Bonnie Silva
designer, artist, community member
I've spent my life in rooms where presence matters — behind a bar, at a birth, at a design table. Each role taught me to listen first, meet people where they are, and build things that hold.
What I do
What I care about
The longer version
My parents immigrated to the US from Brazil, and growing up first-generation American gave me an early education in cultural fluency — how to walk into any room, read it, and make space for everyone in it. That instinct has followed me through every role I've held.
Fifteen years behind a bar. Ten as a doula. Now a designer.
Bartending taught me that the best experiences are invisible — flow, timing, and expectation all managed at once. A decade of doulawork taught me stakes: translating dense medical information into something a frightened person could actually act on. Both shaped how I design. Simplify the complex. Do it with care.
Outside the screen
I'm a sculptor — currently building a clay exhibit on mental health, and I've worked in wax with women as my muse. I practice modern dance. I volunteer at animal shelters, I'm a cat mom, and I show up for my neighbors. Culture, art, and music are not hobbies — they're how I stay honest about what matters.
How I work
My background isn't a footnote — it's why I design the way I do. I come to every project asking who this is really for, what they're afraid of, and what they need to trust. I'm drawn to healthcare and social impact, but these instincts translate anywhere users deserve better than they're usually given.
Design I believe in
Accessible, plain-spoken, built for the tired and anxious — not the ideal user. Tested by real people, not assumptions.
What I'm looking for
A team that takes inclusion seriously, cares about craft, and knows good work takes honest feedback and multiple rounds. Culture matters as much as the job.