Hello! I’m a graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee with a Master's in Architecture, specializing in equitable design and community engagement. I am based out of Chicago, and I am currently looking for any opportunities related to architecture, design, or research.
Being a Chinese adoptee has shaped my inclusive perspective and approach to design. Existing at the intersection between cultures and communities, my identity has given me a deep appreciation for the relationship between belonging, identity, and the built environment. This is why I am passionate about using design as a means to empower and represent diverse narratives and lived experiences.
I previously served as a Project Manager at Community Design Solutions where I collaborated directly with underserved communities, agencies, civic groups, and campuses throughout Wisconsin. I oversaw the development of conceptual design and planning projects, led client presentations and feedback meetings, and facilitated community charrettes.
Over the past four years, I’ve contributed to the research and integration of UWM’s new B.ARCH program, advocated for a M.ARCH concentration in equitable design, and been inducted into the Metropolis Top 100 design students in North America.
Please feel free to contact me via email or LinkedIn. With a commitment to design justice and advocacy, I look forward to connecting with visionary partners and contribute to meaningful projects.
Brookfield Properties, Chicago, IL, US, Site Planner
Manage 19 regional retail and mixed-use properties, providing site planning and preliminary building CAD drawings for planning and design projects ranging from small outparcels to mall redevelopments.
Analyze surveys, structural drawings, utility plans, arcGIS information, and legal agreements to update master site plans.
Coordinate with internal design, leasing, legal, business development, and property management teams.
Analysis of zoning, legal agreements, IBC, ADA, and BOMA standards.
Community Design Solutions, Milwaukee, WI, Project Manager / Design and Visualization Specialist
Designed 5 projects of varying scales that encompassed conceptual urban planning, campus planning, and building design, employing environmentally sustainable strategies and programming.
Conducted site visits and measurements, case studies, preliminary design, and analysis of zoning, land use, and topography.
Facilitated 10+ charrettes, design presentations, and open houses with clients and communities to promote open dialogue, create community-driven design solutions, and develop community partnerships.
Produced project plans, perspectives, and renderings tailored specifically for client fundraising efforts and to generate community excitement and support.
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, Graduate Teaching Assistant
Prepared and facilitated 16 class sessions with 60+ students, providing 1:1 critique, small group discussions, course presentations, and designed 2 workshops/software tutorials to foster an inclusive and dynamic learning environment.
Designed and led a studio workshop and 2 software tutorials in Rhino, TwinMotion, Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.
HGA, Milwaukee, WI, Architectural Intern
Modeled existing conditions and creatively ideated design options in Revit/Rhino/SketchUp during pre-design, SD, and DD.
Produced and updated 2D and isometric diagrams, detail sections, and renderings, responding to redlines on BlueBeam Revu.
Contributed to a firmwide research initiative by analyzing case studies and equitable design, emphasizing factors such as accessibility, diversity, and safety to create 4 key design guidelines for firm implementation.
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, Researcher / Project Manager
Designed and conducted 15 interviews and 330 surveys to identify key patterns and provide actionable recommendations for program improvement, directly contributing to a new Bachelor of Architecture program (launched in Fall 2023).
Completed grant applications, produced internal reports, and final presentations.
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, US, MArch, Master's of Architecture
Concentration in Equitable Design & Community Engagement
Coursework: Disability Justice, Community Change & Engagement, New Immigrant Landscapes, Peacebuilding and Restorative Justice, Inclusive Design
M.ARCH Thesis (ProQuest Published 2023): “The Liminality of Identity and Place: Chinese Transracial Adoptees and the Built Environment.”
https://dc.uwm.edu/etd/3232/
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, US, Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies
Minor in Art and Design
Honor College
UWM Published Theses and Dissertations, Other
My graduate thesis project, titled "The Liminality of Identity and Place: Chinese Transracial Adoptees and the Built Environment", was published upon project submission and completion.
Lilian & Willis Leenhouts Memorial Scholarship, Scholarship
This scholarship has been in existence since 1990 and is named for Lillian and Willis Leenhouts, Milwaukee architects instrumental in the establishment of the School. In 1999, a circle of SARUP women alumni increased the award amount and pledged to become mentors to award-winners. The purpose of this award is to integrate culture, gender, and community into professional practice. Recipients demonstrate an interest in the success of women and/or diverse communities, including their influences as they relate to the built environment; express forward ideas about the future of our profession, its roles and responsibilities; exhibit leadership potential and demonstrates the ability to be a positive ambassador for the scholarship; and seek to explore alternative design philosophies that enhance and relate to the purpose of the scholarship.
Metropolis Future100 Award, Award
Here are the top 50 interior design and 50 architecture students graduating this year in North America, chosen to be the inaugural Metropolis Future 100. Nominated by their instructors and mentors, they hail from some of the best architecture and interior design schools in the U.S. and Canada, from Harvard University to California College of the Arts, and call everywhere from Atlanta to Toronto home. They are a diverse group—with many identifying as BIPOC or LGBTQIA—who advocate for openness, equity, and inclusion through their work and extracurriculars. They are leaders on their campuses who are sure to be forces in the industry.
UWM Graduate Teaching & Project Assistantship, Scholarship
UWM Undergraduate Research Funds Grant, Grant
Faculty Selected Best Tectonic Model, 1st Place
SARUP SuperJury, Nomination
UWM Chancellor Award, Scholarship
