KAT CASTRO
MCAD Sustainability Portfolio
Sustainability Philosophy
My approach to sustainability is rooted in kapwa — the shared self — and the understanding that our well-being is connected to one another and the world we inhabit. As a Filipina-American interdisciplinary artist and embodiment practitioner, I bring my heritage, a commitment to ancestral healing, and an attention to the body into how I create and collaborate. My background in kinesiology and movement reminds me that sustainable advocacy work needs room for rest, adaptation, and care. Across my personal art practice, creative direction, and production work, I aim to consider the resources we use, the stories we tell, and the labor that makes creation possible. This philosophy also informs my work as a project manager at Lonely Planet, where I’m developing operational workflows to better support the people behind the work. I see thoughtful systems as a way to reduce unnecessary effort, encourage collaboration, and make space for creativity. For me, sustainability is an ongoing practice of making choices that care for people, honor our interconnectedness, and support a more considered use of our shared resources.
ABOUT
WORK
RESUME
CONTACT
ABOUT
Kat is a creative producer & director, interdisciplinary artist, and embodiment practitioner currently based in New Jersey. She has a strong affinity in collaborating on experiential and multimedia productions. She has a background working in food CPG, performing and visual arts across dance, film, and music. Her work lives at the intersection of culture, community, and sustainability.
Outside of her creative and professional endeavors, Kat loves to travel, hike, and cook. Portugal is her favorite travel destination to date. In the kitchen, you could find her making her comfort Filipino dish called Laing (taro leaves cooked in coconut milk).
Through the MA in Sustainable program, Kat is consciously refining her design practice with the goal of creating impactful brand and community experiences that both educate and integrate sustainable, regenerative practices.
WORK
Reimagining Sustainability in Brand Experiential & Event Design
Fundamentals of Sustainable Design | Fall 2025 | Instructor: Deann Garcia
OVERVIEW
This project examined the environmental and social impacts of temporary trade show and experiential design, using Simple Mills’ Brand Activation at Expo West - an annual project I used to manage during my time as a Creative Production Specialist at Simple Mills - as a case study. I mapped material lifecycles and explored strategies including dematerialization, localization, reuse, disassembly, and composting to identify opportunities for more circular event systems. The project shifted my perspective from selecting “better” materials toward questioning the larger systems of consumption, logistics, and reuse that shape experiential design.
Disaster Relief in Climate-Vulnerable Communities in the Philippines
Systems Thinking | Fall 2025 | Instructor: Howard Silverman
OVERVIEW
This project used the Rich Picture method to map the interconnected systems shaping disaster relief in climate-vulnerable communities in the Philippines. I explored relationships between climate change, infrastructure, governance, relief aid, media misinformation, and community response to understand why relief is unevenly distributed. The project strengthened my ability to visualize complexity and identify systemic inequities and opportunities for intervention
Native Deodorant Product Positioning Study
Packaging Sustainability | Spring 2026 | Instructor: Wendy Jedlicka
OVERVIEW
This project explored the tension between sustainability, usability, and consumer behavior through a redesign of Native’s plastic-free deodorant packaging. Through user research, systems analysis, material evaluation, and supply-chain mapping, I examined how material choices and the broader packaging system influence sustainable behavior and lifecycle impacts. The final proposal offered a transitional solution within Native’s existing paperboard system, improving accessibility and information to make sustainability more intuitive, durable, transparent, and actionable in everyday use.
Rooted in Realities - A Climate Justice Storytelling Toolkit
Design for Climate Justice | Spring 2026 | Instructor: Teressa Bertossi
OVERVIEW
This project explored how climate justice in the Philippines can be understood through lived experiences, historical context, and interconnected systems rather than isolated climate events. I developed Rooted in Realities, a storytelling toolkit combining a 3-layered timeline, story cards, systems mapping, ethical framing, and actionable pathways for reflection and community dialogue. The project strengthened my ability to translate complex research and systems thinking into accessible, participatory design tools.