Sandra Vilevac
Founder / Design Thinking Expert
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Designer, Educator, Artist, Scientist by trade
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Passionate about diverse problem-solving methodologies and how people learn.
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My superpower? I have a distinctive skill that enables me to understand the thinking process of any person and communicate intricate subjects in a way that connects with them.
Email:
A Bit About Me
Join me as we chart a course to growth and transformation, fueled by unbridled passion and a unique perspective! Let's embrace challenges as stepping stones to learning and evolution. Inspired by nature's endless wonders, we'll build bridges of empathy by connecting with others and cherishing their stories. Isn't design thinking a thrilling journey? Let's spread the magic together, fostering a community where innovation thrives and every voice matters. Let's grow, transform, and shape the future, together!
An Organic Career Pathway
Learning in the field:
Below are some personal and career milestones that impacted my trajectory and inspired special projects.
Life's challenges, detours, u-turns, and triumphs.
1999-2003
Begin Leading Arts & Community Education Programs
I have had the privilege of working at esteemed institutions such as Karamu House, the first African American theater in the US, Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland School for the Arts, Twinsburgh Parks and Recreation, Shaker Lakes Nature Center, and Cahoga Valley National Park. Through my experiences, I began to hon my skills in art education and learned how effectively teach creative expression to learners of all backgrounds.
1998-2006
Art Education
Design Thinking
Entrepreneurship
Discovering the art of how people learn through my bachelor's and master's courses taken in Cleveland, Ohio and London, UK. My personalized edcucation pathyway delved into the fascinating fields of psychology and communication, exploring concepts of social change and the impact of art and design in the community.
2006-2008
Baltimore City
Trade Instructor
Graphic Design & Print
Beginning my career as an educator, I began design thinking immediately, for survival. Hired to upgrade an outdated trade program, I created a student-centered program, responsive to their interests and needs that placed print in the background and creativity, and innovation in the foreground.
I loved every one of my students, but detested the administration who seemed to never be there to support my needs, especially critical needs. My health was bad and my anxiety was very high. I got burnt out of teaching in only two years.
2008-2012
Pre-Medicine
STEM
Empathy
Heartbroken, leaving teaching behind, due to a lack of personal skills to balance a professional career with personal health, working in a very high-stress environment, I returned to Cleveland to explore a medical career. Taking a year of pre-med courses led me to volunteer at Cleveland Clinic. I was honored to be asked to found a volunteer program for pre-med students to learn empathy at the bedside. Cleveland Clinic loved my work as a design thinker and hired me as a patient advocate. I learned the core of my love of patient care: empathy. I was able to work almost three years at the bedside practicing a service recovery model based on empathy, truly learning the power of empathy.
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Later, I was asked with five other patient advocates to create a training program for all 60,000 Cleveland Clinic employees. We are proud to say that the service culture continues to exist at Cleveland Clinic and they remain a model for world-class patient care.
2013
Founded Glucose Studios
Small-business Strategist
Focus on Community Health
In 2013 my brother died of PTSD suicide after serving in the US Marines in the Afghanistan war. This turned my world upside down.
I founded Glucose Studios with a desire to focus on community work.
I began by working with veteran organizations focusing on yoga and other healing modalities for PTSD. That grew to planning several awareness events, one in the L.A. Colleseum.
This was the official kick-off of my cunsulting and supporting small business growth.
I began volunteering with the unhoused population, as a listener and drawing portaits for self-development and healing. Additionally, I created the myHero program that mentored young adults.
2015
Move to Washington D.C.
Work at NASA
Arts and STEM Integration
Through a friend, I landed a job doing strategic communications for a space communications division at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. This was a whole new world, new town, and new culture. I adapted quickly and began to soar beyond only graphic design. I quickly was told that 80% of divion's workforce were at retirement age within the next ten years and they needed new talent. Therefore, they asked me to create an intern program.
For three years, I grew not only the intern program, but the team's desire to mentor the future generation. I established recruitment events, highly engaging outreach, and a very unique intern program that taught innovaiton and health and wellness as the backbone to a long career of success. In the end of my last season, there were 50 mentors and 75 interns from all over the U.S. including Alaska and Puerto Rico. The division hired many of them and all have continued to grow as innovators in the STEM Industry.
2018
Education Leadership
Formalize STEAM Curiculum
I decided to leave NASA with a passion to learn education leadership. I was honored to work with a school of 500 students grades PreK to Grade 5, about 40 educators and 10 administrative staff. The design clallenge was to teach STEAM when the school was not teaching science. Through research I found core needs of finding time and comfort with STEM topics. My multi-fascented solution engaged all families, students, teachrs, and admin with activities before, during, and after school, bridging in the arts to increase engagement and interest. In only two years, the school had a new culture of excitement for STEAM!
2020
COVID-19
Guardianship
Fulltime Caretaker
COVID-19 hit the world and everyone's lives were turned upside down. Mine included. My sister with developmental disabilities was in great need of having an advocate to support her through many critical health issues. I left everything to dedicate myself to my sister's health and safety. Choosing my sister helped me to grow as a person, understanding how to balance career and professional growth during the toughest times. I would never again squeeze myself into a small box to fit in, I would shine my light and pursue my passions, and provide service to the community I live.
2023
Full-time Design Thinker
Analyst, and Strategist
Leadership Coach
Woman's Empowerment
My world will never be the same. The challenges I faced forced me to look in the mirror and do some very hard personal work. This work strengthened my emotional health to face more challenging problems within a greater global scale.
I look forward to the teams, challenges, and opportunities that lie ahead and fearlessly say yes to collaborations that may be difficult, but will make a lasting positive impact on our world.