I'm Vic, a staff-level product designer based in Pittsburgh. ✌︎

The Full Scoop

Hi! I'm Vic. My designs have been used in pitches that resulted in a 22+ million funding round and sales calls that attracted several Fortune 500 Companies. I've worked through various organizational stages, collaborating closely with stakeholders to optimize design considering operational or technical constraints.

I'm formerly the Director of Design at an award-winning fintech startup, IRALOGIX, and most recently a UX Manager at Korn Ferry, where I led UX for AI-enabled coaching and sales enablement products across two teams.

Before Design

Before I was a designer, I worked in museum education. I spent my undergrad studying the ancient world and earned a triple major in Anthropology, Art History, and Archaeological Studies from Oberlin College. I really liked old stuff! I did a dig, interned at The Smithsonian, and ended up working at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

While working at The Met, I had colleagues working on innovative technology in museums. I loved visiting The Media Lab, a playground for experimental design. I had the opportunity to work with UX Designers employed by the museum and fell in love with design thinking and innovation.

I was inspired. So, I moved to Pittsburgh, PA to pursue my master's at Carnegie Mellon. I fell in love with Pittsburgh's community and growing tech scene. Now, I'm proud to call the Rust Belt my home!

That background isn't just backstory — it shows up directly in how I design. Overseeing 200+ interns across 23 departments at The Met is the same instinct behind mentoring an expanding UX team as our staff portal scaled to 180+ screens. And the adult learning theory I taught with at Fusion Academy is the same framework I later applied to AI coaching product design — the belief that growth should be felt through accumulation, not measured by a progress bar.

Influences

Design is in my blood. My dad, Greg Costikyan, is a renowned game designer and published author commonly known as Designer X. His essay "I Have No Words & I Must Design" is often included as essential reading in game design curriculum.

I grew up in New York City where my dad founded several startups in the games industry. He would often host his leadership meetings at the family dinner table. These formative experiences have profoundly shaped my approach to design, business strategy, and organizational scaling.

Community

I'm so thankful to have cultivated a strong village in the Pittsburgh region. My free time includes weekly jam nights with my (far more musically talented) friends, playing drums in a band, cycling, yoga, and cooking up a storm. I occasionally support a few of my friends with small local businesses by helping them sell at farmer's markets/festivals or advising on branding and marketing.

I also founded and co-host New Rust, a podcast exploring Pittsburgh's transformation — producing, editing, and running it end-to-end. And I serve on the board of Magic Hour Academy, a nonprofit studio that gives Pittsburgh teens hands-on mentorship in filmmaking, podcasting, and journalism — alongside volunteer work with organizations like Pittsburgh Pride Group and TransYOUniting.