An artist, designer, and curator at heart, I am driven by a passion for engaging people in health and medicine through art, design, and technology.

I’m Vanessa Ruiz, a collaborative and trusted design leader in the digital health space. I love building and working with diverse creative teams to provide world-class user experiences across mediums while prioritizing curiosity and artistry throughout the process.

As an Associate Director of Design at Cognition Studio, I defined the strategic approach, built integrated solutions, and oversaw the delivery of creative work for emerging biotech companies.

As Creative Director at Wolters Kluwer Health in Chicago, I oversaw the Emmi product, which encompasses engaging and empathetic digital experiences that help people understand their health. I led a multidisciplinary 20-member team of writers, animators, medical artists, UX, and data visualization designers to create experiences that drive patient engagement and outcomes based on behavioral science principles.

In 2007 I launched Street Anatomy—where I aggregate works that explore the intersection of contemporary art and medical illustration. I’ve published more than one thousand posts, revealing human anatomy in street art, sculpture, interior design, and tattoos, among other media. As a result, I also curated several exhibitions around Chicago showcasing anatomical art from artists worldwide.

As a result of running Street Anatomy, I was asked to speak at TEDMED 2015 to share the idea with a broader audience. A naturally quiet observer, I was thrust onto that round red stage. I gave a visually engaging talk on how contemporary artists are breaking anatomy out of the confines of the medical world and showcasing it for people in a creative way. My talk was featured on TED.com, where it has reached 1.5 million people and counting.  Now I’m part of the TEDMED Editorial Advisory Board, helping to nominate other artists to the stage.

View my LinkedIn profile to learn more. Follow me on Instagram for inspiration and read my writing on contemporary anatomical art at Colossal.