[Edit: Since posting this announcement, Andy has changed roles and is now UX Director at SunTrust Bank. See his updated bio for details.]

“When not untangling complexities or building design teams, Andy can be found cheering on the rival sports team and exploring all of the great eats in the Twin Cities, as evident by his social media posts. An overly competitive skee-ball player, fan of lucha libre, and aficionado and curator of all things peculiar.”

Our next speaker, Andy Vitale, initially told us that those opening sentences were optional, and had included them at the end of his bio. Of course, we decided that not only were they essential, but that we had to lead with them in this announcement. That's just how we view the world here at Canada’s UX Festival.

Andy is the Director of User Experience at Polaris Industries, a global powersports leader, where he leads user experience design across Polaris’ innovative product lines such as off-road vehicles, snowmobiles, electric vehicles, Indian Motorcycle, and more. Andy is focused on translating human insights into actionable experiences that fuel the passion of riders, workers, and outdoor enthusiasts.

Andy holds a Master’s Degree in User Experience Design and has previously held multiple roles as a designer, entrepreneur, education department chair, and design leader. With a proven ability to lead change and process improvements, Andy has developed strategies and design solutions for multiple industries within diverse organizations ranging from startups to Fortune-ranked companies. He is a relentless UX evangelist, with a passion for cognitive thinking and humanizing technology, driven by a user-centered passion that takes cross-functional teams, and their products, from good to great.

Aside from his primary role at Polaris, Andy serves as Director of Design Impact for AIGA Minnesota and is an adjunct professor for Kent State University’s User Experience Design graduate program. He is also a member of the UXPA Cleveland Senior Advisory Board and the Program Advisory Committee for the Graphic Design & Interactive Media Program at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Andy often writes about design and speaks at conferences and events.

Stay tuned for details of Andy’s Fluxible presentation. Until then, you can get in touch with him to talk design or other interesting things at www.andyvitale.com or find him on Twitter as @andyvitale.