MISSION

PURPOSE DRIVEN DESIGN LEADER

Design is about PROBLEM SOLVING.   

I’m a purpose driven design leader driven by my passion for problem solving.  I create actionable solutions that balance art and data to unlock complex problems. My career shaping strategy has led me to design thousands of products, spaces, and experiences. I’ve reinvented brands, businesses, and product categories. I’ve built systems and processes to improve functionality.  

Design is about RELATIONSHIPS. 

Creating effective design solutions requires an understanding of connection.  Connection between product and context, connection between tactics and business, connection between aesthetics and brand, and ultimately, connection between people.  I pride myself on building trusting relationships, which allow me to understand the needs, wants and opportunities within a project for continuously successful solutions.

Design is about LEARNING.

Continuous growth and new knowledge is inherent in the design process.  This has guided me in my career path through new experiences, each that builds on the learnings of the last.   My degree and early career focused on product design. Moving to store design and retail design gave me an understanding of product and experience within larger spaces. My design-thinking approach has broken down the barriers between disciplines and industries. I look forward to building my knowledge and expanding my network of relationships so I can continue to turn concepts into reality.

Experience

AUNTIE LLC | Minneapolis, Minnesota | 2024 - present

Co-Founder

• Heath brand focused on the needs of middle aged women

SARA PEDERSEN DESIGN LLC | Minneapolis, Minnesota | 2017 - present

Principle | Founder

• Contract design firm focused on retail solutions: brand, strategy, product design, and retail environment.

• Lead creative vision + direction, new business development, client management, and contract design services.

• Partner with retailers, design firms, and manufacturers to create/improve product design, packaging, brand architecture, and retail

  experience in store.

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA | Minneapolis, Minnesota | 2019 - present

Adjunct Professor | Product Design | College of Design

• PDES 2777: Product Form & Model Making | 3 credit hour studio

  • Physical to digital course rewrite: Class moved to digital for the second half of the semester due to COVID. Rewrite focused on models that could make models at home without shop tools and hone form/craft skills.

  • Areas of focus: building hand skills, development of 3D form, prototyping, finishing, materials, and shop tools.

• PDES 2771: Studio 1 | 4 credit hour studio

  • Course rewrite for first studio on industry standard deign practices.

  • Areas of focus: user research, market research, concept development, lo-fidelity prototyping, and concept presentation.

• PDES 3196: Product Design Internship | 1 credit hour lecture/studio

  • Help students tell story of internship and reflect on professional design work experience

  • Areas of focus: story telling, visual + verbal communication, demonstration to audience.

• PDES 3771: Studio 3 | 4 credit hour studio

  • Course rewrite for studio class that explores designing for user experience.

  • Areas of focus: service design, digital/physical integration, designing for brand, smart product, design process, and presentation skills.  

• PDES 3737: Product Design Portfolio | 2 credit hour lecture/studio

  • New course development to aid students in creation of professional portfolio and website.

  • Areas of focus: storytelling, layout, interviewing, personal brand, hiring process, portfolio creation, website development.

• PDES 4702W: Capstone Design Studio | 4 credit hour studio

  • Last product design studio for graduating seniors. Coach students through the development of a capstone project that is a culmination of all knowledge built while in university.

  • Areas of focus: storytelling, form families, visual + verbal communication

TARGET  | Minneapolis, Minnesota  | 2007 to 2023

Senior Marketing Manager | Store Experience Marketing | Marketing | 2022 to 2023

• Led team of design and print production experts to create all in-store signing packages for Apparel & Accessories, Home, and Beauty businesses.

• Led development of new signage package for Home pyramid reinvention.

• Managed development of new inclusive mannequin program.

Senior Store Design Manager | Strategy + Operations | Target Properties | 2021 to 2022

• Support/manage all store physical assets for the Home and Hardlines merchandising pyramids (Decorative Home, Domestics, Storage & Utility, Stationery, Kitchen, Seasonal, Electronics, Entertainment, Sporting Goods, Luggage, Fitness and Toys).

• Strategic partner to 25+ SVP and VP business leaders to identify, create, align support, and deploy business innovations and design solutions into physical store environment.

• Led cross functional teams to create and deliver holistic experiences from problem identification, project scoping/resourcing, concept development, testing, and large scale roll out.

• Align and facilitate enterprise cross functional teams and resources to support business needs and project objectives.

• Present and create materials for project approvals, capital funding and resource management to company officers.

• Lead design, development, testing, and business relationships for new all plastic shopping cart development.

Lead Designer | Fixture & Interior Design + Implementation | Store Design |  2016 - 2021

• Managed a team of in-house contract designers.

• Designed new inspiring and inviting environments that enhance product, engage customers, and optimized store operations.

• Responsible for strategy development, concept creation, physical experience design, design drawings, and prototype approval for implementation of newly developed fixtures to all stores in chain.

• Reinvented fixture package to align with new business strategies: Kitchen, Electronics, Intimates, Jewelry & Accessories, Toys, Sporting Goods, Kid’s Books, Home and Entertainment.

• Developed holistic fixture package for 2017 flagship store in Grand Parkway, TX. Focus areas: Home, Apparel & Accessories, Entertainment and Liquor.

• Designed new experience/fixture packages to align with releases of national and owned brand launches: Harry’s, Heyday, Auden, Colsie and Stars Above.

• Developed custom art pieces and fixtures for Herald Square store in Manhattan.

Senior Designer | Industrial Design Studio | Product Design + Development  | 2015 - 2016

• Managed a team of designers and interns.

• Led strategic and creative vision for flatware, drinkware, frames, decorative storage, and seasonal product from concept to production.

• Piloted the roll out of new organizational structure.

• Expert consultant on new hire onboarding for design, implementation, and created design process training materials, new hire training guides, and helped launch new educational website impacting 150 team members.

Senior Designer | SWAT (Special Work Assignment Team) | Product Design + Development  | 2014 - 2015

• Created vision for brand reinvention, artwork strategy, form language, and future product categories/extensions for $3 billion up&up brand.

• Led technical and engineering development for pets reinvention. Implemented new quality standards driven by the execution of 1,000+ user product tests and 140 ethnographic consumer interviews.

• Drove creative trend direction, product strategy, and new form language for Room Essentials college furniture.

• Wrote training and taught class on how to create product direction and use Adobe Creative Suite that all new hires received.

• Piloted and proved out a new ‘hybrid’ role that encompassing design and engineering responsibilities.

Designer | Lawn & Patio | Product Design + Development  | 2012 - 2014

• Developed creative trend direction, product strategy, line architecture, and patented designs for patio assortment.

• Designed furniture, textiles, planters, and garden accessories for Room Essentials, Threshold and Smith & Hawken brands.

• Launched Threshold brand, defined form and material usage for outdoor products, such as Bryant furniture collection.

• Implemented fabric development strategy that added $500K gross margin back to baseline, increased store traffic by 20%, increased stores sales by double digit comparable sales increase, and drove over 100% sales increase online.

• Founded and led a forum of 20+ designers focused on improving processes and team interaction with executive leadership.

Designer | Smith & Hawken | Product Design + Development  | 2010 - 2012

• Re-launched the Smith & Hawken heritage brand through development of a premium line of teak furniture and garden accessories, including the Good Design award winning Solenti furniture collection.

• Designed a store quality product assortment of furniture, planters and garden accessories including the signature mahogany furniture collection, Brooks Island.

• Developed ‘design thinking’ tool kit and a training for enterprise role out.

Associate Designer | Sporting Goods, Luggage, Fitness | Product Design + Development |  2009 - 2010

• Created brand, form, color, functional, and material language for the relaunch of the Embark brand.

• Designed Embark signature backpacks and tents. Increased value perception of the brand and improved margin by 60 basis points.

• Researched, developed, and created concepts for future organizational structures and processes for all of product design pyramid.

Assistant Designer | Furniture, Lighting, Storage & Org | Product Design + Development  | 2007 - 2009

• Designed college assortment for furniture, lighting, and closet that drove a 14% increase in overall sales volume.

• Created signature kid’s furniture collection for new strategic focus, driving sales increase of 1.5%.

• Developed product for limited time only design partnership, Orla Kiely.

MINNEAPOLIS COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN | Minneapolis, Minnesota | 2021 - 2022

Adjunct Professor | Product Design | Design

• PD 3010: Models and Prototypes | 3 credit hour studio

  • Course rewrite of introductory studio for product design major.

  • Areas of focus: design process, market research, sketching, form development, hand modeling, finishing and material exploration through fabric, wood, and foam.

• PD 3020: Forms that Make Us Feel | 3 credit hour studio

  • Course rewrite for studio exploring how to create forms that evoke emotion.

  • Areas of focus: design process, inspiration boards, sketching, form development, hand modeling and visual communication skills.

• PD 3030: Design for the Human Body | 3 credit hour studio

  • Course rewrite for studio exploring how to design product and physical spaces around the human body.

  • Areas of focus: user centered design, anthropometrics, design process, model making, storytelling, and presentation skills.

LIFETIME BRANDS | Boston, Massachusetts | 2006 - 2007

Designer

• Core responsibilities: trend forecasting, conceptual design, technical drawings, and 3D product modeling.

• Developed housewares, tabletop, and home décor products for Towle, Wallace, International Silver, Melannco, and Elements brands.       

• Partnered directly with retail clients on owned brand product lines.

PRIORITY DESIGNS | Columbus, Ohio | 2006

Industrial Design Intern

• Core responsibilities: market + product research, product concept, product specification, and model making.

• Designed products for clients in sporting goods, soft goods, bath hardware, and kitchen fixtures categories.

WEBB SCARELETT DE VLAM | Chicago, Illinois | 2005

Industrial Design Intern

• Core responsibilities: consumer research, brand development, product concept, and packaging prototyping.

• Created structural packaging concepts for clients in cosmetics, laundry, food, and personal care products.

TARGET | Minneapolis, Minnesota | 2004

Industrial Design Intern

• Trend forecasting, color, material, and finish direction for sporting goods, luggage, toys, and electronics departments.

• Developed and directed product direction with external vendors and freelance designers.

FISHER-PRICE BRANDS | New York, New York | 2003

Industrial Design Intern

• Designed product concepts for Barney and Fimbles toy licenses.

VOLUNTEER

education

UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI  | Cincinnati, Ohio

B.S. Industrial Design 2006

College of Design, Architecture, Art & Planning

Awards / RECOGNITION

Software Expertise