Research and Business Focused
Product Designer
I'm Samantha, a product designer with a passion for collaboration and making design decisions based on user and business needs.
Work
“Give Us the Keys”: Empowering Admins with Direct Access to Critical Tools
Turning 30+ admin conversations into scalable self-serve tools.
View case study
Increasing retention by 7x through expert volunteers
Connect more users to their ancestors using the expertise of hundreds of experienced volunteers around the world.
View case study
Connecting Africans to their Ancestors
Africans who are motivated to do family history have difficulty utilizing the current FamilySearch experience or are unable to access it from their phone due to no internet or lack of data.
View case study
Testimonials
"Over the course of her time at nCino, Sam conducted more user research sessions than any other designer on the team that year. She has a rare ability to connect user needs with measurable business impact, something even more senior designers often struggle to do."
Nathan J.
Senior Team Member
"…where she stood out as a product designer with a rare combination of thoughtfulness, design skill, and team-first mentality. She approached problems with curiosity and a focus on real user needs, often bringing clarity to complex mortgage workflows."
Tyler D.
Product Manager
"Our product serves over a dozen distinct user personas, each with unique needs and workflows. Sam navigated this complexity with impressive skill, creating intuitive designs that made our sophisticated software accessible and clear to all end users."
Trevan R.
Software Engineer
"Sam also has a true gift for lateral thinking and ideating quickly. I was repeatedly impressed by her ability to sketch and explore quickly without being critical."
Landen B.
Coworker
"Beyond technical skills, Sam is a team player with excellent communication skills. They are receptive to feedback, proactive in problem-solving, and always eager to share knowledge with peers."
Michael C.
Software Engineering Manager
"Sam was amazing to work with. She was able to understand our very technically complicated system and produce designs that were very user friendly. She performed multitudes of user interviews for us and helped us understand our user's needs."
Lucy B
Software Engineer
"Over the course of her time at nCino, Sam conducted more user research sessions than any other designer on the team that year. She has a rare ability to connect user needs with measurable business impact, something even more senior designers often struggle to do."
Nathan J.
Senior Team Member
"…where she stood out as a product designer with a rare combination of thoughtfulness, design skill, and team-first mentality. She approached problems with curiosity and a focus on real user needs, often bringing clarity to complex mortgage workflows."
Tyler D.
Product Manager
"Our product serves over a dozen distinct user personas, each with unique needs and workflows. Sam navigated this complexity with impressive skill, creating intuitive designs that made our sophisticated software accessible and clear to all end users."
Trevan R.
Software Engineer
"Sam also has a true gift for lateral thinking and ideating quickly. I was repeatedly impressed by her ability to sketch and explore quickly without being critical."
Landen B.
Coworker
"Beyond technical skills, Sam is a team player with excellent communication skills. They are receptive to feedback, proactive in problem-solving, and always eager to share knowledge with peers."
Michael C.
Software Engineering Manager
"Sam was amazing to work with. She was able to understand our very technically complicated system and produce designs that were very user friendly. She performed multitudes of user interviews for us and helped us understand our user's needs."
Lucy B
Software Engineer
"Over the course of her time at nCino, Sam conducted more user research sessions than any other designer on the team that year. She has a rare ability to connect user needs with measurable business impact, something even more senior designers often struggle to do."
Nathan J.
Senior Team Member
"…where she stood out as a product designer with a rare combination of thoughtfulness, design skill, and team-first mentality. She approached problems with curiosity and a focus on real user needs, often bringing clarity to complex mortgage workflows."
Tyler D.
Product Manager
"Our product serves over a dozen distinct user personas, each with unique needs and workflows. Sam navigated this complexity with impressive skill, creating intuitive designs that made our sophisticated software accessible and clear to all end users."
Trevan R.
Software Engineer
"Sam also has a true gift for lateral thinking and ideating quickly. I was repeatedly impressed by her ability to sketch and explore quickly without being critical."
Landen B.
Coworker
"Beyond technical skills, Sam is a team player with excellent communication skills. They are receptive to feedback, proactive in problem-solving, and always eager to share knowledge with peers."
Michael C.
Software Engineering Manager
"Sam was amazing to work with. She was able to understand our very technically complicated system and produce designs that were very user friendly. She performed multitudes of user interviews for us and helped us understand our user's needs."
Lucy B
Software Engineer
"Over the course of her time at nCino, Sam conducted more user research sessions than any other designer on the team that year. She has a rare ability to connect user needs with measurable business impact, something even more senior designers often struggle to do."
Nathan J.
Senior Team Member
"…where she stood out as a product designer with a rare combination of thoughtfulness, design skill, and team-first mentality. She approached problems with curiosity and a focus on real user needs, often bringing clarity to complex mortgage workflows."
Tyler D.
Product Manager
"Our product serves over a dozen distinct user personas, each with unique needs and workflows. Sam navigated this complexity with impressive skill, creating intuitive designs that made our sophisticated software accessible and clear to all end users."
Trevan R.
Software Engineer
"Sam also has a true gift for lateral thinking and ideating quickly. I was repeatedly impressed by her ability to sketch and explore quickly without being critical."
Landen B.
Coworker
"Beyond technical skills, Sam is a team player with excellent communication skills. They are receptive to feedback, proactive in problem-solving, and always eager to share knowledge with peers."
Michael C.
Software Engineering Manager
"Sam was amazing to work with. She was able to understand our very technically complicated system and produce designs that were very user friendly. She performed multitudes of user interviews for us and helped us understand our user's needs."
Lucy B
Software Engineer
Ⓒ 2025 Samantha Nestman
About
Socials
Research and Business Focused Product Designer
I'm Samantha, a product designer with passion a for collaboration and making design decisions based on user and business needs.
Testimonials
"Over the course of her time at nCino, Sam conducted more user research sessions than any other designer on the team that year. She has a rare ability to connect user needs with measurable business impact, something even more senior designers often struggle to do."
Nathan J.
Senior Team Member
"…where she stood out as a product designer with a rare combination of thoughtfulness, design skill, and team-first mentality. She approached problems with curiosity and a focus on real user needs, often bringing clarity to complex mortgage workflows."
Tyler D.
Product Manager
"Our product serves over a dozen distinct user personas, each with unique needs and workflows. Sam navigated this complexity with impressive skill, creating intuitive designs that made our sophisticated software accessible and clear to all end users."
Trevan R.
Software Engineer
"Sam also has a true gift for lateral thinking and ideating quickly. I was repeatedly impressed by her ability to sketch and explore quickly without being critical."
Landen B.
Coworker
"Beyond technical skills, Sam is a team player with excellent communication skills. They are receptive to feedback, proactive in problem-solving, and always eager to share knowledge with peers."
Michael C.
Software Engineering Manager
"Sam was amazing to work with. She was able to understand our very technically complicated system and produce designs that were very user friendly. She performed multitudes of user interviews for us and helped us understand our user's needs."
Lucy B
Software Engineer
"Over the course of her time at nCino, Sam conducted more user research sessions than any other designer on the team that year. She has a rare ability to connect user needs with measurable business impact, something even more senior designers often struggle to do."
Nathan J.
Senior Team Member
"…where she stood out as a product designer with a rare combination of thoughtfulness, design skill, and team-first mentality. She approached problems with curiosity and a focus on real user needs, often bringing clarity to complex mortgage workflows."
Tyler D.
Product Manager
"Our product serves over a dozen distinct user personas, each with unique needs and workflows. Sam navigated this complexity with impressive skill, creating intuitive designs that made our sophisticated software accessible and clear to all end users."
Trevan R.
Software Engineer
"Sam also has a true gift for lateral thinking and ideating quickly. I was repeatedly impressed by her ability to sketch and explore quickly without being critical."
Landen B.
Coworker
"Beyond technical skills, Sam is a team player with excellent communication skills. They are receptive to feedback, proactive in problem-solving, and always eager to share knowledge with peers."
Michael C.
Software Engineering Manager
"Sam was amazing to work with. She was able to understand our very technically complicated system and produce designs that were very user friendly. She performed multitudes of user interviews for us and helped us understand our user's needs."
Lucy B
Software Engineer
"Over the course of her time at nCino, Sam conducted more user research sessions than any other designer on the team that year. She has a rare ability to connect user needs with measurable business impact, something even more senior designers often struggle to do."
Nathan J.
Senior Team Member
"…where she stood out as a product designer with a rare combination of thoughtfulness, design skill, and team-first mentality. She approached problems with curiosity and a focus on real user needs, often bringing clarity to complex mortgage workflows."
Tyler D.
Product Manager
"Our product serves over a dozen distinct user personas, each with unique needs and workflows. Sam navigated this complexity with impressive skill, creating intuitive designs that made our sophisticated software accessible and clear to all end users."
Trevan R.
Software Engineer
"Sam also has a true gift for lateral thinking and ideating quickly. I was repeatedly impressed by her ability to sketch and explore quickly without being critical."
Landen B.
Coworker
"Beyond technical skills, Sam is a team player with excellent communication skills. They are receptive to feedback, proactive in problem-solving, and always eager to share knowledge with peers."
Michael C.
Software Engineering Manager
"Sam was amazing to work with. She was able to understand our very technically complicated system and produce designs that were very user friendly. She performed multitudes of user interviews for us and helped us understand our user's needs."
Lucy B
Software Engineer
"Over the course of her time at nCino, Sam conducted more user research sessions than any other designer on the team that year. She has a rare ability to connect user needs with measurable business impact, something even more senior designers often struggle to do."
Nathan J.
Senior Team Member
"…where she stood out as a product designer with a rare combination of thoughtfulness, design skill, and team-first mentality. She approached problems with curiosity and a focus on real user needs, often bringing clarity to complex mortgage workflows."
Tyler D.
Product Manager
"Our product serves over a dozen distinct user personas, each with unique needs and workflows. Sam navigated this complexity with impressive skill, creating intuitive designs that made our sophisticated software accessible and clear to all end users."
Trevan R.
Software Engineer
"Sam also has a true gift for lateral thinking and ideating quickly. I was repeatedly impressed by her ability to sketch and explore quickly without being critical."
Landen B.
Coworker
"Beyond technical skills, Sam is a team player with excellent communication skills. They are receptive to feedback, proactive in problem-solving, and always eager to share knowledge with peers."
Michael C.
Software Engineering Manager
"Sam was amazing to work with. She was able to understand our very technically complicated system and produce designs that were very user friendly. She performed multitudes of user interviews for us and helped us understand our user's needs."
Lucy B
Software Engineer
Ⓒ 2024 Samantha Nestman
About
Socials
Work
“Give Us the Keys”: Empowering Admins with Direct Access to Critical Tools
Turning 30+ admin conversations into scalable self-serve tools.
View case study
Increasing retention by 7x through expert volunteers
Connect more users to their ancestors using the expertise of hundreds of experienced volunteers around the world.
View case study
Connecting Africans to their Ancestors
Africans who are motivated to do family history have difficulty utilizing the current FamilySearch experience or are unable to access it from their phone due to no internet or lack of data.
View case study
Research and Business Focused Product Designer
I'm Samantha, a product designer with a passion for collaboration and making design decisions based on user and business needs.
Testimonials
"Over the course of her time at nCino, Sam conducted more user research sessions than any other designer on the team that year. She has a rare ability to connect user needs with measurable business impact, something even more senior designers often struggle to do."
Nathan J.
Senior Team Member
"…where she stood out as a product designer with a rare combination of thoughtfulness, design skill, and team-first mentality. She approached problems with curiosity and a focus on real user needs, often bringing clarity to complex mortgage workflows."
Tyler D.
Product Manager
"Sam also has a true gift for lateral thinking and ideating quickly. I was repeatedly impressed by her ability to sketch and explore quickly without being critical."
Landen B.
Coworker
"Beyond technical skills, Sam is a team player with excellent communication skills. They are receptive to feedback, proactive in problem-solving, and always eager to share knowledge with peers."
Michael C.
Software Engineering Manager
"Sam was amazing to work with. She was able to understand our very technically complicated system and produce designs that were very user friendly. She performed multitudes of user interviews for us and helped us understand our user's needs."
Lucy B
Software Engineer
"Over the course of her time at nCino, Sam conducted more user research sessions than any other designer on the team that year. She has a rare ability to connect user needs with measurable business impact, something even more senior designers often struggle to do."
Nathan J.
Senior Team Member
"…where she stood out as a product designer with a rare combination of thoughtfulness, design skill, and team-first mentality. She approached problems with curiosity and a focus on real user needs, often bringing clarity to complex mortgage workflows."
Tyler D.
Product Manager
"Sam also has a true gift for lateral thinking and ideating quickly. I was repeatedly impressed by her ability to sketch and explore quickly without being critical."
Landen B.
Coworker
"Beyond technical skills, Sam is a team player with excellent communication skills. They are receptive to feedback, proactive in problem-solving, and always eager to share knowledge with peers."
Michael C.
Software Engineering Manager
"Sam was amazing to work with. She was able to understand our very technically complicated system and produce designs that were very user friendly. She performed multitudes of user interviews for us and helped us understand our user's needs."
Lucy B
Software Engineer
"Over the course of her time at nCino, Sam conducted more user research sessions than any other designer on the team that year. She has a rare ability to connect user needs with measurable business impact, something even more senior designers often struggle to do."
Nathan J.
Senior Team Member
"…where she stood out as a product designer with a rare combination of thoughtfulness, design skill, and team-first mentality. She approached problems with curiosity and a focus on real user needs, often bringing clarity to complex mortgage workflows."
Tyler D.
Product Manager
"Sam also has a true gift for lateral thinking and ideating quickly. I was repeatedly impressed by her ability to sketch and explore quickly without being critical."
Landen B.
Coworker
"Beyond technical skills, Sam is a team player with excellent communication skills. They are receptive to feedback, proactive in problem-solving, and always eager to share knowledge with peers."
Michael C.
Software Engineering Manager
"Sam was amazing to work with. She was able to understand our very technically complicated system and produce designs that were very user friendly. She performed multitudes of user interviews for us and helped us understand our user's needs."
Lucy B
Software Engineer
"Over the course of her time at nCino, Sam conducted more user research sessions than any other designer on the team that year. She has a rare ability to connect user needs with measurable business impact, something even more senior designers often struggle to do."
Nathan J.
Senior Team Member
"…where she stood out as a product designer with a rare combination of thoughtfulness, design skill, and team-first mentality. She approached problems with curiosity and a focus on real user needs, often bringing clarity to complex mortgage workflows."
Tyler D.
Product Manager
"Sam also has a true gift for lateral thinking and ideating quickly. I was repeatedly impressed by her ability to sketch and explore quickly without being critical."
Landen B.
Coworker
"Beyond technical skills, Sam is a team player with excellent communication skills. They are receptive to feedback, proactive in problem-solving, and always eager to share knowledge with peers."
Michael C.
Software Engineering Manager
"Sam was amazing to work with. She was able to understand our very technically complicated system and produce designs that were very user friendly. She performed multitudes of user interviews for us and helped us understand our user's needs."
Lucy B
Software Engineer
Ⓒ 2025 Samantha Nestman
About
Socials
Work
“Give Us the Keys”: Empowering Admins with Direct Access to Critical Tools
Turning 30+ admin conversations into scalable self-serve tools.
View case study
Increasing retention by 7x through expert volunteers
Connect more users to their ancestors using the expertise of hundreds of experienced volunteers around the world.
View case study
Connecting Africans to their Ancestors
Africans who are motivated to do family history have difficulty utilizing the current FamilySearch experience or are unable to access it from their phone due to no internet or lack of data.
View case study