Nicole Laborde Senior Design Researcher & Ethnographer

In her work as a cultural anthropologist, Nicole is motivated by an interest in understanding people in diverse contexts, and how these contexts shape their needs, expectations, and possibilities. She brings nearly 20 years of research experience in international and domestic settings, often among vulnerable populations and on uncomfortable topics.

Nicole brings an anthropological lens and understanding of public health to human centered design. She sees ethnography, empathy and storytelling as central to her work, and has a talent for respectfully eliciting stories and making meaning out of experiences. She speaks fluent Spanish, having grown up in a bicultural household and having lived and worked in Mexico.