LEED Associate
U.S. Green Building Council
Washington, District of Columbia
Larissa is an emerging professional in the field of architecture and the built environment, looking to prioritize sustainability, equity, and social justice in all her work. As a member of the LEED Technical Development Team, she will aid in efforts to further amplify equitable solutions and approaches in LEED v5 and elsewhere throughout the organization. Having previously worked as the 2022 LEED for Cities Equity Fellow, she aided local governments in the national leadership cohort in reaching equity goals while they work towards LEED certification. The work culminated into an Equity Scan across local governments, assessing the state of the industry, taking a closer look at how equity presents itself or needs to be addressed at the city scale. As part of this role, she has spoken at USGBC Live and Greenbuild in 2022.
She is a graduate of Drexel University, having completed a Bachelor of Architecture and minor in Construction Management. Larissa enjoys research, always wanting to learn more about anthropology, culture, and people. In 2021, Larissa received a certificate from MoMA’s “Reimagining Blackness and Architecture”, where she was able to dive deeper into her understanding of the Black spatial experience. This work has carried into the development and execution of her senior thesis project, exploring and unpacking the impacts of colonialism on the economy and social infrastructure of the Bahamas, where her family is from. Entitled “Black Space Reimagined: Reclaiming Resilience”, the project is a cultural arts center and museum that fosters community engagement and cooperation through sustainable design, shared public spaces, and is a take on revitalizing public amenity and attractions away from the tourism industry.
Larissa previously worked under the non-profit startup Normal Next in their C/Corps program, where a team of 5 associates came together to undergo training in design thinking, collaboration, and human-centered approaches. From there the team worked together on projects that aid public leaders in addressing issues related to climate change, equity, and public health. This included development of content and interviews for the future Jacksonville Area Music Museum.
In her free time, Larissa likes to do yoga, paint, and take care of her many houseplants. She is also a photographer, both professionally and for fun, doing portraits, fashion, and product branding; she has also begun exploring film photography.
Disclosure information not submitted.
(A02) Environmental Justice – Start Here
Tuesday, September 26, 2023
1:00pm – 2:00pm US EDT