For as long as I can remember, I have had a strong commitment to improving the communities in which I am a part through both social and architectural means. During my time at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, I recognized that learning environments sit at the intersection of the communal and design worlds; and, that they could be that very opportunity for development that I had been seeking. As a result, I wrote my Master’s thesis on learning environments. As an architectural designer who is also interested in pedagogy, urban planning, and history, I have found that the most successful schools have a symbiotic relationship with their communities. This discovery is what keeps me committed to my work on schools at Quinn Evans Architects (QEA).
I think of my own intellectual growth in the same way that I do learning environments – one that seeks to steer clear of insularity and must broaden itself conceptually. By attending this year’s conference, I hope to be given the opportunity to continue developing my own understanding of schools. Beyond the conference, I look forward to a year of service to the CAE in order to cultivate my relationship with this community of leaders.
While at QEA, I have assisted in the design of Van Ness Elementary School in D.C., which focused on providing a holistic learning environment with expeditionary and exploratory themes throughout. I am currently working on Marie H. Reed Community Center and School located in the Adams Morgan neighborhood of D.C. I hold a Master of Science in Architecture from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a Bachelor of Architecture from Virginia Tech University. At MIT, I researched building technology efficiency of public schools in Cambodia, schools in crisis areas and refugee camps in the Middle East, university campus design in developing countries, and environmental literacy through education and participatory development throughout the United States. My undergraduate thesis explored interfaith community spaces and opportunities to combat xenophobia. In my free time, I serve on several boards as a community organizer with non-profit organizations in the Greater D.C. area and nation-wide.
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