I'm Kathrine and I build cultures
Brand direction. Product thinking. Creative leadership. Not separately — together.
Culture through framework
Culture through agility
Culture through experimentation
Culture in startup
Still here? Explore some of my favorite past projects focused on other design disciplines
REI Co-op: Classes & Events Checkout
UI/UX Design
ActivityHero: B2B Onboarding
UI/UX Design / Product Marketing
CoMakery: Project Platform
UI/UX Design / Data Visualization
Urban Decay: Retail Marketing & Merchandising Book
Visual / Communication Design
Philosophy: Holiday Product Collection 2015
CPG Design / Illustration
Philosophy: Holiday Product Collection 2013
CPG Design / Illustration
Brand
A brand isn't a visual system. It's a set of beliefs made tangible. My job is to make sure those beliefs are felt — by the team building it and the people it's built for.
Culture
Culture isn't a perk or a value on a wall. It's what people do when no one's watching. The work I'm most proud of is the work that changed what people did when I wasn't in the room.
2022 - 2025
REI Co-op: Experiences
Digital Product, Visual Design, UX Strategy
2020 - 2022
ActivityHero
Digital Product, Branding, Product Marketing
2014 - 2020
Vevue
Digital Product, Branding, Presentation Design, Marketing
2012 - 2014
Coty: Philosophy Skincare
Art Direction, Illustration, Visual Design, Packaging
2011 - 2012
L'Oreal: Urban Decay
Visual Merchandising Design, Retail Marketing Communication
2007 - 2011
Arizona State University
Wellness & Health
Graphic Design
Kathrine’s innovative and flexible design allowed us to iterate REI’s Adventure Travel business’s home page hero rapidly and efficiently. Using A/B testing and analytics Kathrine was able to guide our team in delivering a new user experience that drove products and offerings to our customers in new and exciting ways by using multiple component variants that could be configured in real time.
Aaron M. – Senior Engineer, REI Co-op
I love it when folks can bring more to the team than their role, and it’s hard to overstate how much joy she brought to us. Kathrine is a tremendously good influence on those around her and her cheerful attitude kept the team positive even through difficult times. She made everyone feel included and was a major builder of culture in our group. We were lucky to get to work with her.
Travis Logan – Senior Development Management, REI Co-op
Kathrine Olson is a star performer. She is smart, dedicated, quick, focused and has attention to details. She would be a great asset to any team she joins! I would hire her again in a heartbeat!
Shilpa Dalmia – CTO, ActivityHero
Having Kathrine on your team is setting yourself up for success. At REI, I saw her lead landing page improvements that generated sales, she designed user experiences that streamlined checkout flows, she knew how to collaborate with folks to gather the best ideas, and she brought a positive attitude to the team that we all appreciated. Even after having changed teams myself, I still look to her for insights and wisdom about what's to come. I highly recommend her for leading any team or product.
David Sinclair – Senior Engineer, REI Co-op
Hi, I'm Kathrine
I'm a culture builder — which means I've spent 15 years at the intersection of brand, product, and creative direction, making those three disciplines work as one.
I've done it through output at Urban Decay, through framework at REI, through creative backbone at Philosophy, and through agility at ActivityHero. The brief is always different. The outcome is always the same: a team or a brand that finally knows what it's for.
Based in Orange County. 15+ years of multidisciplinary experience. 10 years in product design leadership. Currently open to product directior, brand and creative leadership roles — and the right consulting conversations.
