Kaari Peterson

Kaari Peterson has long experience in the tech world, having served as Senior Director of User Experience Research at Chegg, Inc. She spent over a decade building and leading teams dedicated to improving products used by college students nationwide. Throughout her career, Kaari has also contributed to enhancing user experiences at leading companies such as Adobe and Yahoo!. Currently, Kaari works seasonally as the Venue Marketing & Media Coordinator with LiveNation at Shoreline Amphitheatre. Kaari has been with them for over 30 seasons.  

Kaari earned her B.A. in Advertising from the College of Communication Arts & Sciences. She later expanded her creative skill set with a B.S. in Graphic Design & Photography from San Jose State University. This combination continues to shape her work in UX, where understanding human behavior and crafting intuitive experiences go hand in hand. 

Beyond her professional work, Kaari stays closely connected to her creative roots. In March 2025, Kaari launched her podcast “Her Game Her Voice”. A podcast that spotlights women’s basketball and the voices shaping the game on and off the court. “Big stories about women’s basketball in little 15 minutes or less episodes.” With that, Kaari is a huge women’s basketball enthusiast, having season tickets to Stanford Women’s Basketball for many years. 

Kaari is deeply committed to giving back to Michigan State. As a second-generation Spartan, she takes pride in supporting the next generation of students and sharing the college’s story. She remains inspired by the talent, dedication, and preparation of ComArtSci students and values the opportunity to stay involved in the college’s future. 

Kaari encourages students to build strong connections, get involved, and embrace opportunities both inside and outside the classroom. Her advice is: “Be yourself. If you can clearly communicate your ideas and show genuine enthusiasm, that’s what will make you stand out, and it’s what will carry you throughout your career.”