Andrew Lacanienta

Andrew Lacanienta is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Experience Industry Management at California Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo. He is an experience wizard with a background in experience design, research, and connecting individuals through authentic experiences.

Andrew's expertise lies in applying theory to practice by sharing his experience design toolkit to help individuals lead fulfilling lives, organizations engage their guests, educators engage their classrooms, and communities transform their neighborhoods. He focuses on user-centered design, empathy building, and co-creation to bring intention to all aspects of life.

Having a diverse educational background, Andrew studied Experience Design at The College of Extraordinary Experiences, earned a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Experience Design from Texas A&M University, a Master's Degree in Youth and Family Recreation & Leisure Experiences from Brigham Young University, and a Bachelor's Degree in Experience Industry Management from BYU.

Andrew's professional journey includes roles such as Freelance Creative Director and Strategist at Drury Design, Event Director at Slide the City, LLC, and Research Associate at Texas A&M University. He has also held positions as a Research Assistant at both Texas A&M University and Brigham Young University, in addition to roles at the Missionary Training Center as a Training Services Specialist and a Tagalog Teacher.