Senior Data Strategist ZGF Architects LLP Talking about her love of research, design, data analysis… and ballroom dancing in Seattle.

You have a background in design, research and data analysis. How does this help your work?

My research and data analysis background brings an objective perspective to the design process, which helps address cognitive biases. So it’s not about what we think is best; it’s about what the data tells us.

What do you enjoy most about working in healthcare design?

The healthcare industry values ??continuous improvement. Our clients understand the importance of setting goals and tracking performance, so they have been great partners when it comes to collecting data and benchmarking.

What work challenges keep you awake at night?

knowledge management. We generate a lot of valuable data through the design process, and then keep most of it in folders that end up being archived or forgotten. How can we improve our processes to make design knowledge more accessible, usable and engaging?

Industry darling?

Instead of focusing on the positive effects that design can have, when people think of well-being as merely reducing the negative effects of environmental factors related to occupant comfort, such as noise or temperature changes. How do we create spaces that truly allow people to thrive?

Three recent healthcare projects and your role

1 Post-Occupancy Assessment, Dating Strategist at Richfield Clinic Vancouver Clinic in Richfield, WA

2 Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center/Seattle Cancer Care Alliance’s 10-Year Campus Master Plan, Alliance, Seattle, Data Strategist

3 ZGF Healthcare Benchmarking Tool, which will aggregate data from all our past healthcare projects, allowing us to compare and contrast, inform planning and design decisions for future projects, and understand current trends, Project Chair

Unexpected Items on the Desk

Hurricane Katrina, one of my favorite Mexican souvenirs we use to celebrate Day of the Dead. She’s funny and quirky and reminds me of home in Mexico.

Outside the office, we will most likely find you…

Ballroom dancing! I start classes in August 2021 and I’m training to compete at the show – everything from waltz to foxtrot, tango, swing, cha cha, bahata, salsa and rumba.

What are your new hobbies during the pandemic?

“Virtual Sunday Cooking” with my family in Mexico. We take turns choosing a recipe on Zoom and preparing a meal together. Last Sunday, we made Rosca de Reyes, a special Mexican sweet bread to celebrate the day when the Three Wise Men gave gifts to Jesus Christ and the end of the Christmas festivities.

Dog or cat?

dog. My last dog was a dachshund, Anuk.

Coffee or tea?

Both. I love the rituals that people create around preparing coffee and tea. I’m always looking for more information about them and the different varieties.

Morning person or night owl?

I call myself a “night owl in recovery”. In graduate school, I learned that all my great work happens between midnight and 2 am. But now I’m actively working on improving my sleep habits!

Fiction or non-fiction?

Fiction. I love a good romantic comedy – it’s simple, fun, and you don’t have to think about it.

the first album you bought

Hot girl, when I was 12 years old. Posh Spice is my favorite. It was exciting to learn that our birthdays were the same.

Selected Cocktails

An old fashioned or margarita with mezcal. I love the art of making cocktails, so I got my bartending certificate in grad school.

your hidden talent

I am learning to play the ukulele. I also speak Italian. (I haven’t been to Italy, but I’m fascinated. It’s a beautiful language.)

You have an irrational fear of…

Taxidermy. It freaks me out. Don’t even get me started on visiting the Natural History Museum.

favorite…

quote “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it enough.” – Albert Einstein

show binge watching “how I Met Your Mother.”

weekend activities go to the museum. It’s interesting to see how they use data visualization to make information interesting and engaging.

Band/music artist Adele.

colour Deep purple.

guilty pleasure holiday movie. They restored my faith in humanity.

Book My house is full of books, but Memoirs of a Geisha is an unforgettable one.

visit the city Vienna. I visited for two weeks as a gift for my 15th birthday quinceañera celebration and it was an unforgettable trip. History is everywhere, but it’s also a modern, beautiful city.