Raven Adaramola
Raven Adaramola is a Senior Product Designer at The New York Times, where she combines creativity, strategic thinking, and user-centered design to craft engaging digital experiences. With over five years in UX/UI design, her work spans industries including edtech, social impact agencies, streaming platforms, government services, and gaming. Raven excels at translating research insights and data into intuitive, actionable design solutions, collaborating seamlessly across cross-functional teams to deliver products that balance user needs with business goals.
Currently, she contributes to the Discovery+ team for the NYT Games app, designing features and enhancements for millions of daily users across web and mobile platforms. Her approach integrates proactive design thinking, agile methodologies, and a focus on accessibility, ensuring every experience is both impactful and inclusive. Raven’s dedication to excellence has earned her recognition for creativity, innovation, and user-focused design.
Outside of product design, Raven is a talented freelance illustrator. Her artwork has been featured in the special 'Burner' edition of Tomi Adeyemi’s #1 New York Times bestselling novel Children of Blood and Bone and in Nasdaq’s Amplifying Black Voices series in Times Square. She is an active contributor to arts and cultural initiatives, including workshops at the Smithsonian’s Freer-Sackler Gallery, using her design expertise to engage communities and drive meaningful social impact.
• Designing Businesses
• University of Maryland - BA Sociology
• Webby Winner - Websites and Mobile Sites Education 2022
• American Institute of Graphic Artists
• Sanctuaries DC
• The Sanctuaries,"The Collective" Participant
• The Sanctuaries, Member Artist
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to a willingness to explore, learn, and pivot until I found work that truly inspires me. Early on, I considered becoming a teacher in early childhood education, but I realized it wasn’t the right path for me. I then worked as an administrative assistant at a university, but quickly recognized that role didn’t align with my passions either. It wasn’t until I discovered design that I found a career I genuinely love. Through curiosity, persistence, and dedication, I worked my way up in the field of product design, and today I am fortunate to do work every day that challenges me, excites me, and allows me to make a meaningful impact.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received is to view every job as a transaction. Every role, project, or opportunity is a chance to learn, grow, and build skills that will serve you in your next step. Approaching work with this mindset encourages intentionality, helps you maximize your experiences, and ensures that each position contributes meaningfully to your long-term career journey.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Be an unapologetic learner. Don't be afraid to ask questions and make your presence known in a room. In a male-dominated field, we often shrink ourselves to avoid drawing attention to ourselves or because of imposter syndrome. But you've been hired to share your insights and contribute to the space. Lean in and take advantage of any opportunity to learn about your team's processes, changing trends in the industry, and how you can grow your skills on the job.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
AI is a huge disruptor in design right now. Design is notoriously undervalued as a role, and the apparent ease and efficiency that AI represents further makes design seem like a 'superficial' skill that can be outsourced. But, from what I've observed, AI has a long way to go before it could match the intentionality and human feel that experienced Product Designers bring to the craft.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in both my work and personal life are creativity, curiosity, and connection. I strive to bring these values into everything I do—whether it’s designing engaging product experiences, spending quality time with my daughter, or pursuing my passion for drawing and illustration. Nurturing creativity and fostering meaningful connections allows me to approach challenges with empathy, think innovatively, and find joy and purpose in both my professional and personal endeavors.