Nina Jennings

Nina Jennings is an engineering psychologist and currently works as Sr. Mixed Methods UX Researcher for Google Cloud Platform. Previously, she was Head of UX Research for FireOS and Multimodal Devices at Amazon’s Device and Design Group. Jennings has been in user experience for over 20 years and began her career in software engineering at Dell Computer Corporation, where she helped start the usability engineering department. Since then, she has held various, related positions at companies such as Microsoft, Intuit, IBM, Kelley Blue Book and Life Technologies, Inc where she worked on interfaces used by DNA Sequencing professionals and scientists and has consulted on cross-cultural projects in over ten countries.

In additional to several industrial design patents, Jennings has authored over 18 published works of fiction, as well as two non-fiction books, award-winning films, and several plays (including the accompanying music). Her work has appeared on numerous best-seller lists around the country and tackle such subjects as young adult internet safety, women’s issues and date rape in fictional backdrops. She has been an NAACP Image award nominee for Literary Excellence, short-listed for A Doctorow Award in Innovative Fiction and has won several African American Literary Awards.

Jennings hosts a podcast called Grown Ass Women with Nina Foxx which can be heard on most podcasting platforms. She founded the Writing Sisters Summit, a wellness and writing retreat, held yearly, designed to create community for Writers of Color to explore the connection between their wellness and creativity and nurture emerging writers.

Jennings is a member of the User Experience Professionals Association and the Association for Computing Machinery’s Computer-Human Interaction Special Interest group. She volunteers her time with Jack & Jill of America, Skype in The Classroom/CODE.org, UNCF, The Links, Inc, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and has numerous speaking engagements yearly on subjects ranging from User Experience, Black in Technology, product design and STEAM efforts for girls and disadvantaged groups. In addition to advanced degrees in psychology, Jennings earned an MFA in Writing Fiction and is a 200 Hour Certified Yoga Instructor. A former fitness competitor, Jennings teaches yoga virtually and at conferences and is an advocate for improving Black Women's health. Jennings is also available for ghostwriting, book doctoring and editing.