About me
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I facilitate human-centered processes that help teams bring clarity to ambiguity.
(1) facilitate
Throughout my professional experiences, I have been exposed to many formal and informal facilitation spaces, both as facilitator and participant (being facilitative). I see facilitation as the art of supporting a group throughout its developmental stages. I believe in the power of facilitating from a place of vulnerability and compassion.
(2) processes
Processes supported by an array of tools, practices, and methodologies that derived from putting humans (users, employees, participants, etc) at the center. Processes such as qualitative and quantitative research, ideation, synthesis, prototyping, testing, compassionate design practices, systems-thinking methodologies, among others.
(3) clarity
By facilitating these processes I support people to explore their creative tension, the distance between their vision and current reality. Clarity is achieved by constantly zooming in and out, understanding the vision within the larger system and connecting it to the constraints of the now allowing teams and organizations to think both creatively and strategically on how to best solve their challenges.
(4) ambiguity
Dealing with ambiguity comes down to the ability to navigate the discomfort of the unknown and being able to trust the process, particularly when facing challenges with none or many possible solutions that can be defined as complex, wicked and/or systemic problems.
I solve problems through design
How did I get here?
It has been an unconventional path to design, one that has been less defined by the temporary WHAT (or label) and more by the HOW (or approach to each opportunity):
Born and raised in a coffee-growing town in rural Costa Rica. Hence my love for good coffee and nice weather.
15’s
By age fifteen I got involved in local tourism initiatives, and started my journey to learn English (thanks to FRIENDS).
18’s
Went on to get a technical degree on ecological tourism, worked on a self-sustainable hotel, and as a tour guide in the National Institute of Biodiversity.
19’s
Started a degree on International Relations.
20’s
Quickly changed to International Business and Trade.
22’s
Studied abroad for one year at American University (Washington D.C.) and got introduced to the business model canvas ;)
25’s
Finished my bachelor degree and started my professional career.
<< Got introduced to Design Thinking >>
Fell in love with the power of “show - don’t - tell” of simple prototypes as I got introduced to design thinking during a one-week international development innovation sprint … Here my presentation at the International Development Youth Forum on Tokyo, 2014.
This was a pivotal moment in my career development.
26’s
Worked in supply chain innovation where I got to define my own role and responsibilities and gained experience in project management & human-centered design.
28’s
Got a Fulbright scholarship and the opportunity to shape my professional career as a design strategist from Parsons School of Design. Worked on multiple projects in and out of school honing my skills as a facilitator.
29’s
Worked as a design researcher & strategist on a purpose-driven organization and as a freelancer human-centered design facilitator.
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Current design challenges …
How might we reimagine travel experiences that are not based on transactions (extractive models) but in the human connections?
— Geography of Strangers
How might we integrate compassion, reflection, and system sensing in our current human-center design processes?
— Compassionate Design Practice
How might a compostable bag become a platform for a cultural change in NYC?
— Parsons