Matthew Stephens
Design Leader

About Me

Photo of Matthew Stephens

Based out of Austin, I’ve worked at the intersection of design, technology, and business for over 22 years, most recently as VP of Design at The Zebra, a billion dollar insurtech company. I build high-performing teams and design award-winning brands and products. Beyond that, I also write about ethics, accessibility, diversity, and education within design.

At The Zebra, I built a high-performing Design Org of 22 product and marketing designers, researchers, writers, and managers. Together, we built a suite of products that increased annual net revenue from $1M to $100M, along with a 100% retention rate on my team.

Before The Zebra, I was the Co-Founder of DeviantArt.com, the largest art community in the world. With over 400 million works of art and 50 million users, I know what it’s like to operate and lead at the largest scale.

I’m also involved in the broader design community, serving as a member of Invision’s Design Leadership Forum and the advisory board for Austin Design Week. I also donate my time and design skills to various non-profits, including the American Cancer Society.

In a previous life, I was a competitive ultimate frisbee player. During my career, I appeared in multiple national and world championships. Other interests include soccer, video games, and birding.

I hold a degree from The University of Texas at Austin in Radio-Television-Film , where I focused on digital media.

If you’re ever in Austin, I made a map of all my favorite recommendations!

Thanks! If you’d like to go even further, you can follow me on Twitter or connect on Linkedin. Cheers!

Photo of Matthew Stephens