01/25/2026
Hi. It’s a frosty Sunday morning in Portland and my heart and mind are heavy.
I am a designer who unequivocally adores my work. Yes, it is the transformation of spaces to improve the lives of my clients and at the core it’s about the people.
I am an unapologetic people person. I do my best to see the good in people, to seek out a way to connect even with the most unlikely of characters, to see the humanity in every person. My empathy and compassion are my superpowers and I believe it is part of what has made me successful in this work. I also believe that compassion isn’t a feeling, it’s an action.
In college, I majored in Spanish and International Studies — I lived abroad, I deeply studied the history of injustice and the dynamics of power. I wanted to be a social worker working with the Latina population. In my early work life I was a translator. If you are on a jobsite with me with Latino crews, you may hear me speaking in Spanish — a way to connect and be respectful to people who are helping to bring the vision to life.
The dehumanization we are witnessing within this country is haunting. It is consuming most hours of the day in my mind and I feel heartbroken. As is the case of most of us who call the USA home, my own family history is one of immigration.
What is happening is not ok. And while I have been very vocal and active personally about this, it feels important (and risky) to do so professionally. Clearly it is a risk worth taking when we’re speaking of the dignity of human beings. Let us be vigilant in looking out for our fellow humans. Compassion is an action.
With heart and courage. Anne