most challenging in your organization? How are you staying connected to your values and sense of purpose as a leader?
YOUR TEAM
What does good people leadership look like in challenging times? How do you invest in rising leaders instead of just putting out fires? And how do you engage designers when burnout is high and opportunities to advance have contracted?
YOUR ORG
How do you demonstrate “impact” in this environment? When do you go along with shifts in the business, when do you fight for UX, and when do you take a step back? What does success look like in design’s next era?
What to expect
This event is designed for executive/senior leaders in design and UX (like senior directors, VPs, heads of design, and CDOs).
Attendance is invite-only and capped at 20 people. If you have a peer you think should be invited, let us know!
What’s included
2-hour facilitated session from 4-6pm
Snacks and drinks
Stay for an optional happy hour at 6pm
RSVP now
Clarity in Chaos: Leading Design into the Future
October 29, 2025 from 4-6pm ET
Where: Priceline offices, Empire State Building
20 W. 34th Street, NYC
MORE ABOUT your facilitators
Sara Wachter-Boettcher
Sara founded Active Voice in 2020. Before that, she built her career in UX and content design, and is known for her books on ethical and inclusive practices in design and tech. She’s now a certified coach who helps design leaders navigate uncertainty, respond to change, and communicate more effectively up, down, and across their orgs.
Jose Coronado
Jose is a recognized design and operations leader who helps UX teams amplify their impact and companies maximize the business value of investing in design. His career includes leadership roles with Fortune 50 organizations like JPMorgan, Oracle, and Target, as well as management consulting with McKinsey and Accenture.