Lea has received a Master of Science in Architecture degree from ETH Zurich. In 2009, she worked as a design architect at the studio Urban-Think Tank (U-TT) in Venezuela. In 2010 she joined the ETH Zurich Chair of Architecture and Urban Design as researcher and urban design course coordinator. In 2012, Lea joined the Emerging and Sustainable Cities Initiative of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) as a design consultant and ETH liaison. She developed strategic plans including short- to long-term urban design and building strategies to mitigate environmental and urban vulnerability.