With over two decades of experience in residential, urban, and rehabilitation architecture, Teresa has progressively focused her work on Neuroarchitecture, exploring the intersection between neuroscience and the built environment. She is the founder of the Portuguese Neuroarchitecture Academy, an initiative dedicated to integrating neuroscientific insights into architectural education and professional practice in Portugal.

Teresa holds a degree in Architecture from Universidade Lusíada de Lisboa, having completed her final year at Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza under the Erasmus program. She earned a Master’s degree in Monument Rehabilitation from UPC – Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (Barcelona) and pursued postgraduate studies in Project Management (ISEG, Lisbon) and Real Estate Investment Analysis (Iscte, Lisbon). Her academic trajectory also includes executive education at Harvard Business School, where she completed the Real Estate Management, Leadership, and Design (REM 2022) program. She has undertaken specialized training in Applied Neuroscience to Environments and Creation (Neuroau), certified by the Brazilian Ministry of Education and Culture (MEC), and completed the Sustainable Real Estate: Analysis and Investment program at MIT SA+P. Additionally, she participated in the Moving Boundaries – Winter Course (Italy, 2023), Nordic X Scandinavia (2024), and Amares (2025). She is a certified NLP Practitioner (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) and completed the 5-day Academy Certification Program in Human Behavior Research from iMotions Academy at Copenhagen Business School, focused on data collection, signal processing, exports, and analysis.

Teresa currently serves on the Advisory Board of Spikeurban, where she bridges the company’s work with architectural and real estate perspectives, while conducting a research team focused on the social impact of the built environment. She leads the Project Management and Quality Control Department at iMota, Lda, contributing to the improvement of urban design and community-driven architecture. Previously, she worked at Carlos Ferrater’s architectural studio in Barcelona. She has also collaborated with Architects Without Borders and local NGOs on social impact projects, while leading private housing development initiatives in Mozambique, particularly in Maputo, through her family company. She is actively engaged in international professional networks, including ANFA UK, the ANFA Center for Education (ACE), Moving Boundaries Alumni, the Global Wellness Institute, GRI Club, Women Leading Real Estate, WIRE (Women in Real Estate), and APPII (Portuguese Association of Real Estate Developers and Investors). Teresa also serves as a Well Mind Advisor for the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI).

At RISE, my role as Vice President of Research and Business Development at division for Built Environment blends my academic background with my commitment to business and policy transformation. By leveraging RISE extensive and cross disciplinary expertise we support our partners and clients towards a more resilient and sustainable society.

Previously, as Partner at the global management consultancy firm Analysys Mason I established a local office with a team of consultants serving clients in the Nordics and beyond. Through a combination of framework agreements with national agencies and assignments for private actors, we helped our clients navigate the twin transition. I also headed the development of Analysys Mason’s global sustainability offerings, including extensive internal work aligning 17 offices around the world, building inhouse competence and engagement, growth plan presentation for top management and board level, and leading numerous external activities such as client meetings and marketing campaigns.

My core skills lie in bringing people across disciplines and borders together, enabling joint action through collaboration. I engage in system level perspectives on urban development, energy, digitalisation, and bioeconomy and strive to support a sustainable transition of our society. I have successfully led and supported multiple projects on these topics, ranging from policy analysis and evaluation of publicly funded projects and research programmes to business strategy and innovation support.

I hold a PhD in entrepreneurship and organisational theory from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, and have previously worked for Vestas Wind Systems and the Swedish Energy Agency.

Sarah Lytle, Ph.D., is the Executive Director of Playful Learning Landscapes and a Nonresident Fellow at the Brookings Institution with the Center for Universal Education. Sarah has more than a decade of experience in connecting science to practice, working extensively with parents, early learning providers, communities, and policymakers to promote evidence-based interactions with children. Sarah has authored more than a dozen peer-reviewed publications in academic and practitioner-facing journals. At Playful Learning Landscapes, Sarah works with communities to infuse public spaces with playful learning opportunities, improving educational equity and preparing children for success in the 21st-century. Sarah has a B.A. in Psychology and Spanish from the University of Notre Dame and a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from Temple University. She was a 2014-2016 ZERO TO THREE Fellow and is currently part of Ready Nation’s Brain Science Speaker’s Bureau.