Black and white photo of a woman sitting on a stool, her hands neatly folded, reflecting a serene and thoughtful expression.

Mother,
design researcher, educator.

Hi, I’m Adriana. I shape inclusive research at SOUR, serve as chair of MFA Interaction Design at the School of Visual Arts, and serve on the board of Superbloom. I give talks about inclusive design and the magic of other design research goodies as part of Consciousness Leaders,


I have 15+ years of experience leading design research that focuses on centering the experiences of people and communities for startups, government, non-profits, and corporate clients. Previously, I led research and strategy at Stae, a platform for cities to manage civic data and new mobilities. I was the head of consumer research at littleBits, a STEAM platform for kids and educators to invent their own technology. And most recently, I crafted community experiences at 3x3 and shaped communications, business development, and the urban design practice at Openbox.


I became a researcher because I lived in many places and learned from wonderful people. I grew up spending summers with my family in Caracas and winters in Chinatown in Honolulu. I worked at a women’s prison in Upstate New York, co-designing summer camps with children and their incarcerated mothers. I founded a school for undocumented immigrant families in Providence, Rhode Island. I researched privatized-public spaces in India, China, and the Middle East. I studied politics in a small city outside of Moscow at the time when Putin was first elected.

I hold a BA in History from Brown University and an MSc in City Design and Social Science from the London School of Economics. I lived in the Providence Place Mall and made a dress out of an IKEA bag.

Something recent I’ve written ✎
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Light Brain Surgery: 66 days with my Light Phone II

Say hello <3

Wonderful ✨ You made it to the bottom of the page. Have you ever lost something special, wondered where it went, and missed it dearly? If you fill out this short form, my son and I will write you a short story to bring peace and whimsy to your loss. 100% goes to immigrant and refugee families we meet everyday on the streets of NYC ✨