AAH Spectacle Issue 03 by AAH Communications

SPECTACLE

Issue Three

01 02 03

2025 AAH Board Updates

Pillars of Healthcare Architecture

Sub Committee Work

Research Committee Update: Clinical Benchmarking

Components Council Update: How to Plan A Healthcare Design Conference

Components Council Knowledge Communities

How to Join a Committee

AAH Celebrates

2025 PDC Student Design Challenge

Celebrating 10 years of the PDC Student Design Challenge

ABOUT SPECTACLE

Spectacle is the official journal of the Academy of Architecture for Health celebrating healthcare environments and those who are passionate about their design and operation.

We invite you to join us on a journey to discover how our community is enhancing the built environment, improving the quality of life for patients and caregivers, and shepherding values of health and wellness into the future.

From the President’s Desk

Following the 1945 AIA Convention, the first AIA Committee on Hospitalization and Public Health was established with a clear mission: “to cooperate with the AHA and its committees, and with federal and state agencies engaged in programs affecting hospitalization and public health; and to make suggestions and recommendations to the officers of The Institute and to the Washington representative as circumstance may require.” Carl A. Erickson, who understood the critical role architects would play in shaping postwar health infrastructure for returning soldiers, served as the committee’s first chairman.

By 1957, a Bulletin of the American Institute of Architects reflected on the committee’s first nine years—now operating as the AIA Committee on Hospitals and Health. It had grown into what the Bulletin described as “an enthusiastic and hard-working Institute committee,” with several regional CHHs (Committees on Hospitals and Health) beginning to take shape. Among the committee’s early initiatives were participation in AHA Conventions, the creation of hospital design programs for architecture students, a survey of hospital department areas to inform cost analysis methodologies, and several ambitious long-term research projects.

Now, 80 years since our founding, that same “enthusiastic and hardworking” spirit continues to drive our work. At each of our gatherings this year, we’ve taken time to reflect on what might have been going through the minds of Mr. Erickson and his fellow board members in 1945. Their vision laid the foundation for what has become the AIA Academy of Architecture for Health—a place where a strong sense of purpose, intentionality, and unity have created a place for leaders to flourish

We look forward to honoring this incredible legacy at our 80th Anniversary Celebration, taking place the evening of July 18 in Denver, Colorado, during our annual AAH/ACHA Summer Leadership Summit (SLS). Registration details will be shared soon—we hope to celebrate with you there!

Southern Elils Academy of Architecture for Health President

Southern Ellis President

From the AAH Communication Team

We are excited to share another issue of The Spectacle, a publication that continues to celebrate and capture the depth of expertise that our knowledge community brings to the healthcare design industry. Each edition reflects the dedication, thought leadership, and innovation contributed by professionals who are passionate about advancing the built environment in support of health and wellness. Our goal is that as you explore the pages of this issue, you will discover new insights, perspectives, and resources that underscore the value and impact of the Academy’s work.

Throughout the year, our committees and volunteers invest significant time and thought into curating and producing content that is both timely and relevant. From in-depth research to best practices and case studies, their contributions help elevate the collective understanding of our field. The Spectacle serves not only as a platform for knowledge sharing, but also as a testament to the collaborative spirit that drives our community forward. We thank all those who make this publication possible and hope it continues to inform and inspire practitioners at every level.

Eugene Damaso Board Member

Jen Cagide-Alexander Chair

Jenny Cestnik Co-Chair

Spotlight

See the work, ideas, and camaraderie of healthcare design industry leaders and emerging professionals

The Academy Welcomes our Newest Board Member

Steve Templet AIA, FACHA, CHID, ASHE

A native and lifelong resident of South Louisiana, Steve Templet serves as a Principal for Sizeler Thompson Brown Architects and is devoted to developing spaces for his community that promote health and wellness for patients and staff alike. Having graduated from the University of Texas in 1990 after a student internship with Perkins & Will/Chicago, he has 35 years of experience concentrated on complex healthcare and senior living projects and typically leads masterplanning and design projects at numerous local institutions. Prior to his current role on the AIA Academy of Architecture for Health Board, he served 7 years as a ACHA Board Regent and served as the 2022 President of the ACHA Board. In 2002 he was inducted into the American College of Healthcare Architects as a Board-Certified Healthcare Architect and was elevated to a Fellow of the College in 2024 - a distinction granted to less than 50 healthcare architects nationally. He has been a LEED Accredited Professional since 2008 and a Certified Healthcare Interior Designer since 2019.

Throughout his career Steve has focused on formal and informal collegial mentoring programs, and in 2011 he led his firm to a national IDP Firm of the Year Award. He served as a mentor for the first 4 years of the AIA AAH C2C Mentoring Program, which matches experienced healthcare practitioners with architects and design professionals at various points of their careers. Serving the healthcare design community, he has contributed as a subject matter expert for a variety of organizations including the FGI Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, ASHE Educational Series, and multiple national conference planning roles including currently serving as the 2026 PDC Summit Conference Planning Committee Co-Chair. He has presented and moderated educational sessions for a variety of conferences and organizations including HCD, PDC, SLS and American College of Healthcare Executives.

2025 Board of Directors

Southern Ellis President

Executive Committee Member, oversees the Governance & Collaboration Sub-Committees

Michelle Trott Past President

Executive Committee Member, oversees the Operations & Recruitment Sub-Committees

Steve Templet Board Member

Oversees the Codes & Standards Sub-Committees

Eugene Damaso Board Member

Oversees the Marketing & External Visibility Sub-Committees

Pierce McVey President Elect

Executive Committee Member, oversees the Connections Sub-Committees

Karthik Ramadurai Board Member

Oversees the Recognition Sub-Committees

Roderic Walton President Elect-Elect

Executive Committee Member, oversees the Education Sub-Committees

Corie Baker Board Member

Oversees the Conferences Sub-Committees

Pillars of Health Care Architecture

An ongoing collaborative alliance

AAH is one of six allied partnership organizations who have joined to advance health care architecture and specific aspects of the profession. Leaders of all six organizations have committed to foster collaboration where it is beneficial and to improve our collective efficiency by clarifying the roles of each group to avoid duplication of services. Each organization remains fully independent, but members of all six groups meet regularly to continue to enrich this important alliance.

The Center for Health Design

The mission of CHD is to maximize health through informed design. Through research, education and community-building, The Center engages with a global network of 30,000+/- healthcare providers, facilities professionals, architects, designers, product manufacturers, consultants, educators, students, those with lived experience, and other related professionals and industry organizations.110+ person multidisciplinary committee responsible for developing and publishing the Guidelines.

Academy of Architecture for Health

The AIA Academy of Architecture for Health provides knowledge which supports the design of healthy environments by creating education and networking opportunities for members of – and those touched by – the healthcare architectural profession. It is one of the most active of the 21 AIA Knowledge Communities

Foundation for Health Environments Research

The mission of the Foundation is to support the AIA Academy of Architecture for Health and to enhance the knowledge and effectiveness of those who create healthcare environments through the funding of critical educational and research activities.

The American College of Healthcare Architects

The American College of Healthcare Architects was created in 1999 to offer Board Certification to licensed healthcare Architects through an independent process involving a portfolio review, an assessment by peer Architects, and a rigorous examination. It is the first and only design specialty so recognized by the AIA.

Facility Guidelines Institute

The mission of FGI is to establish and promote consensus-based guidelines and publications, advised by research, to advance quality health care. FGI is responsible for the process and the 110+ person multidisciplinary committee responsible for developing and publishing the Guidelines.

Nursing Institute for Healthcare Design

The Nursing Institute for Healthcare Design is a non-profit professional association that promotes health care design standards, fosters inclusion of nurses and healthcare providers in all phases of the design process, and provides educational programs for its members while disseminating innovations and research evidence for all areas of health care design.

Look for features on our partner organizations in future editions of Spectacle.

Sub-Committee Work

Featured articles and engagement opportunities

Research Committee Update: Clinic Benchmarking

Outpatient Benchmarking

The AIA AAH Research Committee was started in 2009 by Ron Smith. Tom Clark and Byron Edwards initiated and facilitated the development of the Case Study Library of award-winning Healthcare design projects shortly afterwards.

In 2021 the idea of leveraging this rich depository of project data for additional research resulted in the creation of a new small subcommittee to analyze the growing database of 60+ projects. Prior to 2021, the committee focused on the analysis of acute care hospitals, but after noticing a trend of locating ambulatory care centers and clinics off of large hospital campuses and integrating them into community neighborhoods, our research initiatives were redirected to focus on the growing number of clinic and ambulatory facilities being built. Our first task was to develop standardized measurement protocols and define specific clinic benchmarking metrics to study.

Current Clinic Benchmarking Sub-Committee Members

• Marjorie Brown

• Ron Smith

• Mary Beth Welty

• Shan Jiang

• Patrick Leahy

• Scot Abernethy

• Molly Storrs

Methodology

Our take-off methodologies are based on the hospital protocols established by Kirk Hamilton and David Allison in their 2008 Departmental Area in Contemporary Hospitals. Specific to our studies are the comparisons of three prominent clinic circulation typologies based on the orientation of the care team: Onstage/ Offstage, Linear and Central. Our studies include net to gross SF, usable SF, and travel distances comparisons.

In our attempt to find meaningful metrics that would apply to all sizes of ambulatory facilities, we designated the clinical POD as the universal design component. The POD is defined as the operational unit of exams room, staff core and decentralized specific support areas. The POD designation allows us to study metrics such as exam rooms, support SF, and staff care SF per operational POD in addition to metrics centered around the amount of space required to support a single exam room.

Centralized Care Team

On Stage/Off Stage

Linear Care Team

Average POD NSF/POD GSF by Typology

Total NSF/POD GSF and POD NSF/POD GSF by Typology

Total NSF/Exam room by Typology

Case Studies

Numerous Case Study Library clinic examples and clinic specific benchmarking ranges provided by the AIA AAH Research Committee give architects, designers, and owners relevant analytics to compare current facility benchmarks and to assist in development of new designs. We look forward to sharing our future metrics of study; a timetable of trends and code influences on the clinic PODs, circulation, waiting and registration metrics, and our growing data base of hospital metrics. Our hope is that by providing a national benchmarking database of award winning projects, our metrics and methodology will become the a resource to help all future healthcare design.

Explore the Case Study Library on the AAH Community Hub https://tinyurl.com/5yxt5ccr

The Clinic subcommittee is staffed by industry volunteers and Clemson graduate students. We encourage anyone interested in these initiatives or in contributing to our efforts to please contact our chair, Marjorie Brown at eliason@comcast.net or anyone on the committee. You are also invited to attend our HCD Round Table discussion where we have presented our ongoing efforts since 2020.

Components Council Update: How to Plan A Healthcare Design Conference

What you need to plan a successful conference

We spoke with Rip Parks and David Allison to gain their insights into what goes into planning a successful conference. They were gracious enough to provide us with some lessons learned, examples, and some stories of their past conferences, along with outlining for us the comprehensive planning and execution of the event. The goal of this article is to create a template for other groups to replicate. Understanding these four key ideas will set you on the right path to planning your successful conference or event.

Key elements include a fact sheet, a schedule, and a paragraph outlining the big idea, concept, keynote, and theme for the year, which are brainstormed by the committee. The planning process involves a detailed schedule of milestones, a checklist for advance preparations, and the creation of graphics. The committee also creates a multipage program detailing sponsors, the sequence of events, and logistics.

Rip and David spoke to us about the intangible aspects of planning. One of the challenges is weaving together the story of the conference. The big idea acts as a catalyst, and the fact sheet drives the sponsorship. Then, as the conference approaches, logistics become the focal point.

Sponsorship plays a crucial role in bringing national-caliber speakers to regional events, making the conference accessible and affordable. The sponsorship committee ensures that the price and time commitment (number of days out of the office) are manageable. Past conferences have rotated locations between Atlanta, Charlotte, and Clemson, attracting diverse participation from South Carolina, Georgia, and North Carolina, including students (80-100) and professionals from various firms. Their events have offered 6.5 HSW CEUs for licensure renewal, focusing on high-quality, relevant topics such as resilience and small hospitals.

The conferences aim to be conversational and interactive, with a target attendance of 80-120 people and a limited number of sponsors to maintain an intimate exchange of ideas. A full-time AIA coordinator has been essential for managing their events, and having an academic or nationally connected figure can be beneficial. You’ll see examples from past events in the pages that follow, along with considerationsa and description to help you on your way to hosting your conference.

Checklist + Logistics

Conference Program

Planning

The planning process begins a year in advance and involves a schedule of milestone planning beginning with a concept, and spanning over multiple logistic topics. The schedule and checklist on the previous page should give you an idea of how far in advance preparations should begin. It is important to establish a committed conference committee that will meet monthly and then more frequently as the conference aproaches.

Program

The multipage program includes the following pages

1. Cover page, including Conference title, location, date and organization.

2. Details about sponsors

3. Agenda outlining the the sequence of events, including the date time, location, and a brief description.

4. Welcome letter describing the big idea of the conference, goals purpose, and learning objectives. Keynote speakers are highlighted along with key focal points.

5. Session Description including the name of the session, speaker(s), date/ time/ location, learning credits for attending, and a summary of the session presentation.

6. Speaker highlights including their headshot, name, and sumarized biography, and you may include session they are presenting.

7. Back cover

Logistics Considerations

Catering

After securing the venue, planning for catering at a conference is crucial to ensure attendees have a positive experience. Proper catering arrangements can accommodate dietary restrictions and preferences, making everyone feel included and cared for. Additionally, well-timed meals and refreshments can keep participants energized and focused throughout the event. Here are some consideration your team will need to plan for:

- Catering contract, negotiation and confirming final details.

- Logistics for morning coffee, water, sodas along with breakfast and the morning snack. Catering will come back to drop off lunch and the afternoon snack.

- Volunteers are needed to help clear the food and set out snacks. Consider if volunteers are needed to clean up after meetings. Rooms need to be left as was upon arrival.

- Party rentals needed for tables, linens.

Space Layout

Understanding the space layout of the venue is crucial to understand its capacity for attendees. Your team may optimize the arrangement of seating, stages, and breakout areas to ensure a comfortable and engaging experience for attendees. Understanding the location and flow of events, catering, staging, registration. The layout/ configuration will also effect audiovisual placement and signage.

- Your team may want to sketch out the available space, with scaled tables and chairs and test configurations.

Hotel

Hotel selection and negotiation of group rates. Provide information along with conference details to attendees with the save the date information.

- Organizers may book Speakers accomodations and provide the speakers with confirmation.

Audiovisual Support

A contract may be needed for Audiovisual support.

- Consider hiring an on site technician to assist in trouble shooting any issues that arise.

- Consider the quantity needed for laptops, speakers, table microphones, lapen microphone, handheld microphones

Speaker considerations

Supporting speakers at a conference is vital to ensure they have the resources and information needed to deliver their presentations effectively. Well-supported speakers are more likely to engage with the audience, fostering a more interactive and dynamic conference experience. Positive experiences for speakers can lead to stronger relationships and future collaborations, benefiting the speakers, the organizers and the attendees.

- Provide a PowerPoint template to all speakers and committe members working with the speakers.

- Speakers dinner, location to be selected. Contract to be signed. Provide website link and menu. Considerations for dietary restrictions.

- Selection of the speaker’s gift, purchasing, arrival date, gift wrapping, and transportation to the reception for distribution.

- Thank you note writers thanking the speakers for their meaningful contribution to the conference.

- Welcome bags at hotel, prior to speaker arrival when they check in.

Signage

Provide signage to assist the attendees in understanding where to park and how to navigate to the event and sessions.

- Consider volunteers to serve as greeters to assist with wayfinding, and to hand out name badges.

- Consider easels or other items needed for signage

Attendee List

Keeping track of attendees and their information is essential to ensure that the conference can accommodate everyone, including managing space, seating, and their catering needs.

- Having detailed attendee information allows for personalized communication, such as sending reminders, updates, and follow-up materials.

- it also provides valuable insights into the demographics and interests of the participants, which can inform future event planning and marketing strategies.

- Tracking attendance helps in evaluating the success of the conference and identifying areas for improvement.

- Full name Company Name, Registration Type, category

Budget

The conference budget must align the financial planning with the events goals. the planning committee must outline cost categories and set a realistic budget that accounts for fixed and variable costs, along with planning for continencies. Funding strategies may include sponsorship and registration sales. Ongoing budget analysis and adjustments will be important to the success of the conference.

Key areas of expenditure

- Venue, catering (food and drink), rentals of tables and linens, Audiovisual support and rentals, speaker accomodations/ dinner/ gift.

Key income

- sponsorships, attendee registration

Components Council Knowledge Communities

The mission of the AAH Components Council is to establish a more visible and recognized regional presence for the Academy for Architecture for Health (AAH) through the recruitment of prospective academy members and to provide educational and networking opportunities to our current members. It is to serve as the network for all local AAH Knowledge Community (KC) components, to advise AAH leadership on its mission and challenges, and to create a potential path to national leadership.

The vision of the AAH Components Council is that this group is a conduit for change and working diligently to improve quality in healthcare. It will bring issues and raise awareness of regional challenges and opportunities and be focused both on what we practice and how we practice.

Local councils are located across the country, many serving multiple cities and states. AAH and Local AAH Components can collaborate through education and networking opportunities.

Interested in joining a Knowledge Community? Find your closest AIA chapter on the map below or reach out to a Components Council co-chair for more information.

How to Join a Sub-Committee - 2025 Updates

Interested in joining a subcommittee? Reach out to our committee chairs to learn how you can contribute, add value to our knowledge community, and increase your impact and network.

C2C Mentorship

Codes + Standards

Communications +

Jill Bergman

Jill.Bergman@hdrinc.com

Vince Avallone vince.avallone@smithgroup.com

Tina Duncan

Jen Cagide-Alexander

TDuncan@hksinc.com

Jennifer.CagideAlexander@hdrinc. com

Spectacle

Components Council

Design Awards

Equity Diversity Inclusion

Fellowships + Scholarships

Healthcare Design Awards

HCD Conference

Next Gen

PDC Conference

Research

SLS Conference

Sustainability

U40

Webinars

Jenny Cestnik

Jenny.Cestnik@zgf.com

Angela Holcomb angela.holcomb@hdrinc.com

Marybeth Dietz Marybeth.Dietz@smithgroup.com

Chris Haedt christopher.haedt@hdrinc.com

Hans Walter HWalter@dlrgroup.com

Roderic Walton

Shary Adams

RWalton@moodynolan.com

Shary_Adams@Gensler.com

Hans Walter hwalter@dlrgroup.com

Sara Shumbera

sshumbera@shepleybulfinch.com

Dani Kolker dkolker@pagethink.com

Kinjal Shah kshah@hksinc.com

Jack Reed jreed@pagethink.com

Asma Sanaee ASanaee@e4harchitecture.com

Marjorie Brown Eliason@comcast.net

Wenz Tuttle WenzTuttle@beckarchitecture.com

Amber Wirth

Alison Leonard

Nick Faust

AWirth@hksinc.com

ALeonard@CannonDesign.com

nick.faust@thelawrencegroup.com;

Thomas Bahr thomas.bahr@jacobs.com

Conference Recaps

See the work, ideas, and camaraderie of healthcare design industry leaders and emerging professionals

ASHE PDC Conference 2025

Atlanta Georgia, March 9 - March 12, 2025

ASHE PDC Conference 2025 was held in Atlanta from March 17-20, 2025. This annual event attracts healthcare professionals, architects, engineers, and facility managers from across the country, providing a platform for networking, learning, and sharing best practices in healthcare facility design and construction.

The conference featured inspiring keynote speakers, including Morris Morrison, an expert in inspirational disruption and leadership. His session, “Disrupt Yourself: Driving Change to Create Growth and Opportunity,” focused on how individuals and organizations can embrace change to foster growth. Another keynote speaker, April Hansen, Group President at Aya Healthcare, shared her insights in “Growth Game Plan™: Turning Challenges into Opportunities,” highlighting strategies for turning obstacles into opportunities for personal and professional development.

Throughout the conference, professionals presented on various topics related to healthcare facility design and construction ranging in topics like Behavioral Health, Clinical Perspectives, Collaborative PDC Methodologies, Safety and Resiliency, Site of Care, Sustainability & Decarbonization, Regulation and compliance.

Attendees had the opportunity to explore the vendor area, where leading companies showcased their latest products and services. This provided a valuable chance for participants to learn about innovative solutions and connect with industry experts.

If you missed the conference or any sessions, be sure to check out the session recordings https://ashe.digitellinc.com/p/cf/2025-pdc-summit-on-demand-7556

Save the Date ASHE PDC 2026: March 8-11, 2026 | Houston, TX

Southern Ellis, President Academy of Architecture for Health update

AAH Celebrates

See the innovative work, ideas, and accolades of our leaders and next generation.

PDC Student Challenge 2025

Architecture + Engineering + Construction Management + Nursing

The annual PDC Student Design Charrette in Atlanta brought together schools from across the country for an immersive, collaborative exploration led by the Academy of Architecture for Health. Each year, the planning committee selects universities to participate in the 48-hour charrette, fostering engagement with the local healthcare design community.

This year, in partnership with Grady Health, who provided the site and context for the event. The focus was creating the future of emergency behavioral healthcare in a time of crisis. The challenge was to expand one of the busiest Emergency departments in the country to include:

1 An expanded and focused Behavioral Health Emergency department

2 An EmPATH Behavioral Crisis Unit

3 A shared set of resources to support patients, family, and staff.

This year’s participants explored the concept of an EmPATH unit, including an introduction to Dr. Scott Zeller’s objectives for behavioral health crisis stabilization units and the new FGI sections. They gained an understanding of the patients to be treated in the proposed design, including levels of acuity and voluntary and involuntary admissions. The program also covered trends in behavioral health and strategies to destigmatize mental health care within the emergency department. Guiding principles of trauma care were discussed, and an onsite visit to the site was conducted. The students were provided with a space program and staffing regulations, and each team member was responsible for their specific roles within the team.

Students from University of Florida, Drexel University, Ball State University, Georgia Tech College of Design, and Purdue University present their initial concepts.

Students were paired with peers from different institutions, including the University of Florida, Drexel University, Ball State University, Georgia Tech College of Design, and Purdue University.

Team 1 : Grady’s Arc of Care

Team 2 : Elevate

Team 3 : Connectivity

Team 4 : Nature and Nurture

The event begag with an introduction to the design problem by Page at their Atlanta office. Students toured the company’s portfolio of healthcare projects and visited the Grady site. Over 48 hours, the student teams worked intensely, guided by advisors attending the conference and later presenting to official jurors, providing valuable feedback and fostering a dynamic exchange of ideas throughout the charette.

Sponsors & Supporting Organizations

jurors review and deliberation after the students presented their final projects.

Gabriel Auffant Co-Chair Organizer Healthcare Client Leader | Sr. Associate

Leah Meer Co-Chair Organizer Health Planner HDR

Chris Ressler Firm Host Regional Director | Associate Principal

George Smith Advisor Sr. Architectural Project Manager

Kimberly McMurray Advisor Principa, BHFC Design

Grady’s Arc of Care

TEAM: EmpPATH Design Studio

Elevate TEAM: Elevate Health Group

Nature and Nurture

TEAM: The Nurture HealthCare Design Group

Connectivity

TEAM: Elevate Health Group

The PDC Student Design Challenge Celebrates

10 years of EXTREME COLLABORATION

Architecture + Engineering + Construction Management + Nursing

Launched in 2015, the first PDC Student Design Challenge marked the beginning of a decade-long journey that has significantly advanced collaboration across the healthcare design industry. What began as a bold initiative to engage students in real-world healthcare challenges has grown into a cornerstone of the PDC experience—fostering a culture of interdisciplinary learning and partnership among academic institutions, professional organizations, and industry leaders. Over the years, the challenge has not only provided students with invaluable mentorship and exposure, but it has also helped bridge the gap between education and practice, shaping the next generation of healthcare designers and thinkers.

At this year’s PDC Summit, a special general session commemorated the ten-year milestone with a panel discussion featuring a diverse cross-section of voices—students, educators, industry professionals, and organizers—who have contributed to the program’s evolution. Together, they shared powerful stories of growth, collaboration, and innovation, highlighting the profound and lasting impact the Student Design Challenge has had on participants and the broader healthcare design community. The session was a testament to what can be achieved when education and industry come together to inspire, support, and elevate design excellence.

Akshay Sangolli and Eugene Damaso give an overview of the innovative approach to the student competition that mimics real world collaboartion.

Each year, the PDC Student Design Challenge brings together universities from across the country, engaging students from four distinct disciplines—architecture, engineering, construction, and nursing— in an intense 48-hour design competition. This unique format has consistently proven to be both exhilarating and deeply impactful, offering an immersive experience that pushes participants beyond the boundaries of their individual fields. Working in interdisciplinary teams, students are challenged to collaborate under pressure, apply critical thinking, and propose thoughtful solutions to real-world healthcare design problems.

What makes this event truly special is not only the transformation seen in the students, but also the inspiration it provides to the professionals who serve as mentors, jurors, and facilitators. Year after year, the event showcases remarkable teamwork, resilience, and creative problem-solving— qualities that reflect the very best of what the next generation of healthcare design professionals has to offer. For all who witness the process—from students and educators to industry leaders—the Challenge serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of collaboration and the lasting value of investing in future talent.

As the founding chairperson, Akshay laid the foundation for the collaborative effort that would take place nationally over 10 years.

Akshay Sangolli is joined by panelists Chad Beebe, David Allison, Brad Benhart, Shannon Lightfoot, Elizabeth Johnson, Elizabeth Walker, and Eugene Damaso where they share the insights and experiences that can be found in the PDC Student Design Challenge.