Kathi Kaiser
Partner and Co-Founder
Kathi Kaiser co-founded Centralis in 2001 and leads our team in creating great user experiences. As a researcher and designer, she is passionate about helping both users and businesses achieve their goals. A contributor to O’Reilly Media’s 97 Things Every UX Practitioner Should Know, Kathi is a compelling speaker and has delivered talks at major national conferences on a variety of UX topics.
Kathi began her career at notable UX firms HannaHodge and Doblin Group. She has also served as adjunct faculty at Illinois Institute of Technology’s Institute of Design.
Kathi holds an MA in social science from the University of Chicago and a BA in psychology from Georgetown University. When out of the office, Kathi can be found cheering on her favorite college volleyball squad (Go Bears!), traveling, and trying out new vegan recipes.
Lyman Casey, Ph.D
Partner and Co-Founder
Lyman Casey co-founded Centralis in 2001. With an extensive background in cognitive psychology, user research, and UX strategy, Lyman brings a broad and pragmatic perspective to our work at Centralis. He partners with clients to create and implement custom research initiatives that quickly and cost-effectively deliver the insight they need.
Before co-founding Centralis, Lyman served as Director of User Experience at the leading Chicago e-commerce integrator Giant Step, now part of Publicis Groupe. In that role, he established the company's User Experience practice and built a team recognized as a leader by industry analysts such as Forrester Research.
Lyman holds a doctorate in cognitive psychology from Northwestern University and a bachelor’s degree from Williams College. In his free time, Lyman enjoys running, playing with his Bernedoodle, and spending time with his kids.
Matthew Scholl
Vice President, Director of User Experience
Matthew Scholl is VP and Director of UX at Centralis, where he manages our UX practice and supervises our senior team members. He is dedicated to partnering with clients to create solutions that balance user needs with business objectives. A seasoned researcher and designer, Matt has advised clients across a wide range of industries, including healthcare, financial services, legal, education, and e-commerce.
Prior to joining Centralis, Matt spent ten years at Accenture in roles including product manager and user experience consultant. While there, he helped clients around the world develop user-centered products and services.
Matt holds a master’s degree in human computer interaction from the University of Michigan and a BS in education from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. When not at work, he can be found dabbling in music making, tending to the garden, or trying to catch up with his New Yorker subscription.
Carol Youngquist
Associate UX Director
Carol Youngquist serves as Associate UX Director at Centralis, where she supervises and mentors our team of UX specialists. Carol’s work is informed by her background in industrial engineering, as well as training in human factors and statistics. She is an expert communicator, delivering the voice of the user to business across industries ranging from healthcare and finance to manufacturing and non-profits.
Prior to Centralis, Carol designed and led UX research for Northwestern University. She also worked at Accenture, honing a diverse range of skills from conducting usability studies to project management and design for internal applications.
Carol holds a BS from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign in industrial engineering. Outside of work, she enjoys knitting, spending time with family and friends, and staying up to date on the latest in electric vehicle technology.
Claire Mallory
Senior User Experience Specialist
Claire Mallory is a Senior UX Specialist at Centralis, where she directs her curiosity and deep listening skills towards understanding users’ perspectives on a wide range of products and services. Claire has led major Centralis research initiatives for clients ranging from educational institutions and healthcare organizations to consumer products and travel companies.
Prior to joining Centralis, Claire was a Designer-in-Residence at Designation, helping career-switchers learn new skills and apply their prior experiences to user-centered research and design. She was also a freelance musician for many years.
Claire received her bachelor’s degrees in Piano Performance and Art History from Lawrence University and a master’s degree in Collaborative Piano from the University of Colorado at Boulder. When not at work, she enjoys taking epic walks, gardening, and spending time with her family.
Ty Grigg
Senior User Experience Specialist
Ty Grigg is a Senior UX Specialist at Centralis. With a background in engineering, along with ten years’ experience as a pastor and spiritual director, Ty is a people-centered problem solver. At Centralis, Ty applies his UX analysis skills to deliver compelling user journey maps, competitive audits, and usability evaluations for a broad range of clients.
Prior to joining Centralis, Ty explored UX research and design concepts through hands-on learning experiences at Springboard. While there, he worked on a range of projects, from a conversation-starter app to a site that helped cancer patients find effective treatments.
Ty holds a Master of Divinity from North Park Theological Seminary and a BS from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in industrial engineering. In his free time, Ty likes to hike around Lake Michigan, meditate, exercise at Orange Theory, and work in his yard. He also savors his morning cup of coffee brewed with his Aeropress.
Erin Patag
User Experience Specialist
Erin Patag is a UX Specialist at Centralis, where she has worked with our non-profit, healthcare, and insurance clients. With a background in education and art, she cares deeply about understanding and supporting people’s needs. She enjoys uncovering insights about users and helping our clients see the impact of research-backed design.
Prior to joining Centralis, Erin completed Google’s UX design certificate course. She has designed a variety of digital products, including e-commerce apps and a career mentorship website for first generation immigrants. Erin has also created intuitive user experiences for young learners as a Montessori teacher.
Erin has a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education, Special Education, and Fine Arts from Goshen College. In her free time, she enjoys exploring new hiking spots near her home in Los Angeles, learning to make pottery, and playing with her westie, Shoopy.
Hisako Sonethavilay
User Experience Specialist
Hisako Sonethavilay is a UX Specialist at Centralis. With over seven years of experience as a researcher and social worker, she applies an empathetic approach to her work. At Centralis, Hisako collaboratively uncovers insights and suggests solutions that allow our clients to help their users thrive.
Prior to joining Centralis, Hisako conducted rapid usability evaluations at AnswerLab. She completed her UX training at Beginex, a career accelerator and mentorship program. Hisako honed her interviewing skills as a social science researcher in the nonprofit sector, working to improve the lives of military service members and their families.
Hisako holds a Master of Social Work from George Mason University and a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of South Florida. She enjoys crocheting, running 5K races near her home in San Diego, and spending quality time with her friends and family.
Lydia Brooks
User Experience Specialist
Lydia Brooks is a UX Specialist at Centralis. With a background in K-12 education, she is passionate about understanding people and tailoring products and services to meet their needs. Lydia has worked with our clients to improve the usability of a range of digital products, from non-profit apps to healthcare websites.
Prior to joining Centralis, Lydia gained valuable UX research and design experience through coursework at Clark College. Her freelance research and design projects included a web portal for adjunct college faculty and a fitness and habit-forming app. She also taught digital photography and journalism at the high-school level for many years.
Lydia has a master's degree in education and a bachelor’s in geography. In her free time, you can find her out shooting photos, working in her urban meadow in Vancouver, WA, or dancing at her favorite Jazzercise class.
Ket Yosef
Operations Lead
Ket Yosef is the Operations Lead at Centralis. As a member of the business development team, she is often the first point of contact for those new to Centralis. Her work includes responding to client inquiries, facilitating behind-the-scenes initiatives, accounting, and generally making things run smoothly for our clients and staff.
Prior to joining Centralis, Ket worked as an office manager and administrative assistant for a variety of companies in the non-profit, education, and technology fields. Through these experiences, she has developed a calm and reassuring presence, along with the ability to juggle multiple demands simultaneously.
Ket is a published illustrator and received her BS in animation and game art from DePaul University. Out of the office, she spends her time trying to rope friends and family into D&D campaigns and picnicking whenever possible.