Sustainable Biodesigner
+ A dynamic academic, researcher, consultant, and business innovator with vast work experience in sustainable fashion, biodesign and human-centered design.
I am a seasoned bioinnovator, academic, and business creator with robust experience acquired over the years in delivering optimal results & business value by offering ethical, sustainable fashion solutions in high-growth environments. Skilled in developing sustainable fashion design, product strategy, and team integration, emphasizing the circular economy, bio-design, systems thinking, and sustainable development goals. I have worked with top fashion brands like Converse to develop sustainable strategy goals and targets, which can be implemented from material innovation in design, production, and marketing. I have also created a sustainable and systems thinking fashion and biodesign program at Universidad de Los Andes, teaching students, facilitating research, publications, and mentoring in projects that are now full-fledged businesses offering sustainable solutions to the industry, including NanoFreeze (protein-based refrigeration), Woocoa, (the vegan wool) and E.biodye.
Education
2012
MA AALTO UNIVERSITY - School of Design, Arts & Architecture, Helsinki, Finland, 2013
1995
AAS PARSONS SCHOOL OF DESIGN - New York, NY, U.S.A.
1992
BA EQUIVALENT CENTRO DE DISEÑO TALLER 5 Bogotá, Colombia
Experience
2021 - present
PARSONS SCHOOL OF DESIGN - New York, NY, Faculty, School of Strategic Design & Management
2019 - present
E.BIODYE startup
CEO & Stakeholder
2019 - present
NANOFREEZE startup Associate & Stakeholder
2019 - present
WOOCOA stratup COO & Stakeholder
UBUNTOO.COM - Remote Consultant Project Lead
2020 - 2021
2016 - 2021
UNIVERSIDAD DE LOS ANDES - Faculty of Architecture & Design, Bogotá, Colombia, Assistant Professor
2014 - 2016
UNIVERSIDAD JORGE TADEO LOZANO - Faculty of Arts & Design, Bogotá, Colombia, Assistant Professor & Program Coordinator
2012
Assistant Designer sustainable fashion - Annina Nurmi, Helsinki
2010
Assistant Manager and Visual Merchandiser - Coach Inc., Los Angeles
2010
Assistant Designer and Manager - Alvin Valley Retail, Los Angeles
1999-2009
Designer and Founder - “Carolina Obregón Fashion Accessories” NYC, Guadalajara, Fez, Bogotá
2002-2004
Fashion Merchandiser and Sales Associate - GianFranco Ferré, NYC
1998-2002
Market Research & Trend Specialist - Liverpool Dpt. Stores, NYC
1997-1998
Assistant Designer- Helen Wang, NYC
1996 -1997
Assistant Accessories Designer - Jill Stuart, NYC
Other Experience
2017
Visiting Scholar at Harvard University (summer)
2017
Course Participant - “Trends in 21st Century Ed. & Technology,” Harvard University
Other Projects
2019
Converse Sustainable Challenge Co-leader - Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
2018
Project Resound Colombia: Saber del Monte -
From Farmer to Kitchen - Co-leader for community, participatory, service design rural intervention project at Montes de María – El Salado, Colombia
2018
Circular Economy Workshop Participant - Invitation by the Swedish Embassy to Sweden as a sustainability fashion expert, Borås & Stockholm, Sweden
Conference Participation
2021
INVITED SPEAKER - "FASHION RESPONSE-ABILITY: Re-Fashion / Bio-based Futures”for Università luav di Venezia (virtual)
2021
INVITED SPEAKER- “Verdes Futuros” for La Malpensante Moda (virtual)
2021
INVITED SPEAKER - “Biodiseño y Biomateriales” for Local Chile (virtual)
2021
INVITED SPEAKER - “Bioinnovación” for al HILO La Silla Verde, (virtual)
2021
INVITED SPEAKER - Bauhaus influence on production design and the visual arts
2020
2020
PANELIST - “Circuar Economy for the Creative Industries” IXEL Moda, Cartagena, Colombia
2019
CHAIR - “Biodesign Disrupter for Dystopia”, The Day After Cumulus Conference, Bogotá, Colombia
2019
WORKING GROUP LEADER - Systems Thinking and Sustainable Design, The Day After Cumulus Conference, Bogotá, Colombia
2019
SPEAKER - “Biodesign Globally Local”, Global Community Bio Summit 3.0, MIT Media Lab, Cambridge, MA
2019
PANELIST - “Ethical and Sustainable Fashion”, XII Environmental International Congress, Bogotá, Colombia
2019
PANELIST - “Fashion 360: The Challenge of good practices in the leather industry”, International Center for Business and Exhibitions-Corferias, Bogotá, Colombia
2018
PANELIST - “From cosmopolitan localism to enhancing sustainable design practices by the use of algae for bioremediation in San Andrés”, Intersecciones Conference (published in conference proceedings), Catholic University, Architecture, Design and Urban Studies Faculty, Santiago, Chile
2018
INVITED EXPERT - Fashion revolution: Circular Economy, The Swedish Institute, Borås & Stockholm, Sweden
2015
PANELIST - “Fashion 360: How to Create a Business Based Upon the Circular Economy”, Chamber of Commerce, Bogotá, Colombia
2015
PANELIST - “Fashion Debate: The Revolution is in the Details”, Bogotá Chamber of Commerce
2015
PANELIST - “Exploring the Use of Amazonian Nanostructured Fibers as Prêt-à-porter fabrics”, ICNF 2015 – 2nd International Conference on Natural Fibers (Published in conference proceedings), Azores, Portugal
2014
PANELIST - “Fashion Education: global values toward local knowledge”, XIII Festival de la Imágen (published in conference proceedings), Manizales, Colombia
2013
PANELIST - “The Future is Now: Designing a Sustainable Fashion Program in an Age of Austerity”, Cumulus Conference (published in conference proceedings), Dublin, Ireland
2012
PANELIST - “Sustainable Fashion Education: Trend or Paradigm?” Projecting Design 2012, Cumulus Conference (published in conference proceedings), Santiago, Chile
2011
PANELIST - “Big Changes Start Small: A Look at Sustainable Fashion Design Efforts Around the World”, Cumulus Conference (published in conference proceedings), Denver, CO