Born from German and Chilean roots, Dominique Gentillon is a nomad soul shaped by a life lived across continents — Chile, Belgium, France, and now the Netherlands. This rich, multicultural journey didn’t just form who she is; it became the very foundation of how she designs.

With over 15 years of experience creating soulful spaces across diverse cultures, Dominique is a Well-being Interior Designer, classical Feng Shui practitioner, Biophilic Design specialist, and the founder of Studio Nalca. Her work goes far beyond aesthetics. By blending Biophilic Design, Feng Shui, and holistic science-based wellness, she crafts spaces that support not just how you live — but who you’re becoming.

Her approach is deeply human. Through interior design psychology and holistic techniques, she gets to know her clients at a meaningful level — their stories, their sensitivities, their roots — so that every space she creates becomes a genuine reflection of who they are. She works with expat professionals longing to feel at home, sensitive souls craving sanctuary, and multicultural families wanting spaces that honor their heritage and nurture their children.

At the heart of her work she doesn’t follow trends. She follows stories. People. Place. Possibility. 

Studio Nalca was born from that mission. Named after the native Chilean plant with vast green leaves — so immense you can stand beneath one for shelter — the studio is a symbol of protection, wilderness, and rooted resilience. It is the place where design, nature, and your true self converge.

Through Studio Nalca, Dominique designs residential sanctuaries, conscious workspaces, and wellness environments — and also trains the next generation of nature-aligned designers in collaboration with Habitarmonia Academy.

Landscape Designer/Public Interest Designer

Edmund Adjapong, Ph.D., is a dynamic educator, author, scholar, and community-based practitioner whose innovative approach to teaching leverages hip-hop culture as a transformative tool in educational spaces. He is the Director of the Hip-Hop Culture, Equity, and Excellence Academy and Associate Professor of Educational Studies at Seton Hall University. Edmund’s work sits at the intersection of culturally responsive pedagogy, youth culture, and equity-driven education. His research and practice focus on exploring how hip-hop can be utilized to connect with students, foster positive educational outcomes, and challenge systemic inequities within K-12 schools and beyond.

As a STEM educator, Edmund has a deep commitment to addressing the racial disparities in STEM education and careers. Through his community-based initiatives, including co-founding the nationally recognized Science Genius program, he merges hip-hop with science education to inspire curiosity and confidence among historically marginalized youth. His work integrates science, technology, engineering, and mathematics with culturally affirming teaching practices, empowering students to see themselves as creators, innovators, and problem-solvers.

Edmund is also an advocate for professional development, working closely with educators and school leaders to adopt hip-hop pedagogy as part of their culturally relevant teaching practices. His workshops and research projects help educators build critical consciousness while equipping them with strategies to create affirming, inclusive learning environments that reflect students’ identities and experiences.

An accomplished writer and thought leader, Edmund’s most recent work, Teach Like an MC: Hip-Hop Pedagogy for the K-12 Classroom, is a book that provides practical tools for educators seeking to integrate hip-hop into their teaching. He is actively involved in community-centered projects, including initiatives that teach STEM through hip-hop music production, further bridging the gap between culture and curriculum. Edmund’s work reflects his unwavering belief in the power of hip-hop to engage youth, amplify their voices, and create meaningful pathways for success in education and life.

Area of Specialization: Science Education, STEM Education, Urban Education, Hip-Hop Education

Education
PhD, Teachers College, Columbia University, 2017.
Science Education – Urban Education

Scholarship and Research

Related Books

Steinberg, S., Adjapong, E., & Kincheloe, J. (2020). The stigma of genius: Einstein, consciousness, and education (2nd ed).

Related Journal Articles

Toward Culturally Competent School Counseling Environments: Hip-Hop Studio Construction

Awards and Honors

Teacher Faculty of the Year, Seton Hall University. (2021).

Dr. Sarah Seung-McFarland is a licensed psychologist, fashion & design psychology consultant, and the founder of Trulery.com. Her work focuses on design and fashion psychology, incorporating trauma-informed design principles. With nearly two decades of clinical experience, she applies psychological research to clothing, interiors, and everyday environments to examine how design choices shape emotional experience, regulation, and identity across diverse lived experiences.

Monika Acosta is an architect, interior designer, and neuroarchitecture specialist working at the intersection of design, cognitive science, and human wellbeing. She is the co-founder of Hausense, an international platform and mentorship ecosystem dedicated to helping designers develop human-centered design approaches and build practices with high well-being impact. Over the past years, she has worked closely with dozens of designers from different backgrounds and countries, supporting them in defining their niche, structuring their methodologies, and translating their expertise into meaningful, sustainable design practices that serve diverse communities.

Bridge Event Topic Description
This talk explores how specialized, human-centered practices grounded in subjective wellbeing and cognitive science principles support designers in building niche expertise and interdisciplinary knowledge that lead to entrepreneurial agency. This structured independence positions entrepreneurship as a pathway to both personal fulfillment and professional sustainability. It also enables designers to deepen their expertise and develop refined approaches that serve diverse needs and communities, generating ripple effects that strengthen equity across the broader design ecosystem and contribute to more coherent systemic design.