I am the Design Thinking and Innovation Manager at Innovate Carolina, UNC’s hub for innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic development, an Adjunct Assistant Professor in Health Behavior at the Gillings School of Global Public Health, and recently earned my PhD in Romance Studies in Literatures, Languages, and Cultures of the Iberian Peninsula and the Americas.

In my design practice, I leverage methods in human-centered design, qualitative research, improvement science, and systems thinking to develop and implement solutions to complex, cross-sector design challenges.

As the Manager of the Design and Innovation for the Public Good (DIPG) team at Innovate Carolina, I manage a human-centered design consultancy that serves clients across campus and the state. I train faculty and graduate students, manage federally and philanthropy funded research projects alongside faculty Principal Investigators, and develop pan-campus innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic development strategy initiatives.

In my research, I explore the intersections of human-centered design, pedagogy, and technology to make literature a more accessible and equitable tool in and out of the classroom.

My dissertation used participatory design to develop innovative learning experiences for undergraduate Medical Spanish courses. Using literary analysis, improvement science principles, and user-centered practice, I propose a new model for creating simulation activities based on contemporary illness narratives meant to support students as they develop skills in empathetic communication.

My passion is education. I have taught undergraduate and graduate level courses in the Department of Romance Studies, the School of Data Science and Society, the School of Education, and the Gillings School of Global Public Health. I am constantly expanding my practice to better serve students, future practitioners, and our community.