Rayna Wiles Appointed University Innovation Alliance Fellow

August 15, 2025

The UIA is a national consortium of public research universities working together to improve student success, particularly for low-income students, first-generation students, and students of color. Fellows engage in high-impact projects, receive specialized training in design thinking and change management, and collaborate closely with senior leaders to drive institutional transformation. As a UIA Fellow, Rayna will serve as the university’s liaison to this network, advancing innovative, evidence-based initiatives that help students access and complete a bachelor’s degree. Rayna will also coordinate the university’s UIA Extend Group.

Rayna is a designer, researcher, and facilitator whose work bridges design practice and academic inquiry.

An alumna of Stanford University’s Product Design program, she employs a multidisciplinary and highly visual approach to identify needs and generate design-driven insights. Her professional experience includes leadership roles in strategic experience design—directing projects at frog Design in the energy, technology, entertainment, and hospitality sectors—and serving as Vice President of Creative Services at Westfield Labs, where she advanced initiatives integrating digital and physical retail environments.

At the University of Utah, Rayna teaches in the Multi-Disciplinary Design Division, has facilitated healthcare administration workshops, and co-leads the Academic Innovation + Intelligence Lab. She is grateful for the opportunity to foster innovation and design excellence in service to our campus community and to represent the University of Utah within the UIA network.

Please join us in congratulating Rayna on this appointment and in thanking Dr. Coco for her outstanding service and leadership as our UIA Fellow.

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