Christina Mendat
Charlotte
Summary
I am a seasoned human factors and behavioral science professional who brings a scientific, yet pragmatic, approach to every challenge. With foundational training in experimental psychology and ergonomics, I’ve built a career at the intersection of research, product development, and business strategy. Over the years, I’ve led cross-functional teams, advised Fortune 500 companies and startups alike, and driven operational and financial growth across organizations. My unique blend of technical rigor and executive leadership allows me to translate complex, human-centered insights into actionable strategies—whether optimizing product usability, guiding regulatory submissions, or scaling business operations. I thrive in environments that demand both analytical thinking and creative problem-solving, and I bring to my next professional chapter.
- Deep expertise in human factors, usability, and behavioral research across medical, consumer, and digital domains.
- Proven success in leading teams, building infrastructure, and driving consistent revenue growth.
- Strategic acumen, informed by hands-on operational experience, from quality systems to lab development.
- A collaborative mindset, paired with a no-fluff, results-oriented style.
Overview
23
23
years of professional experience
Work History
Managing Director
Eurofins Human Factors MD
2014.01 - Current
- Full P&L ownership for the business unit, including budgeting, forecasting, and performance tracking.
- Defined and executed multi-year strategic growth plans, achieving consistent operational excellence across human factors research services.
- Conducted market assessments and competitive analyses to identify opportunities and mitigate risks.
- Successfully partnered with internal stakeholders (Finance, Ops, BD) to align resource allocation and long-term investments.
- Established the company’s first physical usability lab in 2015 and expanded into a second facility in 2020 to meet growing demand.
- Grew business revenue 8% year-over-year; expanded team size by 4x since 2014.
- Spearheaded the development and ongoing evolution of a robust Quality Management System, streamlining work instructions and procedures for compliance and efficiency.
- Contributed to strategic consulting and execution of ~20 HF/usability studies per year across medical device and combination product categories.
- Advised both Fortune 500 pharmaceutical companies and startups on user-centered, regulatory-aligned HF solutions grounded in behavioral science.
- Drove and led the acquisition of Human Factors MD by Eurofins Scientific in 2022, facilitating transition and integration of staff and services.
Director, Research and Human Factors
Jabil / Radius Product Development
2011.01 - 2014.01
- Directed a multidisciplinary team of product designers, engineers, and research analysts, ensuring rigorous, user-centered solutions for medical and consumer products.
- Oversaw timelines, budgets, and deliverables for end-to-end research programs; led execution of contextual inquiries, heuristic evaluations, design input sessions, and HF validation studies.
- Regularly presented findings to senior stakeholders and collaborated with executive teams on prioritization, risk management, and opportunity identification.
- Worked cross-functionally with Marketing, Finance, and General Management to translate user insights into successful product and business strategies.
- Built scalable team processes and mentored junior consultants, fostering a high-performance research culture.
Research Manager
Insight Product Development
2010.01 - 2011.01
- Developed and led the first research and human factors practice within the Boston office; generated over $1M in new business through prospecting and client development.
- Directed research rigor and quality across all projects, aligning with national offices to embed patient insights into both product design and marketing strategies.
- Hired and mentored research staff while building operational frameworks to support sustainable growth.
- Partnered closely with Engineering, Design, and cross-functional teams to deliver regulatory-compliant, patient-centric product experiences.
- Acted as a strategic advisor to clients on research design, survey methods, and behavioral insight generation.
- Played a key role in cross-site leadership initiatives, serving as the customer voice across product lines.
Manager & Senior HF Specialist
HumanCentric Technologies
2008.01 - 2009.01
- Promoted to management role, overseeing a multidisciplinary team of human factors specialists and usability researchers across multiple client accounts and industries.
- Provided strategic leadership in the planning, execution, and delivery of human factors programs, ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements (FDA, IEC 62366) and client business goals.
- Supervised and mentored junior and mid-level staff, reviewing protocols, reports, and design recommendations to ensure methodological rigor and client-ready deliverables.
- Acted as the primary point of contact for high-profile clients, managing relationships, scoping new opportunities, and ensuring satisfaction through high-quality, actionable insights.
- Collaborated with business development and marketing teams to shape proposal content, define research strategy, and expand service offerings.
- Led internal initiatives to standardize research documentation, streamline study planning, and improve knowledge transfer across project teams.
- Balanced hands-on research work with managerial duties, continuing to lead key usability studies and HF documentation for complex, high-risk medical devices.
Senior HF Specialist
HumanCentric Technologies
2005.01 - 2008.01
- Led human factors (HF) research, user experience (UX) and market research initiatives across medical device, consumer electronics, and industrial product sectors, including focus groups, exploration research studies, contextual inquiries, formative, and summative usability studies.
- Designed and executed end-to-end usability research protocols, including early discovery research, contextual inquiry, heuristic evaluations, and validation testing.
- Partnered with cross-functional teams—design, engineering, regulatory, and marketing—to integrate human factors principles into product development cycles, ensuring user needs and safety risks were addressed early and effectively.
- Conducted in-lab and field-based studies with a variety of user populations, including transportation, safety, telecommunications, healthcare professionals, patients, and general consumers; synthesized findings into actionable design guidance.
- Managed client relationships and project timelines, delivering insights that improved user interface design, reduced use errors, and supported successful regulatory approvals.
Program Lead
International Business Machines
2002.01 - 2004.01
- Supported the design and delivery of corporate training programs aligned with IBM’s global learning strategy, including leadership development and new hire onboarding.
- Conducted needs assessments and collaborated with internal stakeholders to tailor learning solutions for sales, technical, and managerial audiences.
- Assisted in transitioning traditional classroom-based training to e-learning and blended learning formats as part of IBM’s early digital transformation initiatives.
- Contributed to content development, including drafting instructional materials, case studies, and post-training evaluation tools.
- Supported early measurement efforts around training effectiveness, collecting feedback and analyzing learning outcomes to inform improvements.
- Worked cross-functionally with HR, IT, and business units to ensure alignment between training content and corporate goals.
Education
PhD - Experimental Psychology And Ergonomics
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC2006-01
Skills
- Strategic leadership and P&L ownership
- Financial forecasting and risk management
- Operational excellence and continuous improvement
- Human factors engineering and usability testing
- Cross-functional team leadership and collaboration
- Culture building and talent development
- Product strategy and market positioning
- Innovation roadmapping and business development
- Client engagement and consultative selling
- Regulatory strategy and ethics-driven leadership
- Mixed-methods research and insight-driven decision making
- Data storytelling and user-centered design
- Stakeholder influence and executive communication
- Change management and experimentation mindset
- Voice of customer and systems thinking
Timeline
Managing Director
Eurofins Human Factors MD
2014.01 - Current
Director, Research and Human Factors
Jabil / Radius Product Development
2011.01 - 2014.01
Research Manager
Insight Product Development
2010.01 - 2011.01
Manager & Senior HF Specialist
HumanCentric Technologies
2008.01 - 2009.01
Senior HF Specialist
HumanCentric Technologies
2005.01 - 2008.01
Program Lead
International Business Machines
2002.01 - 2004.01
PhD - Experimental Psychology And Ergonomics
North Carolina State University