Summer 2021 Staff
Creative Change
Explore Design
Design/Build
Stef Smith
I grew up in Rhode Island and graduated from RISD with a degree in architecture. I recently returned home to RI after 10 years of living and working in NYC and I’m happy to be closer to family.. I practiced architecture at a small architecture firm and then taught visual arts at Ethical Culture Fieldston School. I am excited to be part of DownCity Design again after being a part of the Moses Brown BuildIt! Camp in 2015.
Ammara Chhoy
Hello everyone I'm Ammara! I am a recent graduate in the Graphic Design program in PCTA and an incoming freshman at RIC. I am an Art major and I am interested in graphic design and printmaking. I am an outgoing person and I'm happy to meet everyone and anyone!
Maxine wright
I'm currently pursuing my PhD at the University of Washington, where I study neighborhood structures, mental health, and gentrification, among other things; in my free time, I enjoy good food and bad jokes. I've worked with DCD for 3 years now and one of the things I love the most is how students are able to make their voices heard and feel empowered to think creatively--the joy factor of DCD cannot be overstated and the young people (plus staff) are phenomenally talented!
Tanner Mccarthy
My name is Tanner. I’m the TA for Explore Design and I’ve been working with them since 2015! I’m currently a Junior at Southern New Hampshire University going for my Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering. I hope we have an amazing summer together and I can’t wait to meet all of you ;).
Wes Sanders
Wes Sanders is an interdisciplinary artist and designer whose work seeks to rethink our assumptions of the built environment. Through sculpture, installation, furniture and exhibition design, he centers space-making as the primary vehicle for stimulating imagination, building community, and creating change. Wes was born and raised in Shepherdstown, West Virginia before receiving a BFA from Brown University and a Master of Design in Exhibition and Narrative Environments from the Rhode Island School of Design. He currently lives in Providence, Rhode Island and works as a Design Educator for DownCity Design.
Leslyann Oquendo
Lesly has been a part of DCD since her junior year of high school and still assists even now that she is a rising sophomore in college. Her goal is to become an architectural engineer and push for more minority students to engage in the math and science fields. She’s very honest, super kind, and loves to help others.
Adam FeiN
Adam Fein is an educator for the Creative Change program. Adam grew up near Chicago, completed their bachelor's degree in philosophy in Indiana, and then worked in nonprofits across the country. Most recently, they did marketing and graphic design at Pacific University near Portland, Oregon. In 2019, Adam moved to Providence to study graphic design at RISD, where their research focuses on gender in graphic design. In their spare time, Adam likes movies, podcasts, hiking, reading, and eating candy.
Nick Ong
Nicholas (Nick) is a current student at Brandeis University in the Myra Kraft Transitional Year Program, studying Anthropology with a minor in Arabic. They were born and raised in Providence, Rhode Island. Nicholas has been a part of DownCity Design for 5 years! They say that they owe most of the leadership and sense of belonging in the Providence community from DCD, and hope to bring that drive in other students as a Teaching Assistant this summer. Things Nick loves: their dog Cali, the Providence community, biking and weightlifting, their dog Cali, and drag artistry. Things Nick HATES: gentrification, unjust values in our society’s infrastructures and systems, their dog Cali, and the patriarchy.
David Davila
Hi everyone. I’m David A. Dávila, I use he/him/his pronouns and call Puerto Rico home! I’m an architectural designer currently finishing my Master’s degree in Architecture at Rhode Island School of Design. My interests include architecture, fashion, textiles, image making, and developing my teaching practice. In my spare time I’m either exploring new places to eat or spending time outdoors.
Adamary Salgado
Yasmine Hassan
Yasmine is a returning educator for this summer's Design/Build program. Though she studied mechanical engineering at Brown, she cares deeply about lots of other things, from educational accessibility and diversity in STEM to... well, reading comic books and playing bass guitar. More importantly, she is incredibly excited about her upcoming year as an instructor for Design/Build
Cristian Lopez Bajan
Cristian Lopez has worked with DownCity Design for about 5 or 6 years. He graduated from PCTA’s carpentry program in 2018. He is always on the hunt for memes (if anybody has any, please share them). He enjoys watching anime and finding meme songs on spotify. He is one of the Design/Build TA's this summer yerrrrrrrrrrrr. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)