Experienced facilitator of innovative design strategies and project management. Skilled in market research, stakeholder engagement, and team leadership. Expert in strategic service design, participatory research, and community organization. Transdisciplinary Design Researcher & Strategist, focused on holistic well-being, participatory governance, and sustainability. Fluent in Spanish and English, with over a decade in Chile. Strong background in higher education and community living. Enthusiastic stilt-walker, long-distance runner, urban cyclist, and proud aunt. Military brat, and has lived in over 20 cities.
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Looking towards the future, continuing research & design in international connectivity, in ways that enhance the human experience, and continue facilitating the design process in educational and professional settings.
Finance & Operations Manager
Bed Stuy Intentional Community
Jan 2020 - Present | 3 yrs 8 mos | Brooklyn, New York & Remote
Designs for a cooperative living organization with 17-22 people, holds position as recruitment lead, coordinates with participatory budgeting & communal food purchasing, participation in 4 sociocratic circles, promotes holacracy in the governing, designs & facilitates creative workshops, holds numerous roles in the logistical, emotional, & financial tasks in the house.
Brand Strategist & Marketing Consultant
Poignant Design Solutions
Feb 2021 - Apr 2024 | 3 yrs 3 mos | New York & Remote
Conducted comprehensive user research to inform product strategy and design decisions for holistic well-being practitioners. Leveraged qualitative and quantitative data analysis to identify user pain points and opportunities for improvement. Effectively communicated research findings to stakeholders, influencing content development and driving business growth.-
Professor of English Communication
EClass, Limitada
Apr 2012 - Oct 2023 | 10 yrs 7 mos | Remote & Concepción, Chile
Navigated the complexity of cultural differences, nuanced regional language, and the students’ acquisition of a foreign language with professionalism, skill, and empathy. Facilitated discussions while utilizing participatory tools and blended-learning methodology. Designed personalized course content for professionals and university students; both online and in face-to-face classrooms.
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Managing Regional Coordinator
eClass, Limitada
Apr 2012 - Dec 2016 | 4 yrs 9 mos | Bio-Bio Region, Chile | Hybrid
Hired, trained, managed, and unified a team of 20 teachers. Coordinated all projects and classes in the 8th region, a maximum of 10 projects and 200 class sections concurrently. Promoted sales for the company, provided orientations for new professional and university students, and was the point of contact for students’ supervisors. Maintained professional fluid communication in both Spanish and English with clients, supervisors, employees, and colleagues.
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Strategic Designer
Empathy - Design Studio
Sep 2021 - Oct 2021 | 2 mos | Medellín, Colombia & Remote
Worked on a virtual team comprised of people from 3 different organizations for one of the largest insurance companies in South America. Utilized customer experience design approach to re-orient products towards a focus of well-being through Covid-19 pandemic.Worked on a virtual team comprised of people from 3 different organizations for one of the largest insurance companies in South America. Utilized customer experience design approach to re-orient products towards a focus of well-being through Covid-19 pandemic.
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Design Researcher & Strategist
Mercado Global
Mar 2018 - Jul 2021 | 3 yrs 5 mos | Brooklyn, NY & Panajachel, Guatemala
Collaborated with a non-profit company that empowers women artisans. Conceived project after critiquing current empowerment model of a Brooklyn-based nonprofit while using participatory research methods with artisans. Proposed customer-artisan approach to CEO. Implemented project in collaboration with Panajachel administration team. Designed and facilitated a series of 4 workshops with 2 communities for the fostering of agency in the dynamic cultural expression in textile design and communication with international consumers of their products. Amplified artisans' wishes and motivations, while encouraging active decision making and problem solving throughout the duration of the project.
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Language and Graphics Consultant
MobiCongress
Oct 2012 - Oct 2013 | 1 yr 1 mo | Concepción, Chile
Designed graphic elements for iPhone pharmaceutical applications in a start-up company. Provided support throughout the development and programming process of iPhone applications. Animated videos to showcase the products.
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Visual Database Modeler
J.F. Taylor, Inc
May 2007 - Jan 2008 · 9 mos | Lexington Park, MD
Designed, built, and rendered Naval Bases in 3D software for the use of test-flight simulation machines used by Navy pilots in training.Designed, built, and rendered Naval Bases in 3D software for the use of test-flight simulation machines used by Navy pilots in training.
Adjunct Professor of Strategic Design & Management
Parsons School of Design, The New School
Aug 2018 - Present | 5 yrs 1 mo | New York, NY & Remote
Starting as a graduate Teaching Assistant, hired as adjunct faculty in the Parsons School of Design BBA Strategic Design and Management program. Designs curriculum, including theory of design, design strategies, and design-led research. Lectures, facilitates discussions & practical workshops, mentors students in the development of their self-directed projects. Collaborates with teachers of parallel sections of similar courses in open-sourcing class planning, content, peer support, and pedagogic strategies. Adjusts the scope of student work to fit the requirements of the BBA program and university standards. Facilitates partnerships and maintains relationships between the university and guest speakers who are industry professionals and leaders in the field.
Courses taught: Immersive Storytelling, Social Practice, Senior Capstone Projects 1 & 2, Information Visualization, and Econ & Ethics of Sustainable Design.
Courses taught: Immersive Storytelling, Social Practice, Senior Capstone Projects 1 & 2, Information Visualization, and Econ & Ethics of Sustainable Design.
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Experience Designer
FREQUENCY | Apprenticeship
Aug 2022 - Jan 2023 | 6 mos | New York, NY | On-site
Front-of-House attendant to people coming to take psychotropic breath work sessions in a dome-shaped screen alternative spiritual studio in downtown Manhattan, community-building with the attendees: managing memberships, and facilitating space-holding group conversations before and after the breath work sessions, for 10-12 people at once; attending to the sensory experiences of the high-end clientele, including: managing the music, connecting the projection screens, and beautifying/cleaning/tidying the space; received the intensive 40-hour trauma-informed space-holding training offered.
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Hospitality Specialist
JukeBox NYC
Dec 2021 - Oct 2022 | 11 mos | Brooklyn, NY | On-site
Held a client-facing role in a high-end; ex fashion photographer, pro boxer, & female-owned boxing gym in downtown Park Slope, Brooklyn; community-building & leadership for attendees by managing memberships, relationship and trust-building; visual media strategy and branding/marketing responsibilities including: management of media & weekly Mailchimp newsletter, creative web content design across various social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, & company website), financial responsibilities of designing spreadsheets for paychecks and hour tracking for all employees, assistance in planning & programming of community-held events of 300+ attendees.
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Community Designer
COOCENTRAL
Feb 2018 - Aug 2018 | 7 mos | Huila Area, Colombia
Speculated and co-designed actionable futures with the women coffee producers of a large coffee-farming cooperative through 6 weeks of participatory design workshops with 3 communities of 30 women. Achieved greater participation of the female community in the cooperative structure through implementing monthly town halls and international travel opportunities for women. Optimized incentive structures. Exhibited work locally in Garzon, Huila and in New York City.
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Earth Science Animator
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Jan 2008 - May 2011 | 3 yrs 5 mos | Baltimore, Maryland
Supported an independent agency of the federal government in the promotion and publication of scientific research and findings. Collaborated with NASA Earth scientists to translate and visualize complex concepts with easily understandable 3D and 2D computer animation and graphics. Supported Earth Science producers in the development of Earth science public media, including video casts, news programs, and online interactive media. Lead Animator and Videographer on the Glory Satellite Campaign, visualizing sources of aerosols in the Earth's atmosphere and their effects on climate change. Oversaw and mentored the work of a maximum of 10 student interns concurrently on large projects.