I am Denise Avivit de Alcantara Hochbaum, an accomplished Brazilian architect with a passion for expanding the cultural identity of Brazil through architecture, art, and theater. I earned a master’s degree in Performing Arts from the School of Communications and Arts of the University of Sao Paulo and a Doctorate in Architecture from the School of Architecture and Urban Studies of the University of Sao Paulo. In the US, I continued my education by attending art management, computer design, and technology courses at New York University and the New York College of Technology. I also studied the History of Art at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC.

My practice combines architectural and graphic design. I have consistently contributed to the expansion of Brazilian cultural identity by producing exhibitions and planning lectures and workshops for scholars and professionals. Since 2010, I have worked at the Centers for Architecture in NYC and Washington, DC.

In 2017, I became interested in emergent technologies of the internet and immersed myself in ICANN (Internet Corporation of Assigned Names and Numbers). I attended the first NASIG (North America School of the Internet) in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and continued to attend other NASIG events and IGF (Internet Governance Forum) virtually. Inclusive digitalization became my priority, followed by smart cities, artificial intelligence, and the metaverse.

Apart from my architectural industry practice and participation at NARALO (North American Regional At-Large Organization), my commitment with ICANN in 2023 is to mentor young students – NEXGEN - from universities around the world to develop flash presentations about technology and education. It's an exciting opportunity to interact with students of different nationalities and backgrounds and guide them to develop the best content.

My accumulated professional experience helps me incorporate my knowledge into these new tasks and keep my eyes open to new aspects of the world of technology.