Surya Vanka

Surya Vanka is a seasoned design professional and founder of AUTHENTIC DESIGN, currently serving as Founding Advisor at Global Impact Collective since January 2024. With extensive experience in user experience, Vanka previously held various leadership roles at Microsoft from 1998 to 2014, including Director of User Experience and Principal UX Manager, where significant contributions transformed the company’s design culture and practices. Vanka's impact extends to social initiatives through the Design Swarms approach, addressing critical issues such as aging independence and disaster relief. An advocate for design education, Vanka conducts workshops worldwide and coaches executive leaders on design strategy. Recognized for industry leadership, Vanka has chaired multiple design conferences and served as President of Design in Public and the Seattle Design Festival. Vanka holds advanced degrees in design and computer graphics from The Ohio State University and the National Institute of Design.