About me
Born in Bulgaria on the cusp of democracy, I spent my young adult years seeking opportunities for growth and learning far from home. I traveled, studied different languages and cultures, and lived longer in Austria, Denmark, and Estonia. I recently began a new, more settled chapter of my life in Portugal, aiming to make sense of my seemingly meandering path, integrate my learnings, and focus on what I want to contribute to the world in return.
EXPERIENCE
My natural ability to balance structure and freedom, decisive choices and creative exploration, and my aptitude for visual and verbal expression have led me to work as a learning designer, creative mentor, teacher, and translator. I am a clear communicator, solution-focused, insightful, driven, and adaptable to new environments. I value empathy and self-awareness, integrity and authenticity, optimism and collaboration. I thrive in interdisciplinary teams and settings that require both analytical thinking and hands-on engagement.
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From December 2019 to December 2022, as a designer at Vivita Estonia, part of an international network of creative makerspaces for children and youth, I worked on creating engaging and meaningful experiential learning content inspired by art, design, and technology. Later, from January 2023 until May 2024, as the learning commons lead at Vivita Global, I researched learning theories and maker education practices, developed training resources and methodologies, and facilitated remote sharing sessions for the global team.
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Between September 2016 and October 2020, I taught Bulgarian language at Tallinn European School while also stepping into various roles as a substitute teacher to support students across all educational levels. During that time, I initiated and led a design-based extracurricular activity, which allowed primary pupils to explore their creativity through playful, hands-on projects. My role involved designing workshops, guiding children through creative challenges, and supporting them in turning their ideas into tangible prototypes.
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I have always loved learning languages; besides being closely linked to understanding other cultures, I think language learning has a lot to do with developing creativity and new ways of thinking. From 2008 to 2017, I worked as a translator focusing on the English-Bulgarian language pair. My tasks involved certified translation and document editing, proofreading, and desktop publishing. In addition to English and my native Bulgarian, I speak Estonian and Portuguese at the intermediate level, and have, currently passive, knowledge of Dutch and German.
EDUCATION
2016
MA in Social Design • dieangewandte University of Applied Arts • Vienna, Austria
2010
MA in Advertising Communication • New Bulgarian University • Sofia, Bulgaria
2008
BA in Psychology • University of Sofia • Sofia, Bulgaria
2007
Certificate in Photography • University of Sofia • Sofia, Bulgaria
I’m open to new opportunities!
teaching • mentorship • workshop facilitation • educational innovation • learning design • design for children's rights • design for well-being • participatory design • design research
Let’s collaborate!
The work I find meaningful is only possible together with others and in contact with local realities, so if you’re looking for a partner in creative crime, let’s join forces! I’m based in Coimbra, Portugal, happy to travel and open to local, hybrid, and remote collaborations.