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
Portfolio
My projects are context-based, developed in collaboration with local stakeholders, and guided by the principles of learning through play1, meaningful participation2, and design with children and young people's rights in mind3.
Playful struggles
Co-created with Vivita members aged 9 to 12, this card game introduces them to the design thinking process. With a mix of creative mindset cards, question prompts, and disruptive bonus cards, it encourages brainstorming, teamwork, and problem-solving. Designed as both a game and a facilitation tool, these playing cards support any team in exploring ideas, planning projects, and prototyping in an open-ended, collaborative way. Read more →
Vabamänguala
Or, free play area in Estonian, was a public space intervention during the Future is Now urban festival in Tallinn, developed for Vivita Estonia. It enabled children to engage in free, unstructured play—essential for developing creativity, problem-solving, and social skills. By creating a temporary environment that encouraged curiosity and independence through loose parts play, the project advocated for play in public space as a fundamental right of childhood. Read more →
Design for play
As part of the team of Vivita Estonia, I helped design and facilitate workshops based on free choice, open-ended exploration, joy, and collaboration. Relying on play as a vehicle to encourage children to ideate, test concepts, and collaborate on creative projects. Blending hands-on making with creative problem-solving created a dynamic environment where learning happened naturally. Read more →
Urban wildness
My graduation project in social design at the University of Applied Arts Vienna explored the relationship between nature and the built environment, inviting children and their parents to experience the wild in everyday urban spaces. The project framed marginal, untamed nature as an experimental playground to promote play, curiosity, and a deeper connection with the natural world, even in the heart of the metropolis. Read more →
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.