Vice President | HKS
Erin is on a mission to cultivate health, well-being, and belonging through design. She is a vice president, licensed architect, and researcher at HKS. Erin’s passion for creating environments that support health, happiness, and well-being drives her evidence-based, user-centered approach to design. In her leadership role at HKS, she helps integrate research and practice to advance design for health, combat loneliness, and foster resilience across the globe. Erin’s research has been published in international scientific journals and industry publications across the globe, including Fast Company, Metropolis, Environment & Behavior, Health Environments Research and Design, and The Architects Handbook of Professional Practice. Erin was named a Best Under 40 in Architecture for Health by the American Institute for Architects, and a Rising Star by Healthcare Design Magazine.
She is active in giving back to the design for health community as a speaker, mentor, teacher and board member, and was adjunct faculty at The Pratt Institute, and New York School of Interior Design, where she still serves on the Advisory Board. She is a Cornell Institute for Health Future’s industry scholar, and serves as an advisor for the WELL building standard. She was recently appointed as a board member of the City of Dallas, South Dallas Fair Park Opportunity Fund. Board She served as trustee and research chair for the Academy of Architecture for Health Foundation for close to a decade. Her research has been published in international scientific journals and industry publications, including Fast Company, Psychology Today, Environment & Behavior, Health Environments Research & Design, Journal of Nursing Administration and The Architects Handbook of Professional Practice. Erin was awarded the AIA Henry Adams Certificate for excellence in architecture, and the AIA-AAH Arthur N. Tuttle Fellowship for her work on design for healthcare teamwork. She was named Best Under 40 in Architecture for Health by the American Institute for Architects (2015), 40 Under 40 by Building Design and Construction (2020), a Top Young Professional by Engineering News Record (2021), and a Rising Star by Healthcare Design Magazine (2019).
Courses
So You Want to Design for All? Designing for Mental Health
The past 2+ years of a global pandemic and increased calls for racial justice, coupled with the threats of climate change have only amplified the impacts and disparities of mental health and highlighted the intersection of identity and economic inequality with mental health.
This webinar will provide a platform for an open dialogue with the goal of de-stigmatizing discussions of mental health and advancing the conversation. The panelists and moderator will present their past personal experiences and perspectives, along with their design work to discuss how architects can better address mental health in workplace culture, our communities, and our practice.
Attendees will hear from a diverse group of architects and designers who are committed to design that addresses mental health challenges and barriers and works towards a healthier, more equitable future for all. The panelists will share their background, vision, project samples, and insights in why consideration for mental health and the varied perspectives and needs of individuals is imperative for architects and their communities. Attendees will learn various methods of incorporating considerations of mental health in their practice and daily lives and encourage the audience to continue the conversation outside of the webinar with actionable suggestions.
The panelists will expand on how and why architects should take on a leadership role in this area and advocate for spaces where all may thrive. This session will have ample Q&A time, allowing for attendees to engage with the panelists.
Hosted by YAF.
This session was recorded live on December 6, 2022.
Course expires 10/23/2025