Curriculum Vitae

👈 This is me, Alejandra Zentella.

I come from a loving Mexican family, boasting an assortment of hobbies that never fails to surprise my friends. Both of my parents were quite handy: my mom, a physician, taught me how to sew, cook, and even administer injections, while my dad, a civil engineer and accountant, has a house workshop, where I learned woodworking and even a bit of plumbing and electricity. I attribute my knack for hands-on work and all sorts of crafts to this enriching background. That's how I found myself studying product design at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (2009 - 2016, yes, careers in Mexico are five years long, plus my exchange year abroad).

As a young (and somewhat naive) professional, I shortly joined a small POS and printing company. There, the most valuable lesson I garnered was that employees don't perform well in a stressful environment where sanctions are the norm. This learning would resonate with me as I discovered the power of design on human behavior and organizational well-being.

Later, I joined a fine carpintry business as the main furniture designer and co-led the functioning of a new workshop branch in Los Cabos. The job setup resembled entrepreneurship—I assumed many roles as needed. Here, my ability to adapt thrived, and I discovered that I could handle client conversations, create design proposals, develop project budgets, organize purchases, select timber, supervise production in close communication with the carpenters, and ensure successful delivery. This challenging period bolstered my confidence in my skills and ability to grow.

However, I wasn't comfortable with the way the business operated. Processes lacked systematization, finances were inconsistent, worker well-being was overlooked, and we had to continuously put out fires. There had to be a different way of doing things. That's when I stumbled upon the discipline of strategic design and all the marvelous tools we can use to design better services, businesses, and cities.

So in 2018, I took a leap and moved to a foreign country—the Netherlands—to kick off my studies in MSc Strategic Product Design at TU Delft. It blew my mind. Coming back to Mexico in 2020 I landed a position as Innovation Strategist at Cirklo, an amazing impact innovation consultancy. What happened next is better showcased through my portfolio.

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WORK EXPERIENCE

(2021-2024)

Innovation Strategist / Cirklo, Impact Innovation Consultancy

Adaptable Project Leadership:

As a Project Manager, I provided clear guidance to my team in research and innovation projects. My role involved outlining activities and timeframes and leading the execution, consistently surpassing client expectations, and delivering valuable outcomes.

Design Researcher and Experiment Designer

Serving as a Design Researcher, I conceptualized and executed diverse investigation projects. Including trend research and pattern finding to craft future scenarios, analyzing target markets for behavioral archetypes, and literature research to identify organizational change best practices.

Strategic Insight and Visualization

My skillset as a Strategist, coupled with my visual thinking and communication style, played a pivotal role in driving the development of impact-oriented business models, organizational change strategies, and actionable roadmaps. This applied not only to client projects but also contributed significantly to organizational advancement.

Innovation Workshop Design and Facilitation:

In projects with coaching or educational components, I excelled as a Workshop Designer and Facilitator. I co-created educational paths and developed both analog and digital artifacts, fostering a dynamic and practice-oriented learning environment.

Proactive Operational Enhancement and Team Well-being:

Going beyond my role, I proactively enhanced organizational operations and prioritized the well-being of my teammates. Leading various internal initiatives, I shared my knowledge and provided candid feedback, contributing to a positive and growth-oriented work environment.

(2022-2024)

Freelance Strategic Designer

Red Cross Netherlands / 2020

Translated their theory of change and 2030 strategy into a visualization for internal and external communication.

Máneken Café / 2022-2024

Brand image modernization and coffee packaging design

BMW Foundation / 2021

Illustrated and built the digital venue for their yearly gathering in Topia

(2017-2018)

Furniture Designer / María Teresa Méndez Carpentry Fine Workshop

As a designer I developed over 20 interiorism and furniture designs, verifying feasibility with carpenters, and supervised production and placement on-site.
Employing my literacy in finances, I budgeted and managed the expenses of various projects.
Going beyond my role, I optimized internal processes including the design of a consistent packaging process and a checklist board that allowed workers to follow it easily.

EDUCATION

(2018- 2020)

MSc Strategic Product Design / Delft University of Technology

Graduation project: A dialogic tool for exploring finance innovation within the Netherlands Red Cross

(2010- 2016)

Bachelor of Industrial Design / National Autonomous University of Mexico

Graduation project; awarded with honors distinction: A Sustainable Rental System for Men Dress Shirts.

LANGUAGES

Spanish (native)
English (professional)
Dutch (A2)

TOP SKILLS

Tenacious problem exploration and sense-making

I relish in unveiling the essence of complex issues; in asking the right questions and uncovering the underlying causes. Whether it's by diving into datasets or making sense of hours of interview audios, I'm good at spotting patterns and organizing them into digestible insights that drive informed decision-making.

Ingenious problem-solving

Creativity thrives under restrictions, so when things don't go as planned and I have limited time and resources, I find a way.

I thrive on mind challenges, leveraging my lateral-thinking skills to explore unconventional solution paths. From design projects to personal challenges, I enjoy tackling obstacles with ingenuity, often finding resourceful solutions beyond conventional ways.

Swift learning and adaptability

Given my generalist profile, I swiftly grasp new concepts, frameworks, and methodologies. Or perhaps its the other way around.

Either way, this agility allows me to navigate diverse topics and challenges, quickly assimilating information and applying it as needed.

Role versatility

Adaptable and empathetic, I easily transition between various team roles to meet the needs of the project. Whether leading with strategic insight, contributing as a proactive team player, or facilitating dynamic workshops, I face with versatility and enthusiasm every endeavor.

HOBBIES

🪚 Carpentry

(No surprise there)

I thoroughly enjoy working with wood, being able to fabricate my own Frankenstein pieces, or rescuing old furniture and turning it into unique pieces.

🧗 Bouldering

It's gained quite a bit of popularity recently. Although I love going out to nature, I normally just go to a bouldering gym and "hit the wall". It gives me a sense of achievement and a motivation to hone my dexterity.

🖍️ Sketchnoting

My dream is to work as a live sketchnoting prodigy and travel around the world. But for now, I enjoy the challenge of visually summerizing a podcast or masterclass.

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