Systems Thinker • Strategic Design Leader • Product Builder
my teammates call me TV
Hi! I'm Tracey Varnell
I'm a player-coach, product management/design hybrid with 20+ years of experience setting service and experience strategy, and leading cross-functional teams through build and launch.
I'm known for translating messy workflows in complex, high-trust environments into simple, scalable solutions.
Trusted by teams at
My expertise
Aligning on what to build
Ideas are cheap now, but focus isn’t. I help teams gather evidence from real customer behavior so they can agree on what’s worth building and commit to the best bets together.
Guiding craft and cohesion
Good enough to test isn’t good enough to ship. I help teams reach adoption and retention goals sooner with principles, design systems, and expert critique, avoiding rework and design debt across products.
Optimizing AI-assisted workflows
Speed without strong context produces slop and rework. I help teams build the shared context and structure that lets people and AI agents hit the mark faster and move into production smoothly.
Supporting team success
Tools change fast, but what people need to do their best work doesn’t. I help teams keep their momentum with clear direction, fewer roadblocks, and room to try new ways of working.
Selected Work
Optimizing the B2B auto loan origination workflow, and expanding the product experience to support indirect and direct consumer acquisition
Established the Product Design & Research practice from the ground up at an indirect auto finance company. Directed product design activities across multiple workstreams: incubating zero-to-one products for car shoppers and dealers, directing a redesign of the CAPS lending platform, and optimizing the consumer loan servicing platform.
Established the Product Design & Research practice from the ground up at an indirect auto finance company. Directed product design activities across multiple workstreams: incubating zero-to-one products for car shoppers and dealers, directing a redesign of the CAPS lending platform, and optimizing the consumer loan servicing platform.
Optimizing Small Business Lending across customer, lending partner, and internal operation touch points
Led a comprehensive research and product strategy engagement to define OnDeck's experience vision. Conducted ethnographic research with small business owners across the US, synthesized findings into a structured unmet needs framework.
Led a comprehensive research and product strategy engagement to define OnDeck's experience vision. Conducted ethnographic research with small business owners across the US, synthesized findings into a structured unmet needs framework.
Zero-to-one product development for small business owners
Working directly with the CPO, led multiple zero-to-one product development initiatives to extend OnDeck's value beyond lending. Led opportunity identification grounded in observed customer need and validated customer desirability of multiple products.
Working directly with the CPO, led multiple zero-to-one product development initiatives to extend OnDeck's value beyond lending. Led opportunity identification grounded in observed customer need and validated customer desirability of multiple products.
Leading mortgage product experience strategy and design efforts in a consumer & operational digital transformation that led to product line profitability
Led experience strategy and execution as an embedded consultant for the Capital One Home Loans' digital transformation. Orchestrated feature prioritization and roadmap planning to coordinate an MVP launch across seven cross-functional teams.
Led experience strategy and execution as an embedded consultant for the Capital One Home Loans' digital transformation. Orchestrated feature prioritization and roadmap planning to coordinate an MVP launch across seven cross-functional teams.
Work History
Credit Acceptance
2023–2026Head of Product Design & Research
Building a product design practice, redesigning existing experiences, and incubating 0-to-1 products simultaneously
Derivative Path
2022–2023Head of Experience Strategy
Led experience strategy for a fintech derivatives platform
Silicon Valley Bank
2019–2020Fractional Product Design Leader
Guided product design during a critical growth period
OnDeck
2016–2019Head of Design — Sr. Director, Experience Strategy & Design
Designed the future of small business lending and incubated 0→1 products
Capital One (via Adaptive Path)
2014–2016Service Design Lead — Sr. Manager
Transformed a mortgage platform from loss to profitability
Adaptive Path
2013–2014Lead Experience Designer
Delivered human-centered design for enterprise clients
Welltok
2012–2013Director, Product Experience
Led product experience for a health optimization platform
Roundarch
2011–2012UX Lead
Led UX for large-scale enterprise digital transformations
EffectiveUI
2007–2011Lead Experience Architect
Shaped award-winning UX for clients across industries
What People Say
Peer recognition from colleagues, cross-functional partners, and direct reports.
“Tracey is one of the smartest, most strategic thinkers I have ever worked with. She exemplifies Design Thinking in all her work — she considers the spectrum of strategic, cognitive and practical aspects of every project.”
“She was instrumental in transforming multiple disparate internal systems into an elegantly designed software product. She is the type of design leader who will not only bring in-depth customer insights and design thought leadership, but also strategic thinking into the critical product design process.”
“Tracey is also a uniquely skilled leader of people. Teams coalesce around her and she navigates projects and personalities with equal fearlessness and grace.”
“As a leader, Tracey is inspirational, leads by example, passionate about her work, and acts with high integrity. She is an outstanding product design leader who will be invaluable for any product organization.”
Let's build.
Currently open to join or consult with forward-thinking, fast-paced, collaborative teams. I hope it's yours!