Chris Hass is the Executive Director of the User Experience Center. Chris brings more than 20 years of experience in UX research, design, strategy, and business development to his role leading the center. Chris has garnered global renown for his contributions to the UX research, accessibility, service design, and healthcare innovation fields. Prior to joining Bentley, Chris was the Director of Health & Life Sciences at Kanda Software, President of Create Logic LLC, and Sr. VP of Experience Design at Mad*Pow Media Solutions LLC.

Chris has published and presented his research at more than 100 national and international conferences, including AMIA, ACM SIGCHI, Big Design, CDC PHIN, CSUN, UXPA International, and UXPA Boston. He is an adjunct professor at Bentley University and Northeastern University. He co-authored (with Margo Edmunds and Erin Holve) the Springer textbook: Consumer Informatics and Digital Health: Solutions for Health and Health Care. He is the past president of both UXPA International and UXPA Boston, where he serves as an advisory board member.

Bill Gribbons is Director of the graduate Human Factors program at Bentley University, Waltham, Massachusetts. The Human Factors program at Bentley is among the largest and most respected user experience programs in the country. In 2013, he established a west coast campus for the program in San Francisco. Bill also teaches Innovation in the Bentley MBA.

In 1999, Dr. Gribbons founded the User Experience Center at Bentley, and continues to hold a senior consulting role. For over thirty years he has provided strategy, product design, and user experience consulting services to technology groups around the world. In 2013, he founded the Bentley UX Studio in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The mission of the studio is to demonstrate the value of user experience research and design to the success of early-stage start-ups.

Bill received his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland. He is a member of the Mass High Tech Council. He has appeared on, and been quoted by, local and national media including the Associated Press, the Boston Globe, Bloomberg News, Boston Business Journal, Computerworld, Mass High Tech, The Financial Times, U.S. News & World Report, USA Today, the Washington Times, East Bay Business Times, ABC “20-20”, Business 2.0, a nationally syndicated radio show (A Touch of Grey), Investor Business Daily, Times Higher Education Smashing Magazine, Knowledge@Wharton, and the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

His long-term research interests center on the building of a unified theory defining the user experience and the promotion of user experience as a guiding business strategy. He is a frequent speaker at conferences like SXSW, Collision, Future of Web Design, and Webvisions.

Lena Dmitrieva is a Senior Usability Consultant at the User Experience Center. Lena brings more than a decade of experience in UX consulting to her work at the center.

Lena is passionate about empowering users of all ages and walks of life with efficient, easy to learn, and enjoyable products. She strives to help her clients create successful customer experiences by connecting with their users, understanding their needs, and translating those needs into product solutions.

Lena enjoys the challenge of identifying appropriate UX methodologies and has extensive experience conducting user experience projects as well as training others in User Experience work.

Her skills include User Experience Project Implementation and Management, Information Architecture Analysis, Usability Testing, Expert Reviews, Heuristic Reviews, Competitive Evaluations, Focus Groups, Field Research, User Requirements Gathering, Development of User Profiles/Personas.

Lena is a generalist and has worked with clients across industries and product platforms. Her partial client list includes Dressbarn, Payless ShoeSource, T. J. Maxx, Sperry Top-Sider, Stride Rite, New York & Company, Fidelity Investments, Citizens Bank, TIAA Cref, H&R Block, Banknorth, Staples, Arnold Worldwide, One to One Interactive, Cabot Corp., Colgate University, Houghton Mifflin, Liberty Mutual, Monster.com, McKesson, Newsedge, Raytheon, Smarter Travel, Royal Caribbean, Volkswagen, CORT Furniture, MIT Alumni Association, Planned Parenthood of America, Putnam Investments, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Genzyme, JA Worldwide, Metromix, PNCGIS, Lionbridge.

Lena holds Master of Science with Distinction in Human Factors from Bentley University.

She serves on the board of directors of Boston UXPA (User Experience Professional Association) and is a member of the Usability Professionals’ Association, the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, and the Greater Boston SIGCHI.

Peter McNally is a Senior Consultant at the User Experience Center. Pete has more than 25 years’ experience in usability, information architecture, accessibility, and software engineering. His current areas of interests include the intersection of user experience (UX), customer experience (CX), artificial intelligence (AI), universal design, voice UX, and internet of things (IoT).

Regardless of the area or technology, Pete always focuses on the human at the end of the product, so they can have the most seamless and engaging experience. He has worked with users and designed digital experiences in the financial services, healthcare, government, education, energy, manufacturing, defense, and electronics industries.  Some of his recent clients include: Philips Healthcare, Fidelity Investments, Intel, Southern New Hampshire University, Analog Devices, EBSCO, and BNY Mellon Eagle Investments.

Prior to joining the center, Pete was a Principal Consultant in the CSC User Experience Practice, Senior User Experience Architect at HP Enterprise Services, Research Officer at University of Hertfordshire in the UK, and Senior Software Engineer at 3M Health Information Systems.

Pete holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Northeastern University and a Master of Science in Computer Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). He holds a CPACC (Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies) certification from the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP). He is a member of the International User Experience Professionals' Association (UXPA), Boston UXPA, Boston CHI, and IAAP.

Jason Reynolds is a Senior Usability Consultant at the User Experience Center and teaches in the graduate Human Factors program at Bentley University. Jason has over 25 years of experience in UX design and related fields with particular experience in information architecture, strategy, and accessibility.

Jason first took a job with the title of Information Architect in 1999. In the years since, he has worked to solve business problems and create delightful online experiences for large and small business, government, and non-profit organizations. Before relocating to Boston, Jason lived in Austin, TX where he was the Director of User Experience for TradeMark Media. He also maintained his own consulting practice for several years. 

Before joining Bentley, Jason spent more than 6 years teaching the User Experience Design Immersive (UXDI) program for General Assembly both on campus in Austin, TX and Boston, MA, and online. In recognition of his exemplary service in the classroom, Jason was selected as a member of General Assembly's Distinguished Faculty program.

Jason has an MBA from the University of Texas McCombs School of Business and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business, Computer Science, and International Studies from Austin College. He is a Certified Professional for Usability and User Experience. 

Jason is an active member of the Boston UX community, serving as an organizer of World IA Day, and a volunteer for UXPA Boston and other UX events and organizations. He is excited to share his knowledge and experiences with others - especially those new to the field of UX.

Olivia is a UX Research Associate at Bentley’s User Experience Center. Prior to joining the team, Olivia worked as a Marketing Intern for Workiva, a financial reporting SaaS company. In this role she conducted market research and managed marketing campaigns. She also created a UX research project to redesign and improve their website.  

At the University of Vermont, she was a Research Assistant for the Family Development Lab, where she measured physiological responses to social media. She also was a TA for Research Methods and enjoyed helping students create their own psychological research projects.

Olivia graduated from the University of Vermont with a major in Psychology and a minor in Economics, and she is currently pursuing her Master of Science in Human Factors in Information Design at Bentley University. 

Fabiana is a UX Research Associate at Bentley’s User Experience Center. Prior to joining the UXC, Fabiana worked as a product designer at a software company that aimed to connect, protect, and empower healthcare through groundbreaking technologies for hospitals and health systems. With a background in behavioral health, Fabiana is passionate about using user experience research to improve healthcare solutions for individuals seeking care.  

Fabiana holds a Bachelor of Science in Behavior and Health from Boston University and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Human Factors in Information Design at Bentley University. 

Andrew is a Research Associate at Bentley University’s User Experience Center (UXC). Before joining the UXC, he worked as a UX/UI Designer at SilverTech, Inc., and as a Contract Product Designer for SaaS startups. In both roles, he managed the full design process, including conducting user research, creating wireframes and prototypes, collaborating with developers for handoffs, and ensuring quality through ongoing maintenance. At SilverTech, he focused on designing for mid-sized companies in industries such as healthcare, food distribution, and SaaS, while his work with startups emphasized adaptability and innovation in fast-paced environments. 

Andrew is passionate about using design to solve complex problems, focusing on usability, accessibility, and innovative solutions. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Strategic Marketing and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Human Factors in Information Design at Bentley University. Andrew’s work is driven by his belief in the power of human-centered design to create meaningful and inclusive experiences. 

An is a Research and Design Associate at the User Experience Center. Prior to joining the team, she worked as a UI/UX Designer at a medical tech company, focusing on promoting medication adherence for patients with chronic conditions. An also has a broad range of experience designing products across industries such as finance, transportation, and education. She is passionate about creating accessible, engaging user experiences that drive meaningful business outcomes.

An holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Design, with a concentration in User Experience Design from Tufts University and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Human Factors in Information Design at Bentley University. 

Ramya Mahendran (RM) is a UX Research Associate at Bentley University’s User Experience Center (UXC). With over 14 years of experience in design and innovation, she has worked as a consultant, coach, and startup founder, bringing business design thinking to startups and educational institutions.

Before joining the UXC, Ramya worked at Cognizant Innovation Group and Accelerator, mastering methodologies like human-centered design, service design, and business modeling to take intrapreneurial ideas to market. As part of her startup, Design Squiggle, she worked extensively with technology and business incubators, coaching student entrepreneurs and consulting for early-stage startups. She is passionate about diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in design. When she is not researching, she enjoys writing, doodling, traveling, or learning a new language.

Ramya holds a Bachelor’s in Engineering in Computer Science and a Master's in Business Administration. She is a certified design thinking expert, business model coach, and jobs-to-be-done practitioner. Currently, she is pursuing her second Master's in Human Factors in Information Design at Bentley University. Her mission in life is to put empathy back into innovation, one idea at a time.