Emileigh Barnes
Emileigh Barnes

Making cool things. Helping people.

These days I’m a UX Director making everyday life more joyful at Target.

I’ve spent my career inside organizations in transformation: modernizing government services with Obama’s stealth startup, rethinking how Capital One builds trust through in-person experiences, and helping Rocket Mortgage grow into a financial platform. I bring a love of innovation, storytelling, and people-first design to every team I join. And I once hiked 115 miles around Europe in search of the best cheese.

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Emileigh carrying her two toddler sons in New York City, standing below the Williamsburg Bridge

Pictured as I usually am, carrying my sons somewhere.

Projects (selected)

Capital One Cafés - Design Strategy

Capital One Cafés are spaces where anyone in the community can plan their financial journey, get free money coaching, or hang out and relax with a Peet's Coffee. I led cross-disciplinary teams that worked on projects like digital sign strategy and the café website.

Every Kid in a Park - CONTENT STRATEGY

everykidinapark.gov helps families learn about (and sign up for) the Every Kid in a Park program. In its first year, over 500,000 students used our website to get free access to national lands, waters, and historic sites.

Federal Election Commission - website

Who’s giving money to political candidates, and how are those candidates spending it? The fec.gov digital transformation makes it easier for journalists and members of the public to access and understand campaign finance information.

Speaking (my favorites)

Poetry (what I studied)

  • Constant, Finishing Line Press (chapbook)

  • Given, Dancing Girl Press (chapbook)

  • Poems published in BathHouse, CutBank, Forbes, H_NGM_N, Meridian, PANK, Sentence, Wag’s Review, and others

Life (curated)

I’m a marathon runner, a mountain climber, and a RAGBRAI regular. I live with my husband and 3 sons in Minneapolis.

I went for a run this morning. I watched the forest, the sidewalks, the cars. My neighbors left me alone. The police left me alone. Only this deer looked at me with concern. That is white privilege.
A note that is also a work of art and a poem Thanks (courtesy my sister)
Forever ISO moody runs by water.
Oh I’m sorry— were you planning to use this dog bed, Huck?