September MEMBER SPOTLIGHT 2026
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT | Oksana Ramos
Oksana Ramos, NOMA, LEED GA
DESIGNING WITH IDENTITY, PURPOSE, AND PERSPECTIVE
Oksana Ramos is a seasoned architect whose career brings together thoughtful design, community engagement, and a strong commitment to advancing representation within the profession. As an Associate at Cunningham | Quill Architects in Washington, DC, Oksana brings more than a decade of experience to her work, approaching architecture through careful research, collaboration, and an understanding of the people and communities that design ultimately serves.
A Washington, DC native and first-generation Mexican American architect, Oksana earned her Bachelor of Architecture from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. Her education also took her abroad to India, where she studied at the Center for Environmental Planning and Technology and developed an expanded perspective on the relationship between architecture, culture, place, and community.
Since joining Cunningham | Quill Architects in 2011, Oksana has continued to grow as both a designer and leader. Her multidisciplinary perspective draws connections between architecture, planning, art, and theory, allowing her to approach projects with curiosity and rigor while remaining attentive to the experiences of the people who inhabit the spaces she helps create.
CREATING PATHWAYS FOR REPRESENTATION AND LEADERSHIP
Beyond practice, Oksana has established herself as a passionate advocate for greater representation, mentorship, and leadership opportunities throughout architecture. As the immediate past chair of AIA|DC LA.IDEA, Latin American Interior Designers, Engineers & Architects, she has worked to strengthen connections among Latinx design professionals while creating opportunities for emerging voices to be seen, supported, and positioned to lead.
Her commitment to leadership extends across the profession. Oksana was selected for the 2024–2025 AIA Next to Lead cohort, a national leadership program focused on advancing association leadership among diverse women in architecture. She also contributes her time and perspective through involvement with the AIA Small Project Design Knowledge Community, AIA|DC Women in Architecture Committee, and Arquitectos Coalition National.
For Oksana, representation is about more than visibility. It is about creating meaningful pathways for others to participate, grow, and lead. Through mentorship, advocacy, and service, she continues to demonstrate how architects can use their influence beyond individual projects to strengthen the profession as a whole.
BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH COLLABORATION
Community engagement has remained an important thread throughout Oksana's career. Her involvement with organizations across the Washington region and the broader profession reflects a belief that meaningful progress happens when people and organizations work together toward shared goals.
From her involvement with AIADC and the Washington Architectural Foundation to community service with organizations such as CASA of Maryland and Neighbor's Consejo, Oksana has brought her professional experience into spaces centered on community, advocacy, and connection. Today, that commitment continues through her involvement with Arquitectos Coalition (ArqCo), where she serves on the planning committee and helps advance a broader network of organizations advocating for Latinx representation within architecture.
Her ability to move between professional practice, mentorship, advocacy, and community engagement illustrates a form of leadership rooted in collaboration. Rather than viewing these efforts as separate from architecture, Oksana recognizes them as essential to building a profession that better reflects and serves the communities around it.
UNITING VOICES ON THE NATIONAL STAGE
This October, Oksana will bring that commitment to collaboration to the 2026 NOMA Conference, joining fellow design leaders for “Unidos in Action: The Power of Cross-Organization Coalition.”
The session will explore how NOMA chapters, affinity organizations, and design professionals can build meaningful partnerships that expand representation, mentorship, advocacy, and leadership opportunities across the profession. Drawing from the work of organizations including Arquitectos Coalition National and other allied organizations, the conversation will highlight the power of coalition-building to transform shared values into collective action.
Oksana's participation reflects the very principles that have shaped her own leadership journey: creating connections across organizations, elevating diverse voices, and recognizing that lasting change is strongest when communities work together. As she takes the stage at the NOMA Conference, she continues to demonstrate how individual leadership can contribute to a much larger movement toward a more equitable and representative profession.
SHAPING A MORE INCLUSIVE FUTURE
Whether contributing to the built environment, mentoring emerging professionals, strengthening professional networks, or advocating for greater representation, Oksana approaches leadership with a clear understanding that architecture is ultimately about people.
Her journey demonstrates the impact architects can have when professional practice and community leadership reinforce one another. By bringing her cultural identity, professional experience, and commitment to service into each space she occupies, Oksana is helping broaden the possibilities of who participates in architecture, whose perspectives are valued, and who has the opportunity to lead.
DC NOMA is proud to spotlight Oksana Ramos and celebrate her continued dedication to design, advocacy, representation, and coalition-building. As she prepares to represent these values on the national stage at the 2026 NOMA Conference, her leadership serves as a powerful example of how collaboration and community can help shape a stronger, more inclusive future for the profession.