Larisa brings nearly a decade of experience in disaster recovery and climate adaptation, specializing in post-disaster housing strategies and the advancement of local preparedness through community-centered planning and design.
Larisa is currently leading multiple applied research initiatives focused on advancing alternative models for post-disaster housing delivery, developing tools that integrate resilience into local planning systems and designing community resilience hubs, both across the United States and Latin America. Her research and illustrations are featured in the recently published book “Design Before Disaster: Japan’s Culture of Preparedness,” which explores Japan’s long-standing approaches to disaster preparedness and the role of policy, design, cultural memory, and community infrastructure in reducing risk. Larisa holds a Bachelors in Architecture from Cornell University and a Master of Science in Architectural Studies in Urbanism from MIT.