Old homes & craftsmanship
I’m an amateur carpenter with a passion for old homes and restoring them. I’m drawn to their character, craftsmanship, and history, and I enjoy the hands-on work of caring for the details that make them distinctive.
Driven by curiosity.
Grounded in service.
I’m Aaron Orner—a research and design leader, business builder, and mentor. Across my career, I’ve been drawn to understanding people, creating better experiences, and helping others develop the confidence and capability to do meaningful work.
My Christian faith grounds my commitment to service. Honesty, integrity, and loyalty shape how I approach relationships and responsibility. They guide how I work with people, support a team, and think about the impact of the decisions I make.
A career connected by curiosity
My career began in motion and web design, where I learned to bring ideas to life through visual storytelling and interaction. As my work expanded into user experience and research, I became increasingly interested in the people behind the experience: what they needed, what motivated them, and what made something useful in their lives.
That curiosity carried into entrepreneurship. As co-founder and president of Interverz, I helped build a business that grew to more than 100 employees and over $20 million in annual billings before its sale in 2010. Building a company expanded my perspective on the relationship between creative work, technology, people, and business decisions.
It also gave me experience I continue to draw on: setting direction, developing people, and connecting an ambitious idea with the work required to deliver it.
Choosing to stay close to the work
After executive leadership, I deliberately pursued opportunities that brought me closer to research, design, and the practical challenges teams face. As methods and technology evolved, I wanted working knowledge of how they could improve the experiences we create.
At Grainger, that meant building research capability and helping reimagine the tools and experiences connecting customers with frontline employees. At USAA, I grew a research team, enabling designers and product teams, and helping make human-centered insights part of the product development lifecycle.
Today, as a Senior Insights Partner at UserTesting, I advise enterprise leaders on research strategy, organizational maturity, and connecting customer evidence with business priorities.
Those experiences have deepened the perspective I bring to leadership. I understand the responsibility of setting direction, and I’ve stayed close to the methods, tools, and collaboration needed to move that direction forward.
Why I lead
Developing people is one of the most meaningful parts of my work. I enjoy helping someone strengthen their judgment, find confidence in their abilities, and take on responsibilities they are ready to grow into.
That includes mentoring executives as well as researchers, designers, and product teams. The questions change with the role, but the commitment is consistent: listen carefully, bring useful perspective, and help people make thoughtful decisions.
As I look toward my next leadership opportunity, I want to bring that combination of executive experience, practical knowledge, and mentorship to a team building something that matters. I’m motivated by the opportunity to develop the next generation of leaders and help an organization become more capable of understanding and serving its customers.
At home in Alvin, Texas
Family is central to my life, and I enjoy time outdoors—hiking, camping, hunting, and fishing.
Good food & good company
Outdoor cooking is another favorite pursuit. I love grilling and smoking meats, and I’m best known for my hickory-smoked brisket. Cooking for family and friends is one of my favorite ways to bring people together.
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Let’s connect.
If you’re looking for a leader who brings business experience, commitment to people, and curiosity about what comes next, I’d welcome a conversation.