Designer and researcher with 15 years of experience developing high impact, low cost design solutions for long-term interdisciplinary initiatives.
Experienced in managing numerous concurrent projects and employing community-driven design methodologies to coordinate efforts among communities, contractors, governing bodies, and partnered organizations.
Particularly interested in expanding the discourse concerning social and environmental adaptation to climate change, the effective and equitable allocation of global resources, and the roles of civic infrastructure in long term resiliency planning.
Unfrastructure Design LLC, Brooklyn, NY, US, Founder and Design Consultant
Clients and Projects:
The Nashua Soup Kitchen and Shelter, 2020.
- Developing guidelines and standards for homeless shelter design and operation in the post-COVID NorthEast United States.
GrowNYC, 2020.
- Designed replicable shade structure and water capture system for 12 NYC schools and community gardens.
Humanity and Inclusion, 2018 - 2019.
- Designed 15 inclusive playgrounds with refugee camp communities in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Thailand using child-driven data collection methods.
Sunny Group Development Group, summers 2016, 2017.
- Guided sustainable architectural design start-up towards collaboration with developers interested in ‘off-grid’ shelter technologies across Eastern China.
Earthship Biotecture Academy, 2016.
- Authored educational graphics for water filtration systems and decentralized power consols for off-grid shelters in Northern New Mexico.
Under the Acacia, 2011.
- Constructed solar-powered learning center in rural Kenya with Maasai women groups.
Community to Community, 2010-2011.
- Crafted three year action plan and master plan for road, school and water system project in suburban Petit-Goave, Haiti.
Bakhita Girls School, 2010.
- Developed master plan for girls farming academy in Ifakara, Tanzania.
Engineering For Change, New York, NY, US, Expert Research Fellow
- Guided graduate student fellows in research of emerging technologies with focus on shelter, construction, and community planning.
- Contributed guidance and restructuring of online database and solutions library better facilitate data-driven comparisons of innovative shelter systems.
- Conducted interviews with product designers, manufacturers and distributors.
- Coordinated research with other fellows investigating medical devices, agricultural technologies and energy solutions.
Engineering For Change, New York, NY, US, Research Fellow
- Crafted research of emerging technologies with focus on shelter, construction, and community planning.
- Contributed guidance and restructuring of online database and solutions library better facilitate data-driven comparisons of innovative shelter systems.
- Conducted interviews with product designers, manufacturers and distributors.
- Coordinated research with other fellows investigating medical devices, agricultural technologies and energy solutions.
Kounkuey Design Initiative, Nairobi, KE, Kenya Country Director
- Oversaw all design and construction of numerous public space projects within flood prone areas of Kibera, Nairobi.
- Crafted inclusive design meeting strategies to foster informed, constructive debate across ethnic and generational gaps.
- Met regularly with politicians and community leaders for approvals, conflict resolution, and coordination of infrastructure construction.
- Held meetings with Kenya’s National Environmental Management Authority to discuss flood risk mediation in the informal context.
- Managed implementation of numerous research surveys addressing flood risk, food security, livelihoods, and infrastructure development.
- Created graphic submissions and films for architectural competitions, exhibitions and grants.
- Contributed to publication of design/method manual through partnered organizations.
- Oversaw staff of 10 to 15 engineers, architects, and community development professionals.
- Established operational procedures - including accounting/reporting methods, communication standards and security protocol.
The International Rescue Committee, New York, Community Driven Reconstruction Manager
- Produced all IRC standard construction documents for over 1200 community-scale projects including schools, clinics, markets, roads, and water and power systems. .
- Oversaw contract development and construction of 290 community scale projects across the South Kivu province.
- Managed staff of 30 local French speaking engineers to maintain the highest standards of communication with community partners.
- Met regularly with DRC education and health ministries for design and construction approvals.
- Integrated local artisans into a select number of projects.
Engineers Without Borders, New York, NY, US, Project Lead
- Worked with community partner towards construction of a water distribution system, 4 classrooms, a library, and fuel-efficient kitchen.
- Created proposals and presentations for potential donors.
- Designed construction drawings, estimated material quantities/project budgets, and planned construction schedules.
- Procured materials, hired subcontractors, guided and paid labor, documented construction.
- Documented educational statistics and student attendance for Monitoring Evaluation and Learning purposes.
ICRAVE Design, New York, NY, US, Designer
Developed schematic design packages and finalized construction drawing packages for high hospitality projects in the United States and India.
Kiss + Zwigard Architects, New York, NY, US, Project Manager
- Managed the design development and permitting for an 8-story LEED Certified residential tower in Brooklyn, NY.
Rafael Viñoly Architects, New York, NY, US, Designer
- Worked primarily on competition entries for higher education and institutional projects.
- Developed construction for high end hospitality projects.
Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, US, Design Studies - Risk and Resilience
Thesis Title: Wall. Pipe. Dream. Proposed Solutions to Land Degradation Along the Sahel.
Elected Student/Faculty Representative, 2017.
Elected Class Marshall, 2018.
Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, US, BArch, Architecture
Thesis Title: An Entrance to The City: Architecture as Experiential Cartography.
