Throughout my career, I have navigated the intersection of creativity, technology, and human-centered design, leveraging a diverse background in music, research, and product strategy to drive innovation.
I began as a professional drummer, touring internationally across Europe, China, the United States, and Canada. My performances have been featured on BBC Television, BBC World Service, BBC Radio, PBS, and at globally recognized festivals, including Floyd Fest (USA) and RockNess (Scotland). I have collaborated with Disney and shared the stage with Sir Elton John, while my drumming has appeared in various international commercials. In the studio, I have worked with producers such as Matty Benbrook (Faithless), Steve Chrisanthau (Corinne Bailey Rae), Alex James (Blur), and David Kosten (Coldplay, REM).
Beyond drumming, I am an award-winning songwriter and spoken-word artist. I appeared alongside Rosanne Cash, John Oates, and others in the peoplesupportingartists.com 2020 telethon to support independent artists affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. I have presented my work in New York, Tennessee, and Texas, and my poetry was featured on the 2021 album What Plans? by Nashville songwriter Anthony Da Costa.
In 2014, I relocated to the United States and found myself in the New York startup community, where I developed a passion for research, design, and technology. As a graduate of the TechStars accelerator program, I conceived and launched the world’s first fully online music festival, helping a startup expand its reach within musicians across the globe.
By 2016, I had moved to Nashville, TN, where I pursued an interest in software development. A highlight of this phase was the creation of an Oprah-themed Twitter bot, which gained attention from the creative agency Redpepper, where I subsequently joined the UX team.
At Redpepper, I collaborated with Deloitte, Verizon, and other leading clients, transforming insights into interactive prototypes that informed the development of new applications and services. I regularly led human-centered design sprints, workshops, and user research initiatives, contributing to creative projects for Red Bull, Slack, and the Georgia Department of Tourism.
In 2018, I joined Asurion, a Fortune 500 company, where I led an 11-month initiative to develop a custom complaints management system for customer service agents across the U.S. and Canada. I also played a key role in Verizon’s Same-Day Delivery program and contributed to email marketing campaigns for AT&T, driving over one million new customers by year-end.
In my later years at Asurion, I helped establish the Research & Strategic Insights team, where I spearheaded qualitative research initiatives, co-creation labs, and in-depth interviews to guide product strategy across the organization. My work extended into physical product design, including the research and development of self-service kiosks for Sprint Mobile and the redesign of uBreakiFix franchise locations across the U.S. Additionally, I conducted workshops and training sessions to upskill the design team in research best practices and facilitation techniques.
As a consultant, I have worked extensively with Canon USA, serving as the Lead UX Designer on the AMLOS project, an innovative software solution designed to enhance collaboration in hybrid work environments. This project successfully launched at CES 2022, supported by Hollywood actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt and his online collaborative media platform, HitRecord. At Canon, I also contributed to the Canon Americas Lab digital strategy, fostering partnerships in emerging technology initiatives. Beyond Canon, I have consulted for organizations such as Goodyear, Walmart, Kaiser Permanente, and Gulfstream.
Since February 2021, I have served as a Senior Consultant to the innovation organization at Nationwide, a Fortune 100 insurance company based in Columbus, Ohio. My role centers on guiding teams through human-centered design methodologies and integrating rigorous research practices into the product development lifecycle. My work has influenced projects ranging from parametric wildfire insurance solutions to the development of Nationwide’s award-winning direct-to-consumer life insurance product.
Across my career, my primary focus has remained understanding people—how they live, work, and interact with technology. I thrive at the intersection of research, design, and strategy, ensuring that products are built on a foundation of actionable insights and real-world value. I am passionate about leveraging technology to create meaningful solutions that enhance the way people engage with the world around them.
Download my resume here.
Email me: theblairmcmillan [at] gmail.com