Hey Y'all, My name is

Drew Nañez

Drew Nañez

Drew Nañez

I’ve spent much of my young adult life in roles where I can make positive, meaningful impacts on my leaders, peers, and teams. While studying at the University of North Texas, I received the Team Builder Award for fostering collaboration in the classroom by creating workshops, organizing semester plans, and leading constructive feedback sessions. In 2022 was elected as the Financial Officer for the User Experience Student Association (UXSA), where we built a community for DFW area designers. During my two years in this role, we hosted unique events, including round tables, fireside chats from Don Norman on the future of design, and skill-building workshops aimed at equipping our members with the tools they need to secure designer roles after graduation.


My time at Target evolved from a day job into an opportunity to build on my experience as leader inside a 83 million dollar store. As a Team Lead, I learned to lead with curiosity and developed confidence in making data-driven decisions. I mentored team members, helping many of them grow into leadership roles themselves. My team included single mothers working to support their children’s education and college students supporting their families. Through this, I learned to be an empathetic and supportive leader.


These experiences have shaped my passion for creating impactful, well-designed experiences that bring efficiency, ease, and happiness to users, guests, and teams alike.

A personal brief

A personal brief

A personal brief

Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, I was immersed in a vibrant culture centered around family, life, and, more importantly, food. I’ve embraced each step of my journey, learning to be unapologetically myself. These experiences have shaped me and how I approach challenges—with creativity, authenticity, and an open mind. Outside of work, you’ll often find me at the movie theater (Side note: I highly recommend seeing a random movie you know nothing about—you’ll be surprised by what you discover). When I’m not catching the latest releases, I love to travel, exploring the world's beauty and diversity.

A design brief

A design brief

A design brief

I am a forward-thinking designer who innovates beyond the conventional, translating ideas into tangible, actionable results. Passionate about crafting strategies that motivate people not just to want but also to feel the need to affect meaningful change in their lives. I am an analytical and systematic problem solver driven by a passion for producing innovative and efficient results. Dedicated to fostering strong team relationships through a clear understanding of priorities and collaboration, all centered on a relentless pursuit of positive, impactful results.

My Design Toolbox

Slack

Notion

Balsamiq

Miro

Framer

Figma

Illustrator

Indesign

Photoshop

Previous Experience

Previous Experience

Previous Experience

Present | Target

Present | Target

Team Leader

Team Leader

Led a department spanning three teams to cultivate a culture prioritizing the guest experience. Together, we engage nearly every guest who walks through our doors, creating an inviting atmosphere that ensures a seamless experience, leaving them eager to return, and ensuring future business.
Elevated our store's overall net promoter score from 60 to 70.4. Adapted to rapidly changing features in our digital services with the addition of drive-up returns and drive-up Starbucks while reducing average drive-up delivery time from 3 minutes to 2 minutes.
Changed consumer behavior to increase purchases on a belted register with a team member by leveraging meticulous allocation of payroll to offer more options and coaching behavior changes from leaders and team members to increase guest interaction leading to a 25% increase in transactions on a belted register.

Takeaway:
To lead with curiosity. Leading with curiosity has taught me to challenge the status quo, explore new possibilities for better results, and view challenges as valuable learning opportunities.

2023 - 2024 | User Experience Student Association

2023 - 2024 |

User Experience Student Association

Financial Officer

Financial Officer

Hosted fundraisers that allowed us to triple our semester budget. Increased our overall membership from 10 to 40+ with members ranging across 7 different industries from Anthropology, Marketing, to Telecommunications. Together we host 8 events every semester that create and foster a community for all designers to explore and innovate.
Established guidelines for the future of UXSA, setting the foundation for the following financial officers to not only succeed but also, to expand upon and grow the organization.
Partnered with businesses to land 4 industry sponsorships from companies such as Intuit & Paycom.

Takeaway:
Cross-collaboration among business areas. Together with my fellow board members, we built an organization focused on efficiency. I developed the ability to reach across teams, leveraging their strengths to plan and execute meetings, events, and more.

2021 | Dialexa EDU

2021 | Dialexa EDU

Design Intern

Design Intern

Chosen to represent UNT as a part of Team Eagle. Worked with industry mentors and a student team to conduct user tests, run design sprints, and develop a digital product.
Innovated home finding by creating a system that empowers Dallas locals and transplants to create a home that corresponds with their broader work arrangements and lifestyles.
Built a Design System from the ground up to support the system that our product would live within, Website, mobile app, and watch OS, from the • perspectives of residents and business owners.
Participated and facilitated workshops with key stakeholders such as Dallas residents moving within Dallas and a resident from New York to Dallas.

Takeaway:
I learned how to lead a team of five talented designers, each with strong, unique ideas. I developed the skill to bring their ideas together, even when they had vastly different approaches, by grounding the team in our shared goal of delivering a cohesive product.

2021 | Mayor Ron Nirenberg's Mayoral Campaign

2021 |

Mayor Ron Nirenberg's

Mayoral Campaign

Campaign Intern

Campaign Intern

Assisted with fieldwork, event preparation, and data management. Worked with field organizers in completing tasks that included virtual events, volunteer recruitment, and phone banking.
Organized within our networks to help recruit new followers for the duration of the campaign.
Mayor Ron Nirenberg went on to win the election by 30 points

Takeaway:

The power of local Elections