2024 West Region Conference – Cultural Crossroads in Education: Ruth Baleiko
To Danielle, doing good is the ultimate purpose, whether that’s connecting with someone in a positive way or designing a space that will impact a community for the better. Growing up within a multi-racial family and traveling to her mother’s home country of Bolivia, Danielle experienced the dichotomy between first-and third-world nations. Aspiring to understand this contrast and cast a broader impact, Danielle gravitated towards planning early in her career to wrap her arms around all the influences that shape our cities. She approaches her work with a deep knowledge of both the interrelated systems within the built environment, and the ways to build upon these relationships to find design solutions to today’s most pressing challenges.
Working on a variety of project scales and typologies, Danielle strives to find a balance between design, sustainability, and economy that builds social capital both within project teams and for communities. Consistently pushing the potential of her projects to maximize good for the client, the community, and the environment, Danielle co-leads the San Diego studio, bringing her commitment to spatial equity and stewardship to every design she touches.