Matt Arnold

Matt Arnold has a diverse work experience spanning several industries. Matt currently holds the position of Principal, Service Strategies and Solutions at Brightidea since January 2022. Prior to that, they worked as an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Iowa starting in August 2020. Matt also created and hosted The Iowa Idea Podcast from April 2020.

In 2019, Matt co-founded Spark Consulting Group, where they served as the Chief Catalyst until January 2022. Spark Consulting Group is a human-centered design agency that helps organizations understand themselves and their customers, delivering on their brand promise and meeting evolving customer expectations.

Before co-founding Spark Consulting Group, Matt held the position of UX Director at ConnectFive, Inc. from June 2016 to August 2019. Matt also worked at Handrail, Inc., a spinoff of ConnectFive, where they served as a Researcher, Designer, and Leader during the same period.

Matt's earlier work experience includes being the Chief Agent (Owner & Founder) at Sanctioning Agent, a brand and user experience consultancy, from April 2005 to December 2017. Matt also worked as the Senior Director for Customer Experience at ACT from January 2012 to June 2016. Prior to that, they served as the Director of Brand and User Experience at Syncbak, Inc. from July 2010 to December 2011, and as the Director, Interactive Media Strategy at Stamats from August 2009 to July 2010. In both roles, Matt demonstrated leadership, strategic thinking, and enhanced client solutions.

Throughout their career, Matt has showcased their skills as a designer, problem-solver, and innovator, consistently driving thought leadership and providing sales support in various organizations.

Matt Arnold holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Communication Studies from the University of Iowa. Matt also pursued a Master's degree in Communication at Illinois State University. In 2014, they attended the Illinois Institute of Technology for a short-term program called Design Camp, focusing on Design Thinking. Additionally, they earned a Certified User Experience Analyst (CXA) certification from Human Factors International in July 2014. Matt also has a certification in Practical Product Management from Pragmatic Marketing, although the exact timeline of when they obtained this certification is unknown. It is unclear whether they obtained a Certified Usability Analyst (CUA) certification from Human Factors International.