Art & all things design

•

My daughters

•

Writing

•

Listening to my husband play piano

•

Podcasts

•

Travel

•

Women’s empowerment

•

Georgia's independence

•

Sunny days

•

& rainy days too...

•

Art & all things design • My daughters • Writing • Listening to my husband play piano • Podcasts • Travel • Women’s empowerment • Georgia's independence • Sunny days • & rainy days too... •

About

Originally from the Republic of Georgia, I’ve built my career at the intersection of design, technology, and storytelling — from the early days of cryptocurrency at Coinbase to redefining fitness experiences at Tonal.

Across both product and brand, my work centers on clarity: translating complexity into simple, human experiences. I lead with curiosity and collaboration, helping teams build systems that scale, products that resonate, and brands that endure.

With over two decades in design, I’ve guided teams through early exploration and large-scale execution, always grounded in craft, empathy, and purpose. I stay close to the work, believing that great leadership comes from being hands-on: shaping details, refining ideas, and maintaining a high bar for design quality.

My experience spans fintech, health tech, AI, and philanthropy, united by a belief that design has the power to make life more intuitive, meaningful, beautiful, and human.

A rugged mountain range with dark, jagged peaks, some patches of snow, and green vegetation at the base under a cloudy sky.
Nina Samarguliani in front of a gray wall, wearing a black top.

  • "Beyond being creatively talented, she brings a deeply thoughtful approach to the work, starting with the ethos and objectives that drive the brand, before bringing it to its stunning visual life. Further, she is an incredible human and so lovely to work with!"

    – Amy Dornbusch, Founder of AtlasDaughters

  • “Nina is a visionary - innovative and ever-adaptable. Even in stressful, demanding times, she found ways to inspire, engage, and support her team. She is a true servant leader, remaining deeply focused on the growth and well-being of her reports.”

    – Joanna Vargas, Design Operations Manager at Tonal

  • “Nina is so good at what she does that a new term had to be coined: To "Ninafy" means to do infinitely more than was asked of you, to produce beautiful work in an incredibly short period of time and to prioritize what's in the best interest of the business while putting our customers first.”

    – Lisa Contoyannis, Executive Vice President, Product and Conversational AI at JustAnswer

  • “Nina's leadership skills are unmatched. She has the perfect balance of standing by what she believes in and listening to others. She empowers all those around her to be their best and always keeps users at the heart of everything her and her team delivers. ”

    – Lauren van der Vossen, Staff Product Designer at Tonal

  • “Nina is one of the best Managers and Designers I have had the opportunity to work with, in my career. She is talented creative, has human qualities (honesty, integrity, wholeheartedness), and above all she is a kind leader.”

    – Robin Barata, Staff Industrial Designer at Tonal

  • “Nina is a tremendous force who leads with compassion, commitment, and unmistakable sincerity. Her strength in building and supporting multi-disciplinary design teams is what made us more interconnected at Tonal.”

    – Nicole Zigmont Nichols, Staff Product Designer at Tonal

  • “Nina provides both guidance and autonomy to her teams and leads with passion, yet is levelheaded.... She gives and takes feedback frequently and constructively, with true candor and a very genuine intention to make people grow.”

    – Alberto Villarreal, Design Director at Tonal

  • “Nina's design advice is potent. A little of her input goes a long way.”

    – Vinitha Watson, Founder of Zoolabs