Kristel L.

I've been in the architecture field for 8 years, and I'm currently working as a Project Architect in downtown Orlando. In my role, I serve as the right hand to the project manager and act as the liaison between the project manager and the production team. I coordinate with consultants, clients, and our internal team, participate in all meetings and communications, and oversee drafting and production work. I started my career as an ADA surveyor and CAD draftsman, working exclusively with Publix Grocery Stores along the East Coast. In that role, I would draft their CAD drawings and then go out to the field once projects were completed to conduct ADA surveying, making sure contractors met all code requirements and flagging any issues to prevent potential lawsuits. My journey through architecture school took 10 years to complete because I was diagnosed with cancer just a year before I was supposed to graduate, which required me to take a medical withdrawal from the university. That experience profoundly changed my perspective on the industry and ignited my passion for healthcare design. I wanted to understand how spaces impact patients because I had that one-on-one experience as a patient while being an architecture student. I completed treatment, went into remission, and my final surgery was in January 2020. Every scan since has shown no evidence of disease. I'm currently enrolled in a master's program at the University of Florida, which has always been close to my heart as a true Gator. I've completed all my required hours and am part of the IPAL program, and I'm starting to take my licensing exams this upcoming month. I'm deeply passionate about architecture in its theory, history, and everything it stands for, and I'm actively working to get my foot in the door in healthcare design because I want to make an actual impact on how spaces serve people in their most vulnerable moments.