Natalie Leonard
Ph.D. in Architecture
Natalie Leonard (they/she/he) is an architecture Ph.D. candidate at the University of Michigan, an adjunct professor of architecture at Lawrence Tech, and a researcher at the U-M Institute for Social Research. Their research foregrounds the use of simulation to develop innovative research methods and investigate a range of interdisciplinary design problems, spanning from caregiving to music performance. Within their teaching, they emphasize community-engaged learning practices that examine inequities within the profession and introduce students to participatory approaches. They served as an elected officer of The Architecture Lobby (TAL) from 2022-2024 and are a co-founder of the organization’s Architecture Beyond Capitalism School. Additionally, their labor organizing efforts with TAL were featured at the 2025 Venice Biennale of Architecture. Within the southeast Michigan queer community, they care about getting folks outdoors: hosting events through Queer in Nature and Common Cycle.
