Douglas Rockhill

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I got my start in digital design, UX, and art direction more than 25 years ago. Back then, I was working at agencies like R/GA, JWT, and Digitas, redesigning big-name websites like Barnes & Noble, Martha Stewart, National Geographic, and Apple. I also had the chance to work on campaigns for brands like Nike, Pfizer, Royal Caribbean, Subaru, and plenty of others. Those early experiences in NYC taught me a lot—not just about design, but about how to solve real problems and create work that actually matters to people.

Eventually, I took on a leadership role at Rosetta (which later became Razorfish Health after being acquired by Publicis). I led the creative team in the Princeton office, overseeing work for 16 different brands. It was an exciting time—the company grew fast, from about 85 people to over 1,200—and I was lucky to be part of that core team helping to shape the creative direction along the way.

Later on, I served as Executive Creative Director at Real Chemistry, leading creative and UX teams across the New York and Austin offices. I had the chance to work with a wide range of clients—Allergan, HP, Serono, Sanofi, Intuit, J&J, P&G, Mastercard—each with their own unique challenges and opportunities. 

After that, I moved into a more product-focused role at NextWorks, a spin-off from Real Chemistry. That’s where I helped developed the Content Capsule—a SaaS platform designed to make content marketing more interactive and effective. It let brands easily embed and share rich, immersive content experiences. The platform went on to win “Best New Marketing Technology” at both the Holmes Report and PRWeek awards. 

In 2017, I co-founded The Experience Design Studio (XDS) with the goal of creating meaningful digital experiences. Since then, I’ve worked alongside an incredible team to help brands connect with their audiences in more thoughtful and effective ways. Today, we’re a group of 30+ talented folks designing and building digital solutions that make a real difference. We’ve also expanded into healthcare and wellness through XDS Health, helping life sciences brands reach people in more human, impactful ways.

At the end of the day, what I love most is solving problems and helping people bring ideas to life. Whether I’m collaborating with teams at companies like Sanofi and Microsoft or mentoring others in the industry, I’m always energized by the opportunity to do work that has purpose.