Leonardo De La Rocha
About Leonardo De La Rocha
Leonardo De La Rocha serves as the Vice President of Design at SimplePractice and has held various prominent design roles at companies such as Facebook, Spotify, and Yahoo. He possesses a strong background in graphic design and interactive media, with a focus on innovating in under-served technology spaces.
Current Role at SimplePractice
Leonardo De La Rocha serves as the Vice President of Design at SimplePractice, a role he has held since 2023. In this position, he focuses on leading design initiatives and enhancing user experience within the organization. His work aims to drive innovation and improve design processes, contributing to the overall mission of SimplePractice.
Previous Experience in Design Leadership
Prior to his current role, De La Rocha held several significant positions in design leadership. He was the Global Head of Design at Spotify from 2021 to 2023, where he directed advertising design efforts. His experience also includes serving as Creative Lead at Facebook Business Marketing from 2016 to 2017 and as Creative Director in the Facebook Art Department from 2017 to 2019. Additionally, he worked at Yahoo! Inc. as Head of Design for Yahoo Advertising & Data and as Director of UX for Yahoo Publishing.
Educational Background in Design and Technology
De La Rocha has a solid educational foundation in design and technology. He studied at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he focused on Computer Science and earned a degree in Design Management and Graphic Arts from 1996 to 2000. He furthered his education at The Art Institutes, achieving a BA in Design Management with a major in Graphic Design and Interactive Media Design, along with a minor in Consumer Behavior from 2007 to 2009.
Advisory Roles and Contributions
In addition to his work at SimplePractice, De La Rocha has been an Advisory Board member at Bondadosa since 2020. He also serves as a Strategic Advisor at neo.tax, a position he has held since 2019. These roles allow him to leverage his expertise in design and technology to support innovative projects and initiatives.
Focus on Design Innovation and Culture
De La Rocha is passionate about innovating in under-served technology spaces and strengthening design culture. He has extensive experience in building and supporting design, user experience, and user research teams in both B2B and complex B2C environments. His structured and creative approach to problem-solving emphasizes the importance of design-led thinking in driving meaningful impact.