Deepa Bharatkumar Assoc AIA, LEED AP BD + C, CDT

As an architect at Bassetti Architects in Portland, OR, Deepa is deeply aware of how the built environment affects people. She sees educational design projects as an opportunity to serve some of the most important people Bassetti design for – children. As the mother of two, she places high importance on creating schools that are rewarding and enriching for their users and the community. Over her 17 years in the profession, she has become an advocate for listening to students’ voices, in addition to parent, teacher and district voices, to create spaces that address the needs of the individual and help create equity within our educational environments. Her design approach incorporates trauma-informed design principles to ensure that our schools are safe, supportive spaces for our most vulnerable children. Throughout her career Deepa has served many roles, from drafter to principal in charge to project manager. Her experience allows her to keep a wide perspective on her projects.