Barbara Bouza, FAIA, IIDA, NOMA

Barbara Bouza is the Executive Director, Market Strategies & Growth – LIVE, WORK, PLAY for CannonDesign, a global design firm where architecture, strategy, experience, innovation and social good converge for meaningful impact.  The firm is consistently recognized as one of the most innovative companies in the world.  An architect celebrated for shaping inspiring places that bring people together at the intersection of cultures and communities, Barbara leads the charge across people-focused markets including entertainment, sports, workplace, housing, civic and community environments. Barbara serves on the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) Board of Trustees and Fast Company’s Impact Council.  Prior to joining CannonDesign, Barbara was the president of Walt Disney Imagineering where she led the global multidisciplinary team behind the creation of some of the world’s most iconic theme parks, resorts, cruise ships and immersive entertainment – blending story, technology and design to immerse guests in experiences that make memories of a lifetime.  Barbara served as president of American Institute of Architects Los Angeles, and with the mission to amplify the social impact of design across neighborhoods she was founding president of Architects for Communities Los Angeles. Barbara was recognized by the Los Angeles Business Journal as Executive of the Year: Women Making a Difference and was a Girls Inc Honoree.  For her career-long contributions to STEM fields, she was honored with the Distinguished Leader Award from the New York Hall of Science. Barbara holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and studied in the Graduate Design Program at the Architectural Association in London, UK.