Tampa Bay Designers

Tampa Bay Designers is a local, volunteer-based, design community created around 2019 by Brendan Ciccone as a Sketch Slack but quickly evolved into a broader non-tool specific community.

Another local community called Tampa Bay UX was created by Krissy Scoufis in August 2013. Mike Gallers and Beth Galambos joined the leadership team shortly after the group started and together they hosted over 70+ events.

In 2022, Rob Vanasco took over Tampa Bay UX and began hosting meetups in January 2023.

In 2025, Amanda Starling, Andy Weir, Christina Adames and Sarah Zatkovich took over the group, merged Tampa Bay UX with Tampa Bay Designers and began hosting conjoined meetups in January 2026.

The purpose of the group is to provide ways for the local design community, and those interested in design, to connect, learn, and grow.

The goal of the group is to..

• Create a place where people feel welcome, accepted, and heard.
• Provide opportunities for people to learn and practice design principles.
• Connect people with one another.
• Provide opportunities to serve our communities and use our design skills to improve the lives of the people around us.

Code of Conduct
Tampa Bay Designers is committed to creating a welcoming, respectful, and inclusive environment for everyone. Harassment, discrimination, or harmful behavior of any kind will not be tolerated at our events or in our community spaces. Participation is a privilege, and if we receive credible information that someone has violated our Code of Conduct inside or outside our events, they will be asked to no longer participate. All reports and enforcement actions are handled privately and with discretion. By attending, you agree to engage respectfully, honor boundaries, and help maintain a safe space for all.