I’m Alex Pines, Vice President of Design and co-founding member at Vanilla, a pioneering FinTech company backed by Venrock and Insight Partners. Dedicated to simplifying the complex through design for financial institutions like Vanguard, Morgan Stanley, and others, Vanilla helps advisors assist their clients in taking care of their families and building their legacy.
Previously, I co-founded the product and brand design studio, Rubric, alongside Sam Trapkin and Justin Gilman. My career spans over 20 years, during which I have worked as a graphic and interactive designer at prestigious institutions, agencies, and technology companies such as the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc), AppDirect, and Housing Works.
I’m a former assistant professor of graphic design at Otis College of Art and Design, where I modernized the design curriculum around digital product design, UX/UI, and professional development. I now teach part-time at CalArts and other universities.
My teaching and professional lives are interconnected. I bring real-world experience and insights into the classroom. My experience as a professor sharpened my ability to provide effective feedback, mentoring, and coaching to designers, both in education and at work.
My work and writing has been featured in magazines, publications, collections, and exhibitions including SLANTED, IDEA Magazine, LACMA, Communication Arts, and the New York Times. I began studying design at GWU’s Corcoran School of Art & Design, received my BFA in Graphic Design from the Maryland Institute College of Art, and an MFA in Graphic Design from the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts).
Recent Case Studies
