Smiling woman with long dark hair and a white blouse, posed in a well-lit, contemporary office setting.

Katie Hillier

Principal, New York

Katie is driven by a deep curiosity about the forces that shape how people live, why ideas spread, what influences culture, and how human behavior evolves. She began exploring those questions through one of the first graduate programs in what would come to be known as digital anthropology. This philosophy has served as the foundation to her approach as Co-Creative Director of Future Perfect X.

That perspective has shaped her career as an innovation and experience design strategist. For more than 15 years, Katie has helped organizations understand how people and culture are changing—and translate those insights into products, services, and experiences that are more relevant, useful, and future-ready. She founded digital anthropology practices at ?What If! Innovation and Accenture, and later led a nonprofit partnering with UNESCO to bring digital anthropology to global public policy.

Through Future Perfect X, Katie connects these disciplines to help leaders understand the human and cultural dynamics shaping the future, uncover new opportunities for growth, and design experiences for what comes next.

Say hello to Katie
“When we get our understanding of people and cultures wrong, we get everything wrong.”
Woman in a red dress stands on a hillside, arms outstretched, overlooking a coastal landscape with blooming wildflowers and ocean view.
Katie grew up between Saudi Arabia, Nova Scotia, and San Diego in a family of educators, scientists, and a librarian, which made her an obsessive reader. Many of her best ideas still come from her tight-knit Los Angeles book club.
Panel discussion featuring Louise French, Mica Le John, and Katie Hillier at a Lush event, focusing on digital engagement and ethics.
A person walks past an old pharmacy building with peeling paint and decorative features in an urban setting. The shop name is visible above the entrance.
Summers mean visiting her husband’s family in Hungary with their two daughters and supporting the Field School of Hvar, a screen-free summer school on a Croatian island where the island is the classroom. She's happiest exploring a dense city on foot, and her inspirations range from Pedro Almodóvar's colors to exploring her local thrift shop.
A performer in a red outfit and pink wig enjoys a hot dog at a street festival, surrounded by a lively crowd and food stalls.
Her "desert island" food is spicy tonkatsu ramen.
Back to top