Ornelas-Sánchez, Elva Yadira

Yadira Ornelas is the Head of the Futures Design Lab Monterrey and the Futurists Constellation at Tecnológico de Monterrey, as well as a professor in the School of Architecture, Art, and Design. Through the Futures Design Lab, she leads consulting projects in strategic foresight, innovation, and strategic design that help organizations anticipate change, identify emerging opportunities, and develop future-oriented strategies. Her work has also advanced the integration of futures thinking and strategic design across academic, business, and public-sector initiatives, while mentoring and training students through applied consulting projects that connect educational experiences with real-world challenges. She is an international speaker on futures, strategic innovation, design, and design education. She has delivered keynote speeches, workshops, and executive education programs in the United Arab Emirates, the United States, the United Kingdom, China, South Korea, Sweden, the Netherlands, Poland, and Argentina. Most recently, she has facilitated foresight and futures-thinking workshops in Dubai for international audiences interested in innovation, strategic planning, and future-oriented leadership. She has led strategic innovation and foresight projects for organizations such as UNESCO, Procter & Gamble, General Electric, Anheuser-Busch, LG, PepsiCo, Circle K, the Chicago Hispanic Health Coalition, Grupo Alfa, Grupo Lala, and Monterrey Water and Sewer Services, among others. Her consulting experience spans corporate innovation, futures research, human-centered design, and long-term strategy development. She is also one of the hosts of Expedition to the Future, a podcast produced through Live Tec, where, together with professors from the School of Humanities and Education and the School of Business both fellow members of the Futurists Constellation she explores emerging trends, alternative futures, and the transformations shaping tomorrow. The podcast serves as a platform to amplify the work of members of the Constellation and to promote the disciplines of Futures Studies and foresight through conversations with researchers, futurists, thought leaders, and experts from diverse sectors. With more than two decades of experience in higher education in Mexico and the United States, she has taught and contributed to the development of academic programs in design, innovation, strategy, and Futures Studies. She previously served as Managing Director of Idea Couture Mexico, a global strategic innovation and design consultancy, where she led multidisciplinary projects at the intersection of design, business strategy, and emerging futures. She currently serves as President of the Mexico Node of The Millennium Project, a global futures research network that connects experts and institutions worldwide to explore the long-term challenges and opportunities facing humanity. She has also participated in the evaluation and accreditation of architecture, urbanism, and design programs through national higher education quality assurance organizations, including COMAPROD and CIEES.