Patricia Alarcón, AIA, is a principal at Ratcliff, a Bay Area architectural firm, where she leads the Higher Education and Civic practices. With over 25 years of experience, she is dedicated to creating built environments that transform and elevate the user experience. She is committed to designing for inclusion and fostering a sense of belonging in all aspects of her work. Raised in Lima, Perú, she brings a multi-cultural perspective to her work and is dedicated to building bridges and lasting partnerships. As a project leader, she engages broadly and listens deeply; facilitates decision-making; and translates early visioning into architecture that is intentional and purposeful. As a leader in the professional community, her focus is on advancing equity and representation. Patricia holds a BA in Architecture from Washington University in Saint Louis and an M.Arch from the University of California, Berkeley. She is currently Co-chair of AIA San Francisco’s Latinx in Architecture Knowledge Community and on the Design Review Committee for UC Merced. She is also on the planning committee for the national Arquitectos Coalition.