Ryan Kirkman
About Ryan Kirkman
Ryan Kirkman serves as the Head of Design at Fivetran, where he leads strategic development across various design domains. He has held key design roles at several companies, including Talkdesk, Twitter, and MixBit, contributing to significant revenue growth through his design efforts.
Current Role at Fivetran
Ryan Kirkman serves as the Head of Design at Fivetran, a position he has held since 2020. In this role, he leads strategic development across various design domains, including Product Design, UX Research, Design Operations, Brand Studio, Video, and Design Systems. His contributions are significant, as he plays a key role in driving multi-million dollar annual revenue through design efforts.
Previous Experience in Design Leadership
Before joining Fivetran, Kirkman held several design leadership positions. He worked at Twitter as Design Manager for Revenue from 2018 to 2020. Prior to that, he was the Head of Design at Talkdesk from 2016 to 2017. His experience also includes roles as Design Lead at MixBit from 2012 to 2014 and Art Director at RockYou from 2009 to 2011.
Educational Background
Kirkman studied at the University of Silicon Valley, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Digital Motion Picture from 1999 to 2004. He also completed a certificate in Disruptive Strategy from Harvard Business School Online in 2018, where he studied under Clayton Christensen.
Design Career Progression
Ryan Kirkman's design career began as a Senior Interactive Designer at RockYou from 2007 to 2009. He then advanced to roles such as Senior UX Designer for Mobile at SAY Media in 2011 and Art Director at the same company in 2012. He later served as Design Director at Discovery Digital Networks from 2014 to 2015, showcasing a consistent trajectory of growth in the design field.
Personal Interests and Hobbies
Outside of his professional work, Kirkman has a passion for roasting coffee and enjoys learning new skills. He also pursues various side hustles in his free time, reflecting his diverse interests beyond design.