Kim Torres

I'm a UX Research leader with over 15 years of experience helping product teams turn ambiguity into clarity, complexity into insight, and assumptions into actionable, user-centered decisions. My work sits at the intersection of research, product strategy, and team collaboration, balancing user empathy with operational execution to deliver research that not only informs, but influences.
Most recently I served as Director of Research and Operations at Proximity Lab, a design agency focused on enterprise UX and B2B SaaS products. I led research across high-impact engagements, worked closely with clients and internal teams to shape strategy, guide design, and ensure our outputs were grounded in real user needs. My role was a hybrid of hands-on research execution, strategic oversight, and operational leadership. I helped define research strategy, coach our teams, managed priorities, and maintained a high bar for quality, all while keeping our work aligned with client goals and organizational growth.
I specialize in mixed-methods research, bringing together qualitative and quantitative insights to deliver a holistic understanding of user behavior, pain points, and motivations. I’ve worked with organizations such as Adobe, Microsoft, Oracle, and CVS, where my research has influenced product roadmaps, improved usability, validated early-stage concepts, and supported go-to-market strategies.
I’m a hands-on, impact-focused researcher who blends methods, brings AI into the mix when it makes sense, and jumps in fast with product teams to uncover insights that drive real decisions, especially when time and resources are tight.
I work closely with designers, engineers, product managers, and stakeholders to ensure that research is integrated, participatory, and deeply connected to the decisions being made. I pride myself on being able to navigate both the “what” and the “why,” translating findings into insights that are not only accurate, but impactful and relevant for business strategy.