Douglas Sharma

Background

About Douglas Sharma

My name is Douglas Sharma, and I am a professional designer with a strong focus in business/civic strategy, development, and innovation. My educational background consists of a bachelor’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA, and a graduate degree in Design Methods with a focus in experiential and civic design, from the Illinois Institute of Technology. My undergraduate degree is in the social/political sciences, with a strong focus in environmental, food, and social policy. I have an undergraduate minor in fine arts with a focus in broadcast media, advertising, and marketing. In addition, I attended a two-year associate course in the Culinary Arts and Business Hospitality Program at the Art Institute of California, San Francisco. I am a certified chef as well as the former owner and operator of my own business – Vita Sana Gourmet Foods Store in Naperville, IL. My graduate competences consist of extensive study in project management through urban/civic policy, transportation and mobility systems infrastructure, along with food and medical systems design. They have later evolved to include my prior experiences with hospitality, entrepreneurship, and small business development to help innovation strategies for civic and equity related endeavors. My education and work history have both afforded me a great deal of experience in physical design, design methodology including user experience and civic design, design process, food and environmental policy, and the social sciences on a global scale. Combined with exceptional verbal, creative, and written communication competences, the following career skills make me a unique and desirable candidate: