SINCE 2026
Clear Mirror Studio
Principal
- Design-led innovation at scale
- Zoom out, then zoom in
- Practitioner who teaches design
- Music business into design strategy
Principal, Clear Mirror Studio · Ex-Doblin, Thrivent
Stephanie Smith
Chicago, Illinois
She builds the design capability that outlasts her.
Stephanie runs Clear Mirror Studio in Chicago, where she is designing a 0-to-1 AI-driven search and discovery product. She earned an MDes and MBA at IIT's Institute of Design, sold innovation work at Doblin, led Humana's grievance-and-appeals redesign across a 1000-plus-person department, and helped establish product and design orgs at Thrivent. She grew up partly in Seoul, started out in the music business at Putumayo World Music, and since 2015 has taught design at the Institute of Design as adjunct faculty.
- 1000+person department redesigned at Humana
- $650Kraised for her first startup
- 96%+post-graduation placement at the Institute of Design
- 200%profit growth at Putumayo World Music
HAPPENING NOW
STANDING TODAY
HOW SHE THINKS5 BELIEFS
Five convictions run under two decades of design work.
THE IMPACT
The work, from a first startup to design orgs at scale — pull one out.
EVERYTHING ELSE · 9 WORKS
THE TIMELINE
One thread across two decades: making organizations able to keep innovating after she leaves.
The whole record, newest first – tap any moment and Aster tells the story.
2025–PRESENT
Back to founding, on her own terms
After a health-focused career break, Stephanie launched Clear Mirror Studio in May 2026 for freelance work and future design endeavors. She is now doing founding-stage design herself on a 0-to-1 AI-driven search and discovery startup, and co-organizing Designing Warmth ZX 2026 — the return to independence that mirrors her first venture, Meeting Trader.
“Launched my own business for freelance work and future design endeavors.”
2020–2025
Building the design org from the inside
Across two titles over five years — Director, Strategic Design and then Design Director, Digital Advisor Experience — Stephanie helped establish Thrivent's in-house product and design capability, hiring and leading designers and orienting them around clients, members, and advisors. This is where the capability building she practiced for clients at Doblin became something she did in-house and permanently.
“Recently have helped establish product & design orgs at Thrivent, building teams shaping the digital future for their clients, members, and advisors.”
2018–2020
Design at scale, made into thought leadership
As Director, Corporate & Community Partner Engagement, Stephanie ran the Institute of Design's external-facing engine — custom engagements, sponsored research, and executive education — and drove post-graduation placement to over 96%. She co-led Lead with Purpose, a point of view on the role of design at scale in organizations, and taught the inaugural Design Critique class.
2013–2018
Selling and running innovation for the world's largest companies
At Doblin, Deloitte's innovation consultancy, Stephanie managed and sold innovation projects across Chicago, Paris, and Toronto, helping grow the Toronto office. At Humana she led the redesign of the grievance-and-appeals process across a 1000+ person department. This is where the design-led innovation identity and the capability-building language originate.
“Helped transform and redesign the grievance and appeals process for this US-based health insurer with my team of crackerjack experience designers.”
2010–2013
The MDes+MBA that fused business and design
Earning a Master of Design and an MBA in parallel at IIT's Institute of Design, Stephanie built the human-centered research craft that underpins her whole career — ethnography, behavioral prototyping, and transcultural fieldwork. Her team won the 2013 Rotman Design Challenge on TARGET's sustainability brief, the Institute of Design's second consecutive title.
2001–2010
From the music business to a first startup
Stephanie began her professional life in the music industry — a DownBeat internship, sales and marketing at Putumayo World Music where she grew a market's profits 200%, and an undergraduate degree in music-industry business. Her pivot into design came through Meeting Trader Inc., the conference-tech startup she co-founded, where she raised $650K and designed the UI.
“I co-founded this conference industry technology startup and co-wrote the business plan and pro forma cash flow that helped secure $650K in funding.”