Hello,I'mCai

I make joyful things that foster connection for people, for teams, and in the spaces where collaboration comes to life. I value showing up, shaping together, playing, and caring through the work.

I currently reside in Brooklyn where it's ☁️ ° and .

name pronunciation: kβ€’eye

pronouns: they/them/theirs

I'm a creative wanderer with a wide range of experience:

Figma Logo
Figma
2026 β€” Today

Staff Product Designer

Designing how people manage the context β€” skills, permissions, knowledge β€” that shapes how agentic workflows behave in Figma.

2025 β€” 2026

Senior Product Designer

Design DRI for the File Management Revamp (nested folders) and lead designer across the Workflow team's agentic surfaces β€” skills, agent chat sharing, and publishing.

2022 β€” 2025

Founder, Design Operations

As Figma's first DesignOps hire, I built the function from the ground up and drove operational excellence and cross-functional collaboration. I supported design leadership, shaped team culture, scaled design processes, and infused joy wherever I could.

✨
Private Studio, Brooklyn

Tattooist

2022 β€” Today

On weekends, I run a private tattoo practice in Brooklyn, doing my best to center accommodations, active consent, client empowerment and trauma informed tattooing.

🎀
Assorted venues

Speaker and Mentor

2015 β€” Today

I've spoken at a variety of venues, including multiple events at the Rochester Institute of Technology, other universities, and industry panels. I've also participated in numerous virtual and in-person portfolio reviews, and served as a mentor and advisor for Built By Girls in 2020 and 2021.

Spotify

Lead Product Designer, Spotify Wrapped

2020 β€” 2022

Led design for major campaigns including Wrapped (2020, 2021) and 'Only You', while driving growth through innovative features like Blend playlists and Daylists. Played a key role in harmonizing collaboration between Product Design and Brand teams, pushing boundaries while utilizing Encore Design Systems for scalability.

Kickstarter

Senior Product Designer & Manager

2019 β€” 2020

Joined as the sole designer for the Backer Development team, where I created net-new features to help Kickstarter backers support creators that aligned with their interests. Additionally, I successfully pitched and led a Design Systems working group, and, managed one direct report.

Splash

Product Designer

2016 β€” 2019

I joined Splash when it was still a scrappy startup with fewer than 100 employees, working on a small but mighty design team and contributing to features across the entire product.

CDM

User Experience Architect

2014 β€” 2016

Kicked off my design career in the agency world, where I worked on a variety of digital tactics for major clients like Novo Nordisk, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and others.

🌎
World

An array of odd jobs

2008 β€” 2014

I took on a lot of jobs during my college years:

  • Delivery driver for fast food calzones
  • Barista in a hospital
  • Christmas ornament decorator in the mall
  • Drug store cashier
  • Sandwich maker at a place called 'Ctrl Alt Del(i)'
  • Digitizer of old medical records for a luxury dermatologist
  • Custom painter for Magic The Gathering cards
  • Cat-sitter for a wealthy, jet-setting couple

Some selected visuals ranging from product design work, tattoos, motion, and more.

Audio Aura Story, Spotify Wrapped 2021

Spotify Only You, 2021

Flash Tattoo, 2025

Top Genres, Spotify Wrapped, 2020

Spotify Wrapped Designs, 2020

Spotify Only You, 2021

Flash Tattoo, 2024

FigJam, Jamoween Cursors 2024

Spotify Only You, 2021

Audio Birth Chart, Spotify Only You, 2021

Flash Tattoo, 2024

Spotify Only You Shape Scaling, 2021

Coverage and recognition for the work I've done over the years.

Awards

December 2016β€’CDM Princeton
Recognized for embodying the core value of Style in client work and team collaboration
February 2016β€’Netflix
Created custom illustrations for Netflix's original series 'Love', featured in the show's first season

Awards

October 2015β€’Omnicom, The CDM Group
Selected to participate in exclusive program bringing together top junior talent from across Omnicom networks, culminating in a competitive pitch to agency CEOs
March 2014β€’Rochester Advertising Federation
Silver ADDY Award for Digital Design, awarded to team project 'Save Ritchie'

I'm available for talks, panels, and thoughtful conversations, especially about the following:

β‹†ο½‘Β°βœ©The enduring power of soft skills

Why listening, emotional intelligence, and thoughtful communication matter more than ever in an era of automation.

β‹†ο½‘Β°βœ©How to lead without a title

Helping others grow, making space for different voices, and changing how your team worksβ€”from wherever you sit.

β‹†ο½‘Β°βœ©Navigating nonlinear creative careers

The beauty of meandering paths, side quests, and redefining success over time.

β‹†ο½‘Β°βœ©Play as praxis

How to bring play, care, and emotional intelligence into team practices and workflows that people actually want to show up for.

Cai Charniga

You can contact me at cmcharniga@gmail.com

This website was designed & developed by me, using Figma and Cursor.Typefaces: Inclusive Sans and Sunshower DreamsCai Charniga Β©2026