Nicole Hildenbiddle
About Nicole Hildenbiddle
Nicole Hildenbiddle serves as the VP of Product Design and Research at Rue Gilt Groupe, where she focuses on user-centered design and research. With a background in industrial design and extensive experience in UX design, she has previously held leadership roles at Nordstrom and RetailMeNot.
Current Role at Rue Gilt Groupe
Nicole Hildenbiddle serves as the Vice President of Product Design and Research at Rue Gilt Groupe since 2021. In this role, she focuses on establishing and growing a user-centered design, research, and writing discipline within the organization. Her responsibilities include guiding the team through design challenges and identifying opportunities for process improvements and product evolution. She actively promotes the design discipline throughout the company and engages with customers to gather insights that inform design decisions.
Previous Experience at RetailMeNot
Prior to her current position, Nicole worked at RetailMeNot as the Senior Director of Product Design and Research from 2019 to 2021. During her tenure, she contributed to enhancing the user experience and driving design initiatives that aligned with the company's strategic goals. Her leadership in this role helped shape the design direction and improve product offerings.
Experience at Nordstrom
Nicole held the position of Principal UX Designer at Nordstrom from 2013 to 2019. Based in Seattle, Washington, she played a key role in developing user experience strategies that supported the retail brand's digital transformation efforts. Her work involved collaborating with cross-functional teams to enhance customer engagement and streamline design processes.
Educational Background in Design
Nicole Hildenbiddle studied at the Rhode Island School of Design, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Industrial Design from 2003 to 2007. She also pursued further studies in Industrial Design, User Experience Design, and Graphic Design, completing a Bachelor of Industrial Design (BID) from 2007 to 2008. Her educational background laid the foundation for her expertise in user-centered design and research.
Early Career and Internships
Nicole began her career with internships that provided her with valuable experience in design. She worked as a Product Design Intern at Ximedica in 2008 and as a UX Design Intern at Dynamic Diagrams in 2007. These early roles contributed to her understanding of user experience and design principles, shaping her approach to product design in subsequent positions.