Kelly Carlquist, creative lead for B2B tech brands.

Kelly Carlquist, creative lead for B2B tech brands.

Kelly Carlquist, creative lead for B2B tech brands.

I lead creative teams and design alongside them. At Confluent, I led a team of 6 through a brand refresh and the company's biggest events, and 4 of my designers were promoted to senior titles.

I lead creative teams and design alongside them. At Confluent, I led a team of 6 through a brand refresh and the company's biggest events, and 4 of my designers were promoted to senior titles.

I lead creative teams and design alongside them. At Confluent, I led a team of 6 through a brand refresh and the company's biggest events, and 4 of my designers were promoted to senior titles.

Experience

Experience

My design journey

My design journey

Ten years in B2B tech. I started as a designer at LinkedIn, then spent six years at Confluent growing from senior web designer to leading the creative team.

Senior Design Manager

July 2023 - April 2026

Design Manager

July 2022 - July 2023

Web Design Manager

July 2021 - July 2022

Senior Web Designer

August 2020 - July 2021

LinkedIn

Designer, Talent Acquisition

2015 - 2020

Leadership

Leadership

Leading with clarity

Leading with clarity

I lead design through moments of growth and change, bringing clarity to complex, fast-moving environments.

I focus on how teams work, not just what they produce, building the structure and conditions that enable strong, scalable outcomes.

I hold a high bar for the work, pushing creative direction forward and avoiding solutions that are safe, expected, or easy.

01

01

Design systems, not one-offs

Strong work scales. I build systems that others can use, adapt, and extend, ensuring consistency across teams, regions, and environments.

02

02

Clarity creates momentum

When direction is unclear, teams slow down. I focus on defining the problem, aligning stakeholders, and creating a clear path forward so teams can move with confidence.

03

03

Great teams don’t happen by accident

The quality of the work reflects how the team operates. I invest in structure, feedback, and collaboration to create the conditions for strong, sustainable outcomes.