Résumé

Vernard Mercader’s Resume

Foreword: Since you’ve landed on my website, I’ll assume you have the time to read a lengthier professional summary. Whatever you haven’t read in my résumé, you can read it here. If you’d rather read the shorter, standard résumé, go here.


Vernard Mercader is a Design Strategy Leader and Frontend Architecture Expert who bridges design and engineering to deliver accessible, responsive, WCAG/Section 508-compliant interfaces. With fluency in user research, information architecture, interaction design, and React/MUI development, he drives seamless collaboration from discovery through delivery.


Since 2006 in technology and 2017 focused on UX, Vernard has led transformational user experience initiatives across enterprise SaaS, e-commerce, healthcare, and federal/public sector platforms—including the United States Air Force and California Department of Public Health. His track record demonstrates measurable improvements in accessibility scores and user engagement.

He grounds all decisions in usability research, inclusive design principles, analytics, and agile delivery. Whether embedded with engineering teams or partnering with marketing, Vernard leads the full Design Thinking process, translating design vision into scalable, high-quality technical implementation. He holds relevant government clearance.

Skills 

User Experience & User Interface Design
  • Interaction, motion & microcopy standards
  • Information architecture
  • Prototyping
  • Responsive web design
  • Accessibility & inclusive design (Section 508, WCAG2.1)

Research, Strategy, & Analytics
  • Design thinking (Mixed-methods research, user research, insight synthesis, including affinity mapping, thematic analysis)
  • TAM/SAM/SOM
  • Behavioural analytics (cohort, funnel, retention, RFM)
  • SEO data analysis
  • Usability testing (Nielsen’s 1994 heuristics)

Tools
  • UX Tools: Figma, Adobe XD, Sketch, Miro, Draw.Io
  • Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, Premiere Pro, After Effects, InDesign, and everything else)
  • Adobe Experience Manager
Design Systems & Tech Stacks
  • Design systems maintenance (Bootstrap, Material UI, USWDS)
  • Frontend Development: HTML5, CSS3, Sass/SCSS, Less; React, Angular, PHP, Vite, Laravel; unit testing & Git

Security, Privacy & Ops
  • DevSecOps (CI/CD, SBOM)
  • Privacy engineering (GDPR, CCPA, FedRAMP)
  • DesignOps / ResearchOps

Experience

UX Design Lead & UI Engineer
United States Air Force – Platform One
Reston, Virginia (Remote)
May 2023 – Nov 25
  • Led the 2024 redesign of the Vulnerability Assessment Tool (VAT), planned since 2023, improving usability by 30%. VAT is part of Iron Bank under Platform One (United States Air Force). Validated through task success rates, average time on task, and error rates, supported by internal usability metrics and Matomo analytics.
  • Established a Figma-driven design system of 50+ reusable React/TypeScript components, increasing development velocity by around 10%.
  • Reduced accessibility issues by around 40% through WCAG 2.1 and Section 508 compliance remediation.
  • Conducted and facilitated discovery sessions with container hardeners and vendor contributors to map workflows, capture behavioral pain points, and prioritize features using affinity mapping and thematic analysis.
  • Translated user feedback into prototypes and interaction flows, validating through iterative usability testing to align with information architecture, interaction standards, and inclusive design principles.
  • Regularly mentor junior designers and frontend developers, guiding UX heuristics, design systems contribution workflows, accessibility audits, and stakeholder alignment within Agile and DevSecOps environments.
  • Contributed to the upskilling of designers and UI developers by documenting internal accessibility standards and UI design patterns; built shared knowledge bases across React/MUI and Angular TypeScript codebases.
  • Contracting from a company called Oteemo, which delivers services under a federal contract for USAF’s Platform One, the Department of the Air Force’s enterprise DevSecOps service, providing a secure, centrally managed software factory used across the DoD.

Senior UX Designer
California Dept. of Public Health
Sacramento, California (Remote)
Dec 2021 – Apr 2023
  • Increased user sessions by 346% (Google Analytics) through UX research, Section 508–compliant design, and development of CAIRHub, the California Department of Public Health’s immunization reporting web app, validated by internal database metrics and Google Analytics.
  • Served as both a UX designer and UI developer, creating wireframes and prototypes in Figma and building accessible components with Angular and React TypeScript.
  • Achieved 100% compliance with HTML5/CSS3 standards and accessibility guidelines, validated by automated audits, through close collaboration with frontend engineers.
  • Serve as an internal design strategy advisor on cross-functional teams, leading workshops (Feature Priority Matrix, Design Thinking facilitation, team wireframing sessions) to define roadmaps and accelerate delivery.
  • Contracting with a company called M Corp (renamed to “11:59”) to deliver services for the CDPH.
Lead UI/UX Designer
USAF ShOC, Nellis AFB
Las Vegas, Nevada
Apr 2020 – Dec 2021
  • Improved intel operators’ task response time by 2-3 seconds on average (as compared to the previous average of 60-70 seconds), documented in the 2021 Commanding Officer’s report, by leading user research and redesigning the ShROuD application at the USAF Shadow Operations Center (ShOC), Nellis AFB.
  • Defined strategic workflow scenarios through requirements gathering and scenario planning in a TS-SCI environment, validated by formal use-case documentation.
  • Spearheaded the creation of the ShOC design system, a fork of the US. Web Design System (USWDS) tailored for secure Department of Defense applications.
  • Mentored junior designers and developers, raising design quality and team performance by instilling best practices in Design Thinking, Nielsen’s 10 Usability Heuristics, Agile methods, and accessibility standards.
  • Contracting with the large, multidisciplinary company called SAIC. Split time between remote work and on-site duties, commuting between Location 2 and the SCIF at ShOC-N.

UX Lead & Frontend Developer
GetDocsNow
Las Vegas, Nevada
Jan 2019 – Mar 2020
  • Increased client engagement by 2% through a redesign of the member site’s UX and UI framework, validated by Salesforce metrics and internal evaluation tools.
  • Developed new features for the GDN website to drive engagement, including live chat, and redesigned the frontend framework using ASP.NET, C#, ReactJS, Node.js, and Gulp.
  • Built the company’s first responsive design framework, overcoming limitations with third-party integrations. Introduced mobile compatibility, which allowed HOA companies to manage tasks on phones and tablets, and boosted overall user satisfaction.
  • Handled backend debugging in C# and SQL, resolving user issues and enhancing customer experience.
  • Partnered with stakeholders to identify UX pain points and improved the frontend build pipeline for faster delivery.

UX Designer & Lead Frontend Developer
ActionCOACH Global Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Jun 2017 – Jan 2019
  • Increased organic traffic by 27% and direct traffic, 2% (5K+ sessions/quarter), by delivering the 2018 redesign of ActionCOACH.com, validated through Google Analytics.
  • Built a scalable WordPress Multisite template for the coach network, incorporating an enhanced framework from the 2018 redesign. The system enabled dynamic, extensible content managed by independent users (coaches) through a WYSIWYG interface.
  • Developed custom PHP plugins and Laravel backends to support internal tools and workflows.
  • Contributed to hands-on marketing initiatives and supported UX strategy for coach-facing tools developed in React-TypeScript and CoffeeScript.
  • Served as a stand-in Visual Effects Designer and Videographer before ActionCoach hired a dedicated videographer. Applied skills in multimedia and cinematic production using 3ds Max, Maya, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects, and Final Cut Pro.

Earlier Career

Senior UX Developer & MIS operations
Superdraft Pty Ltd (Australia)
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia (Remote)
Aug 2015 – May 2017
  • Increased sessions by 13% through the redesign and deployment of superdraft.com.au, validated via Bing (Microsoft) Analytics.
  • Launched side projects including viz360.com.au, architecturecentre.net, and archix.com (active at the time), delivering improvements in client management through interactive and dynamic real estate and architectural tools.
  • Served as Manager of Information Systems, providing on-site network architecture, setup, strategies, and security management.
Senior Developer
WhiteTower Digital
Sydney, NSW, Australia (Remote)
Sep 2014 – Jul 2015
  • Launched more than five point-of-sale and business websites[1], [2], [3], increasing client lead generation by ~9% on average, as measured by Google Analytics, by pairing brand identity redesigns with SEO strategy.
  • Delivered brand identity and SEO packages for small business clients, resulting in higher local search visibility (top-6 ranking for 10+ competitive keywords).
  • Built scalable templates on WordPress, AEM, and Laravel, cutting client onboarding time for new sites by 32% through reusable frameworks.
  • Improved Google Analytics implementations for all clients, enabling accurate funnel tracking and helping businesses increase conversion rates by up to 11%.
  • Led UX research with social media teams, boosting campaign click-through rates by 10–12% by aligning website layouts with audience engagement data.
  • Managed Agile/Scrum delivery across multiple projects, reducing release cycle time from 6 weeks to 3 weeks.

Freelance work
Self-Employed
Remote
Jul 2013 – Aug 2014
  • Designed and launched websites for clients, including Nightingale Construction, DWCLawFirm.com (Seattle), and author John Quel.
  • Led end-to-end delivery: UX discovery, branding, content planning, front-end development, and CMS setup. Scoped requirements directly with clients, balancing technical feasibility, budget, and timelines.
  • Delivered websites as either custom WordPress builds (per client requirements) or via Adobe Dreamweaver with Adobe Business Catalyst publishing. Optimized for usability, performance, and client hand-off, and implemented on-page SEO to improve local keyword rankings.
  • Applied a lightweight design-to-build workflow that reduced project delivery time by roughly two workdays compared to typical small-agency timelines.
  • Increased service inquiries for Nightingale Construction by 40% in Q1 post-launch through improved UX and local SEO.
  • Provided additional creative services for select clients, including illustrations and 3D modeling.
  • Produced a 3D prototype of a composite decking system for Nightingale Construction, which impressed stakeholders (including David Cheng, owner of DWCLawFirm.com) and led to a full-time job offer (declined to continue freelance practice).
Multimedia Specialist & Web Developer
Talyst
Kirkland, WA, USA
Sep 2008 – Jul 2013
  • Designed and enhanced the INSITE Medication Dispenser concept and medication canister, contributing to hardware development for pharmacy automation products.
  • Produced multimedia campaigns, including microsites for surgical marketing initiatives (AutoPharm, InSite, Auto340B), paired with advertising strategy, storyboarding, and video production to support product launches and client education.
  • Designed and developed these microsites using ASP.NET and PHP, incorporating A/B testing and SEO strategy to optimize reach and performance.
  • As a result, the microsites drove a 78% increase in qualified leads (Salesforce), giving the sales and marketing teams significantly stronger conversion opportunities.
  • Implemented analytics and digital sales strategies through the corporate website, supporting the sales team in securing a $4M deal in 2011.
  • Developed and maintained two successive versions of the official company website, improving usability, accessibility, and brand consistency.
  • Managed ongoing website content updates, ensuring alignment with marketing campaigns and sustaining customer engagement.
Multimedia Producer
Intava
Bellevue, WA
Aug 2006 – Aug 2008
  • Created 3D graphics and product animations[1], [2], [3], [4] for mobile devices, used in product marketing, training, and customer-facing demos.
  • Managed end-to-end photography and post-production workflows, including image editing and vector illustration for product instruction manuals and packaging.
  • Developed interactive features and prototypes using Flash ActionScript, enhancing usability and engagement in early digital interfaces.
  • Contributed to key design decisions for Sprint/Nextel customer kiosk point-of-sale interfaces, helping shape user flows and visual standards for retail environments.
  • Supported cross-functional teams across design, engineering, and marketing, bridging creative content and technical execution.
  • Entered the tech industry early, hired three months before completing an Associate Degree (demonstrating technical readiness and adaptability).

Education

Bachelor of Arts, Interaction Design
École Supérieure des Arts
de l’Image Le 75
2009-2012

Bachelor of Arts, Digital
& Graphic Design
ITT Tech-Everett
2007-2009

Associate of Applied Science in Multimedia/Design
ITT Tech-Everett
2004-2006

Certifications

Adobe Certified Expert
New Horizons (Seattle, WA)
2012 Oct

Google UX Design Professional Certificate
Google Career Certificates
2021 Oct

MBTI

INTJ-A “The Architect”

Enneagram

Type-5 (1,6-3)

OAD Survey

“Specialist”