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Barbara

Bouza

President

The Walt Disney Company (Former)

Los Angeles,

California

2024 Cohort

LinkedIn Profile
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Industry

Media/Entertainment

Area of Expertise

Commercial Construction

Immediately Qualified to Serve

Nominating and Governance

Previous Board Experience

Nonprofit

Barbara Bouza, FAIA, NOMA, IIDA, is Executive Director, Market Strategies & Growth – LIVE, WORK, PLAY for CannonDesign, a global design firm where architecture, strategy, experience, innovation and social good converge to create meaningful impact. An architect known for shaping inspiring spaces that bring people together across cultures and communities, Bouza leads the charge in growing CannonDesign’s presence and impact in people-focused markets, including housing, civic and community spaces, sports, entertainment and workplace. Bouza is a member of the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) Board of Trustees, and speaks globally on experiential design, innovation and leadership.

Prior to joining CannonDesign, Bouza was President, Walt Disney Imagineering where she led the global multidisciplinary team behind the creation of Disney theme parks, resorts, cruise ships, and immersive entertainment experiences worldwide. Known for fusing storytelling with technology and design, Fast Company recognized Imagineering as a Best Workplace for Innovators. Prior to Disney, she held roles at leading firms including Gensler, Morphosis, Foster + Partners, RBB Architects and Pei Partnership Architects.

Bouza is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), a former president of AIA Los Angeles and the founding president of Architecture for Communities LA, where she helped amplify the social impact of design across neighborhoods. A former board member of Imagine LA, she has long been dedicated to addressing family homelessness and poverty. She currently sits on the Fast Company’s Impact Council, and was honored with the 2022 Distinguished Leader Award from the New York Hall of Science for her career-long contributions to STEM fields. She was recognized by The Los Angeles Business Journal as Executive of the Year: Women Making a Difference and was a Girl’s Inc Honoree.

Bouza holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and studied in the Graduate Design program at the Architectural Association in London.

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PREVIOUSLY 2020 WOMEN ON BOARDS

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Speakers include: Sita Lowman, Nithya Das, Suresh Sharma, Byron Loflin

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Speakers include: Gaby Sulzberger, David Cahoy, Rachael Coffey, Eduardo Gallego

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