Ellis Zijlstra

Ellis Zijlstra has a strong background in UX design, strategy, and innovation. From 1999 to 2010, Ellis held various roles at IBM, including Brand Strategy Leader, External Communication Manager, Innovation & Strategy Consultant, and Project Manager. In these positions, Ellis developed and executed brand awareness and communication strategies, managed innovation projects, and worked with clients to implement user-centered design. From 2010 to 2017, Ellis worked as an independent consultant and designer at ez-design.nl, where they performed UX and strategy projects for enterprise applications and responsive internet sites. Ellis also worked at ING Nederland as a Sr. User Experience Designer from 2015 to 2017, where they focused on delivering omnichannel user experiences for the banking business. In 2017, Ellis joined Kentivo as a Sr. UX Designer, responsible for creating innovative business solutions based on Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence. In 2019, Ellis was promoted to the role of UX | Product | Brand | Director at Kentivo, where they focus on creating the best intuitive user experience for complex AI. Additionally, Ellis has served as a Board Member at Marsaci Cooperative U.A since 2018 and as a Route Information Consultant at KPN Research in 1997-1998.

Ellis Zijlstra completed their VWO degree at Hilversums Nieuwe Lyceum from 1986 to 1992. They then pursued a MsC degree in Industrial Design Engineering from Delft University of Technology, which they successfully completed from 1992 to 1998. Additionally, outside of their formal education, Ellis obtained two certifications: "Usable Security" from Coursera Verified Certificates in October 2014 and "Process Mining: Data science in Action" from Coursera Verified Certificates in January 2015.