I'm Heather Buchma (she/her), a Product Design Leader with 15 years of experience.

I bring product strategy and design leadership together to create customer-first experiences that deliver measurable business impact.

Currently leading several design teams at Zillow as a Senior Director of Product Design. Focused on our B2B2C professionals experience.

I’m a seasoned design leader with over 15 years of experience shaping high-impact product experiences and leading cross-functional design teams. As Senior Director of Product Design at Zillow, I drive the design strategy and innovation for real estate professionals. My approach blends systems thinking, user empathy, and business acumen to deliver elegant solutions to complex challenges. Before Zillow, I led growth design efforts at CNN, crafting onboarding and payment experiences that prioritized clarity, trust, and conversion at scale.

I’m passionate about building inclusive, high-performing teams and elevating design as a strategic force within organizations. I thrive in environments where I can bring clarity to ambiguity, champion operational excellence, and align design work with measurable business outcomes. Whether I’m developing a new design framework, mentoring emerging leaders, or partnering closely with product and engineering teams, I lead with curiosity, purpose, and a deep belief in the power of thoughtful design to drive meaningful change.

Contact

Interested in discussing future opportunities, setting up a speaking engagement, or seeing some of my past work? Reach out – I’d love to hear from you.