Leah Hummel represents ASHE members through advocacy efforts including committee participation with several codes and standards affecting the healthcare physical environment, coordination with Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, accrediting organizations, and other authorities having jurisdiction. Leah also educates and writes on topics like the design and regulation of the healthcare environment, life safety, and emergency management in healthcare facilities.
Before joining ASHE, Leah worked for The Joint Commission, starting out as a Life Safety Code Surveyor and then as an Engineer with the Standards Interpretation Group.
She was also employed as a plans reviewer/construction inspector with the North Dakota Department of Health Division of Life Safety and Construction and as a hospital facility architect responsible for planning, design, and construction projects. She started her career as a design architect working primarily on healthcare projects.
Leah has been awarded a Bachelor of Architecture and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design from North Dakota State University. She also attained a Health Administration Certificate from the University of North Dakota.
Leah is a licensed architect in North Dakota and Minnesota. She maintains certification as a Certified Healthcare Facility Manager and Certified Healthcare Constructor by ASHE. She is a Certified Healthcare Operations Professional with DNV. She has also been recognized as a Senior member of ASHE for her commitment in advancing the profession of healthcare engineering.
Leah serves on NFPA 99 Fundamentals of Healthcare Facilities Committee; NFPA 99 and 99B Hyperbaric and Hypobaric Facilities Committee; NFPA 101 Board and Care Facilities Committee, and NFPA 101A Alternative Approaches to Life Safety Committee. She serves on ASHRAE 189.3 Design, Construction, and Operation of Sustainable High-Performance Health Care Facilities Committee, Facility Guidelines Institute Steering Committee, and the FGI Healthcare Guidelines Revision Committee. She is a member of the AIA Academy or Architecture for Health Codes and Standards Committee and is a Center for Health Design Knowledge Repository Partner.
Courses
Unlocking Challenges: Understanding Codes for Doors and Door Hardware in Health Care Environments
Tuesday, September 9, 2025 | 2:00-3:00pm ET
Specifically designed for healthcare architects and emerging professionals in healthcare design, this course offers a focused exploration of codes and regulations pertaining to doors and door hardware within healthcare facilities. The course will address the specific requirements for doors and hardware based on their use and occupancy, highlighting the critical need for highly durable, code-compliant, and safe solutions in hospitals. Key discussions will encompass essential aspects such as life safety, security, and long-term performance capabilities, detailing the basic regulatory requirements, various codes, and standards applicable to doors, especially those in a means of egress and their associated hardware. Attendees will gain insights into how door and hardware choices can impact design, learning practical tools for communicating door hardware and function, and discovering potential solutions for compliance to effectively prevent unintended code violations.