Joanna Peña-Bickley, a design engineer, is known as the mother of Cognitive Experience Design and a pioneer in generative AI. She is driven by multidisciplinary expertise in research, design, technology, and business. Her dedication to lifelong learning and insatiable curiosity has resulted in over 150 enduring, market-shaping products and intelligent experiences for the AI era.
Joanna’s award-winning work has galvanized some of the world’s most recognized brands and organizations—including IBM, Land Rover, L’Oréal, Sephora, American Express, Boeing, NASA, MTV, Pepsi, and Jay-Z—to imagine and launch transformational inventions, products, and services through a philosophy of radical collaboration and exceptional craftsmanship. From creating one of the first streaming video players that transformed live news delivery for ABC, to designing the first banking app on the Apple Watch for Citibank, reinventing the connected car as a smart mobility platform for General Motors, developing AI-powered Alexa devices at Amazon, and reimagining global logistics for Uber—Joanna’s customer-centric approach and creative drive consistently deliver impactful business results.
She has been named one of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women, a 2022 Hispanic Star, a Power Woman of New York, and a D&AD Jury President. Her visionary leadership is fueled by a mission to design innovations that work for everyone, everywhere, every day.
Joanna is also a dynamic voice, organizer, and advocate for women and girls in design and technology. Her work has contributed to increasing the representation of women on U.S. currency, advancing refugee resettlement initiatives, and promoting STEAMD (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics, and Design) education for women and girls. Through her involvement with the AI Design Corps, she has helped elevate AI literacy and workforce development.
These accomplishments have made her a sought-after advisor to legislators and CEOs, as well as a keynote speaker at leading global events including Fortune Brainstorm Design, CES, Cannes Lions, the World Economic Forum, The One Show, SXSW, AWS re:Invent, the Tribeca Film Festival, and C2 Montréal.