Empowering Women in Design: A Conversation with Stacey Seronick, S4, Ep. 13

In this episode, we are joined by Stacey Seronick, the Senior Design Program Manager at IBM. With a wealth of experience in developing educational programs for designers and researchers, Stacey is passionate about service design, employee experience, and generative research. Join us as we explore her journey in the design industry, the importance of ethical design, and her insights on mentorship and collaboration in building impactful user experiences. Discussion point:

• Can you share your journey and how you got to where you are today? 1:39
• When did you move to California? 16:10
• Do you feel that your overall experiences have contributed significantly to your journey? 22:13
• Rapid fire questions 24:17
• At IBM, you've mentioned working with IBM India and traveling frequently. What are the main focuses of your initiatives there? 31:20

Show notes:

• The path to a better place was not to come barreling in and say, ‘I have all the answers'.
• I needed to work with women to empower them to realize they can and need to be the future they want to be a part of.
• It’s so unhealthy and cruel to think that because you had a bad experience, everyone else should go through it too.
• True innovation happens when you stop trying to control every aspect and embrace the unknown.
• The most impactful designs come from listening deeply and creating with empathy at the core.
• Leadership is about making space for others to shine, not just being the brightest in the room.
• The future of design is in diversity—not just of gender or background, but diversity of thought and experience.

Links: LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/stacey-seronick/ Company website: www.ibm.com