Erin Mongan

Erin Mongan is a seasoned design leader currently serving as the VP of Product & Design at Reforge, a professional growth platform.13 With over a decade of experience in startup environments, Erin has established herself as a prominent figure in the design industry.

Career Highlights

Reforge: Erin joined Reforge in June 2019 as Head of Design and has since been promoted to VP of Product & Design.13 In this role, she:

• Designed Reforge's proprietary learning and development platform
• Built and leads a team of experienced Product Designers (growing from 0 to 8 members)
• Executed a product rebrand
• Led the development of numerous zero-to-one features
• Champions the "voice of the customer" across the company
• Conducts executive visioning exercises

Previous Roles: Before Reforge, Erin held several notable positions:

• Design Director and Principal Designer at Darby Smart (acquired)
• Lead Designer at Wello.com
• National Creative Director of Marketing at Independent Adoption Center

Expertise and Approach

Erin is known for her:

• Experience as a repeat founding designer, designing zero-to-one products
• Ability to build design teams from scratch
• Deep understanding of how design drives business outcomes
• Product-minded, executional, and pragmatic leadership style
• Skill in navigating ambiguity and adapting to shifting priorities

Education

Erin holds a BFA in Art & Design with a focus on Graphic Design from California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo.12

Personal Brand

Erin describes herself as a "3-Time 1st Designer," highlighting her experience as the first designer at multiple startups.1 Her LinkedIn username is elgcreative, reflecting her background in design and creativity.4