Hello, I'm Sonya.

I'm a User Experience Researcher, Service Designer, and Facilitator with 15+ years of experience in the social impact sector. I've worked in North America, the UK and Europe, East Africa, and South Asia.

I'm Portuguese-Canadian, grew up in Toronto, Canada, but have spent many years living and working abroad. Coming from a family of immigrants and being the first in my family to graduate high school and university helped me learn how to navigate new terrain and opportunities.

Working for 15 years in the social impact sector in the areas of child and youth development, sustainability, food security, and mental health has meant I'm often assessing and thinking about the invisible ways systems and services are designed to hinder or advance equity. These lived and work experiences fuel my passion for equity and justice and drive my interest in how research and service design can be used to build a social safety net and foster systems change.

When I’m not researching and designing services for planetary and human well-being, I follow my creative passions including writing, yoga, running, photography, and learning how to live off home-grown foods.