Cynthia Marrero

Pioneered Design Operations at Wells Fargo as the first-ever Design Program Manager to standardize, scale, and govern a 180+ person design department, building the infrastructure, systems, and cross-functional alignment that made large-scale mobile transformation possible. Drove the Mobile App, Payments, AI, and Communications design portfolios end-to-end while serving as the organizational bridge between Experience Design and the broader Digital enterprise.

• Architected and launched the first Design System for the mobile app, desktop, and tablet platforms, the foundation for all subsequent rebranding across Wells Fargo’s digital ecosystem
• Drove a 21% increase in customer trust following the initial mobile app redesign; sustained 14% YoY engagement growth in 2022 with 1.6B+ logins
• Delivered a 64% increase in mobile customer volume by leading design execution for the Zelle integration, one of the most high-profile feature launches in the Digital org
• Orchestrated deliverables across 7 design teams and cross-functional Product Management teams; the app earned the #1 ranking from Business Insider
• Built a centralized system of record and standardized reporting for 180+ designers and 1,500+ concurrent projects, eliminating visibility gaps and enabling executive-level portfolio governance
• Spearheaded global-impact programs including complete redesigns, digital compliance initiatives, componentry overhauls, and marketing/brand rollouts across the full Digital org
• Served as the sole XD representative for enterprise wide change initiatives, translating design impact for senior leadership and acting as the operational voice of the design function
• Designed and led experience workshops that shaped product strategy and drove measurable improvements in app engagement and team alignment
• Established compliance controls, internal audit processes, and cross-functional governance frameworks in partnership with Operations, HR, and Legal, ensuring scalability and regulatory alignment
• Eliminated operational inefficiencies by diagnosing cross-team pain points and implementing systemic process improvements, lifting both output quality and delivery speed
• Provided bilingual (English/Spanish) real-time design review during discovery phases, enabling faster, more inclusive decision-making on visual direction

Sole Program Manager for the entire IT application portfolio at AmWINS Group, one of the largest wholesale insurance brokers in the US, owning end-to-end delivery for all Underwriting and Accounting applications while embedding Agile practices across a complex, fast-moving financial services.

• Owned the full program portfolio for Underwriting and Accounting applications, managing all development, data pipelines, and documentation systems with no PM support structure
• Translated ambiguous business needs into actionable backlogs, wireframes, data models, and documented requirements, bridging the gap between IT and stakeholders at every stage of delivery
• Drove Agile ceremonies end-to-end, Sprint Planning, Reviews, and Retrospectives, while tracking burn up, burn down, and velocity to keep teams predictable and accountable
• Partnered directly with senior stakeholders to align OKRs with product backlog priorities, ensuring delivery was always tied to measurable business outcomes

Engaged as a consultant to lead one of Wells Fargo’s most consequential digital initiatives: the first major rebranding of its mobile, desktop, and tablet platforms. Delivered the bank’s inaugural Design System, establishing the component, typography, and pattern standards that would govern digital.

• Led program management for the end-to-end rebranding of Wells Fargo’s web and mobile platforms, coordinating designers, strategists, and stakeholders across a multi-workstream initiative
• Delivered the first Design System for digital components, fonts, formats, and patterns, creating a reusable foundation that accelerated design consistency and scalability across the Digital org
• Embedded into the Agile transformation, supporting resource allocation and capacity planning for the Apply Value Stream
• Contributed to usability studies and UX strategy, ensuring design decisions were grounded in real user behavior and research
• Maintained scrum team status reporting, proactively identified and mitigated

Led the creation and launch of the first mobile apps across all Darden brands, including Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Bahama Breeze, and The Capital Grille, and drove the browser platform redesigns that brought the full digital experience into alignment with the new app ecosystem.

• Delivered mobile apps and online ordering for four major restaurant brands from concept to launch, managing the overall budget, contracting, and SDLC across projects ranging from $200K to $7.5MM
• Aligned browser platform redesigns with app releases, creating a cohesive cross-channel digital experience across all Darden properties
• Supported CRM initiatives to improve customer acquisition and ensured digital menus met FDA compliance requirements
• Recognized with the 2016 Darden Brilliance Award for leadership on the Capital Grille app release and Olive Garden Catering Delivery project

Brought in as the first and only program manager to build operational structure from the ground up, establishing the PMO, implementing Agile practices, and leading all workflow improvement and software implementation projects.

• Founded and operationalized the PMO, implementing Agile SDLC and creating the standards and processes that gave the organization its first repeatable delivery framework
• Developed standard client implementation plans and led onsite training and UAT, ensuring smooth adoption and measurable outcomes at go-live

Joined as an Executive Assistant to the VP of Finance and IT and was rapidly promoted twice, to IT Analyst then Applications Project Manager, based on performance and initiative in a highly regulated healthcare environment.

• Standardized PMO processes and managed SDLC for compliance-driven and business-critical initiatives, bringing structure and predictability to a previously ad-hoc delivery environment
• Delivered system upgrades, process automation, and data management projects that improved operational efficiency across finance and IT functions