TARUS D. STILLS
Designing Products, Systems, & Leading Teams
I’m a Principal Product Designer and Design Leader with 10+ years of experience shaping digital ecosystems across mobile, web, and TV (iOS, Android, tvOS, Roku, and more). I create scalable, emotionally resonant systems that bridge design, storytelling, and technology.
At State Farm, I led AI-powered chatbot and conversational design initiatives + global information architecture, simplifying experiences for millions of customers. At HBCUgo and MontageCMS, I was the first product/design hire—building fan-engagement systems, streaming OTT redesign architecture, and design culture from startup through acquisition.
I’m passionate about where AI, creativity, and behavior design meet—crafting experiences that feel human at scale. Whether leading design vision or shaping emerging media, I focus on building products that are not only usable but unforgettable.
Portfolio
Selected Case Studies
A closer look at the design challenges I’ve led—building scalable frameworks, shaping digital ecosystems, and connecting creativity with measurable impact.
Scaling Experience Architecture Through Startup-to-Enterprise Transition
Leading the transformation of HBCUgo’s ecosystem—integrating OTT, CTV, and mobile experiences into a unified fan platform designed for scale and storytelling.
Role: Sr. Product & Design Leader
Establishing the Design Framework for Growth
As the Founding Product Designer, I led the zero-to-one design of a customizable CMS and streaming SaaS that bridges creativity, content management, and community.
Role: Head of Design | Founding Principal Designer
Redesigning the Claims Journey: From Siloed to Seamless
Defining the architecture, workflows, and design operations that empowered MontageCMS to evolve from early-stage MVP to a scalable creator-driven ecosystem.
Role: Principal Design Leader | Information Architecture
Designing the Amira AI Engine: A Learning Game That Thinks
Building an adaptive mobile experience powered by AI-driven storytelling—where gameplay, learning, and emotional intelligence intersect to help students build confidence and comprehension through play.
Role: Design Leader | Game Management
Leading the Design of MyStateFarm’s Desktop Customer Portal + Reusable Widgets
Transforming the MyStateFarm desktop experience by unifying navigation, simplifying complex workflows, and delivering reusable UI components that accelerated product delivery.
Role: Staff Designer | Team Lead
Testimonals
Voices from the Teams and Partners I’ve Led
Real feedback from collaborators, engineers, and executives who’ve experienced my approach to design leadership, strategy, and creative problem solving firsthand.
From Zero to Launch
I have a proven ability to take products from 0 to 1, as demonstrated by the successful launch of Montage, HBCUgo, and the State Farm App. Beyond initial launch, I excel at scaling products, driving user growth, and optimizing the user experience for long-term success.
Katherine Piedade, MA
AVP- Strategic Alliance Development & Delivery - Business Banking, State Farm Experience
I had the pleasure of working closely with TD on the launch of a significant partnership of 2 Fortune 500 companies. TD's wealth of experience within the UX space, and keen understanding of how to align user experiences to business objectives ensured the alliance would be successful. He possesses an unwavering high level of integrity, consistently demonstrated through his strong problem-solving skills. He's a PRODUCT leader and DESIGN MANAGER, who is willing to approach challenges with a solution-oriented mindset and work across cross-functional teams to build solutions. By fostering a collaborative environment, he significantly elevated the UX team to deliver meaningful results within tight timelines. He is an extraordinary professional who I believe would be a great asset to any organization seeking an experienced PRODUCT leader.
Janani Prithviraj
AI Product Strategy at Amazon Ads
Tarus was my mentor during my internship with MARTA and I am very happy that we have maintained a strong acquaintance over the years. Tarus is one of those rare individuals who is eager to learn but more eager to help and motivate in any way he can. During my tenure with MARTA, I gathered many skills from him, both technically and professionally. He has an exceptional breadth of knowledge in his areas of work and is fearless in his pursuit of new skills (even if it means having to read through instruction manuals by himself). He is also very comfortable building professional relationships outside of his immediate peer group and is a strong team player. Through his academic skill set and hands-on experience with creative design, Tarus would be a strong asset to any team/organization and I wish him the best in all of his endeavors.
