Malena Aquino, AIA

Malena is a very experienced laboratory planner, who is committed to making the laboratories a pleasant and safe place to work. Effectively connecting with laboratory users, successfully identifying their working needs today and anticipating potential future uses of their spaces as technology evolves is a critical component of Malena’s work.
 
She attributes her success as a leader to both her dedication and to her collaborative approach to work. Malena believes that listening closely to her clients’ needs and creating that connection with them is essential to planning and designing state-of-the art laboratories that fit their needs. She’s very proud of what she calls her “small” contribution to world health through her international work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Her involvement included international lab planning workshops, as well as the design and review of laboratory projects in other countries such as Barbados, Mozambique, Haiti, and the Bahamas among others.
 
In addition, mentoring is one of Malena’s most important interests. She aims to help develop, nurture, and inspire young architects to reach their full potential. She strongly believes that the benefits of mentoring apply to both sides of the equation. Mentoring and being mentored can boost the development of leadership and management skills for both parties, and mentorship can reduce the learning curve for proteges.