2026 HEALTH FACILITIES PLANNING SEMINAR SPEAKERS
MICRO, BUT MIGHTY: BRINGING CARE TO THE COMMUNITY WITH
MICRO-HOSPITALS
THURSDAY MARCH 26 | 8:30a
Andrew Zimmer; HGA
Andrew is a Healthcare Principal at HGA, with extensive experience leading diverse project engagements on regional and national scales. Known for his open-minded curiosity, Andrew leads teams to develop innovative programming, planning, and design solutions that align with client strategies, enhance project quality, and provide lasting value for healthcare organizations and their patients. His work consistently reflects a commitment to creating innovative, patient-centered environments that drive measurable outcomes and long-term success.
Megan Zak; HGA
Megan is an Engineering Principal at HGA who partners closely with regional healthcare systems to deliver complex hospital and ambulatory projects with a focus on efficiency, flexibility, and constructability. She brings deep experience working in active healthcare environments and leveraging innovative delivery strategies, including Lean processes, modularization, and prefabrication, to improve outcomes for patients, staff, and project teams. As a board member of the Lean Construction Institute’s Wisconsin Chapter, Megan integrates Lean principles throughout design and construction, helping clients achieve greater reliability, sustainability, and long-term value. She is known for her collaborative leadership style and ability to align engineering solutions with clinical, operational, and financial priorities
WHAT IS THE REAL WHY OF HEALTHCARE DESIGN?
THURSDAY MARCH 26 | 9:30a
Gary Schindele is an Executive Board Member and Fellow (FHFI) of the Health Facility Institute and a Certified Healthcare Emergency Professional (CHEP). A nationally recognized speaker, he is a leading expert in equipment management design and implementation and has served on two Facility Guidelines Institute (FGI) committees focused on emergency surge and alternate care sites. With more than 40 years in the industry, Gary has contributed to hundreds of healthcare projects worldwide, specializing in workflow optimization and flexible clinical environments designed for post-occupancy change. His clinical background includes pre-hospital and emergency department care. A former paramedic, he has served as a volunteer EMT and firefighter for 50 years and is active with disaster response organizations.
Sandra Bradley, Guidon
MOBILE MEDICAL CARE FOR RURAL NORTHERN MICHIGAN
THURSDAY MARCH 26 | 10:45a
Dr. David Klee, a Minnesota native, earned a magna cum laude degree in Biology from Luther College and completed medical school at the University of Minnesota Duluth, where he served as class president and participated in the Rural Physician Associate Program. He completed his Family Medicine residency in Midland, Michigan, and spent nine years practicing full-spectrum rural family medicine in northern Wisconsin. In 2009, he relocated to Traverse City and now serves as Associate Program Director of the Munson Family Medicine Residency, Professor of Family Medicine at Michigan State University, and Community Assistant Dean for MSU’s College of Human Medicine. A Fellow of the AAFP, Dr. Klee co-founded TC Street Medicine and remains a leader in street medicine education, research, and international health.
Kelly J. Clark, MD, is a family medicine physician practicing in Traverse City who values building meaningful relationships with her patients and caring for individuals across all stages of life. She has a special interest in pediatrics, women’s health and prenatal care, sports medicine, developmental disabilities and care for children and adolescents with special needs, wilderness medicine, travel and international medicine, public health, and LGBTQ+ care. Dr. Clark emphasizes shared decision-making, working collaboratively with patients to develop care plans that reflect their goals and are grounded in evidence-based medicine. Outside of practice, she enjoys spending time outdoors, traveling, exploring food, music, and art, and caring for pets of all kinds.
CODE WORD JOY
THURSDAY, MARCH 26 | 1:00p
Dean Lincoln Hyers, SagePresence
Dean Lincoln Hyers is the co-founder of SagePresence, where he has helped architecture, engineering, and construction teams secure more than $18 billion in project awards by strengthening confident presence in shortlist interviews. A former filmmaker, Dean applies storytelling and performance techniques to high-stakes communication, coaching professionals ranging from architects and attorneys to covert agents. After surviving both a violent mugging and a cancer diagnosis, he transformed personal adversity into a powerful framework for courage and connection, forming the basis of his keynote and book, CODEWORD: JOY — The Survivor’s Guide to Inner Light. Working at the intersection of business and humanity, Dean helps leaders and teams turn fear into purpose and presence into impact.
DESIGNING RECOVERY: EXPLORING RESPITE TO MITIGATE HEALTHCARE WORKER BURNOUT
THURSDAY, MARCH 26 | 2:00p
Julie Ngo MD Candidate, Boston University School of Medicine
Julie is currently a 3rd year medical student at Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine with a passion for understanding how thoughtful design impacts health and wellness. She joined the research team at SmithGroup to explore the intersection of healthcare and architecture, bringing a perspective shaped by her degree in neuroscience and current clinical experiences. Julie aims to combine her knowledge of brain function and behavior with her medical training to investigate how built environments influence the psychology of healthcare workers and patients, contributing to the team’s efforts in fostering environments that support recovery.
Tripti Singh, EDAC, LEED AP, SmithGroup
Tripti has over twenty years of professional experience in holistic health research and project planning. She emphasizes evidence-based design, neuroscience, and trauma-informed design, focusing on a biopsychosocial approach to trauma. Her work involves bridging research and design by analyzing human interactions with the built environment physiologically, psychologically, and behaviorally. Tripti's expertise spans various types of healthcare projects, providing valuable insights for creating effective and supportive healing environments to improve the well-being of individuals and communities.
Neil Abrams, EDAC, SmithGroup
Neil is a healthcare planner, researcher, designer, and sustainability specialist with ten years of experience with numerous healthcare projects varying in type, scale and location. He focuses on the convergence of research, data, and human-centered design to positively impact building planning to benefi t occupants and health outcomes. His education, career experience, and EDAC certifi cation provide valuable insight toward investigating and implementing design and research solutions within healing spaces.
THE ELECTRIFICATION OF HOSPITALS
THURSDAY, MARCH 26 | 3:15p
Mark Chrisman, PE, PHD, Henderson Engineers, Inc
Mark is a rare breed of smart. Not only does he love to learn, but he also naturally teaches those around him. As our health sector executive, Mark coordinates strategy for Henderson’s health sector across the country. Mark has designed healthcare environments for some of the biggest names in the industry, providing technical expertise on fire protection and code consulting. He is known for his uncanny ability to recall specific codes and uses his immense knowledge of regulatory compliance requirements to help save clients’ money and time on projects.
Brian Alessi, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, CPHC, Henderson Engineers, Inc
Brian is a key member of our technical leadership team as we continue to align our offerings with what’s best for our planet. A 20-year veteran of sustainable design, he is responsible for leading our efforts to create building systems that are healthy, sustainable, and resilient. His knack for coming up with innovative sustainable solutions is invaluable to our environmentally conscious clients who count on him for guidance. Brian is a firm believer that sustainability blends design, equity, and social good. It’s a cause he also champions industry-wide as a member of the Los Angeles chapters of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
MASTER PLANNING FOR STRATEGIC GROWTH
FRIDAY MARCH 27 | 8:30a
Damir Vukovljak AIA, Jensen Partners
As a Jensen Partners Vice President, licensed architect, and medical planner, Damir leads strategic facilities planning, development of needs projections, space programming, and master plan implementation. Trusted advisor to executive stakeholders, physician groups and governing officials, he focuses on the integration of physical and operational planning through problem definition, situation assessment, and scenario testing. He has worked extensively to generate master plans and define the future care model for safety-net hospitals, academic medical centers, and innovative health systems across the country. Damir works closely with executives and project owners to ensure projects get funded and implemented.
Kathleen Hylka, Jensen Partners
Kathleen is responsible for Facilities Operations, Food Services, Housekeeping, Employee Health and Safety, Public Safety and Transportation, Emergency Management, Design and Construction, and Business Continuity. She has 29 years’ experience in healthcare, with the last 19 years in the hospital setting. She joined UMass Memorial in 2006, as the Director of Strategic Space Planning and spearheaded many notable projects across the system.
HEALTHCARE VENTILATION UPDATE
FRIDAY, MARCH 27 | 9:30a
Jonathan Flannery, ASHE/AHA
As the Senior Associate Director, ASHE Regulatory Affairs of the American Society for Health Care Engineering of the American Hospital Association, Jonathan manages ASHE’s advocacy relations to federal agencies and code development organizations that affect the healthcare physical environment. Jonathan provides testimony, engages in deliberation, and develops public comments on proposed regulations to the benefit of ASHE and AHA members. Jonathan currently serves as a voting member of ASHRAE SSPC 241, 514 and 170, Chair of the G43 Work Group, voting member of NFPA 90A & B and the ICC Committee on Health Care. Jonathan has over 36 years of health care engineering experience and has served as ASHE faculty teaching national programs on healthcare construction, managing life safety, fundamentals of healthcare engineering and has presented at national conferences in relation to the physical environment. Jonathan is a certified health care facility manager, has a master’s in health systems administration and fellow status with ASHE and ACHE.
NITROUS OXIDE PIPING SYSTEM DECOMMISSIONING
FIRDAY, MARCH 27 | 10:45a
Philip Guster, Henry Ford Health
Philip A. Guster is Director of System Sustainability at Henry Ford Health, where he oversees day-to-day sustainability initiatives and co-leads the System Sustainability Committee. His work includes data collection, analysis, and reporting, as well as the implementation of strategies that advance energy efficiency and organizational sustainability goals. Prior to joining Henry Ford Health, Philip led DTE Energy’s Energy Efficiency portfolio, managing the development and deployment of innovative residential and commercial programs that served more than three million customers. He holds an MBA from Walsh College and a BS in Industrial Engineering from Western Michigan University and is a Certified Energy Manager (CEM) and Project Management Professional (PMP).
MICHIGAN UNIFORM ENERGY CODE UPDATES
FIRDAY, MARCH 27 | 12:00p
Sean Costello, AIA, Diekema Hamann Architecture & Engineering
Sean, a Project Architect at DHAE, has been part of many projects providing architectural services for healthcare organizations. His experience, expertise, and client relationships offer him the opportunity to work on a range of interesting and challenging projects. Sean is dedicated to over seeing successful planning, execution, monitoring, and delivery of his projects, keeping within scope, budget, and timeline. He ensures alignment with organizational goals, regulatory standards, and stakeholder expectations, while promoting collaboration across clinical, technical, and operational teams.
Phil Nicholson, PE, Diekema Hamann Architecture & Engineering
Phil Nicholson is a Principal/Senior Electrical Engineer with DHAE. As an electrical engineer, Phil’s “Type A” personality has proven to be a perfect fit. The requirement for the utmost attentions to detail, organization, code proficiency, and industry best practice research, have satisfied his competitive spirit. Phil actively led and expanded the electrical engineering department to what it has become today. He implements knowledge of the guidelines for the design and construction of healthcare facilities, regulatory codes, and hospital facility licensing standards in all projects.
Brett Smith, PE, Diekema Hamann Architecture & Engineering
After 25 years of equipment design, Brett decided to branch out into the larger world of building design. Brett is a Senior Mechanical Engineer at DHAE. The knowledge and collaborative drive to satisfy the customer’s requirements is something he truly enjoys being a part of. Brett has become one of our in-house experts of commissioning. He divides his time between mechanical engineering and commissioning projects.
Maxwell Murray, PE, Diekema Hamann Architecture & Engineering
Maxwell is an Associate/Senior Electrical Engineer at DHAE. Max is a dedicated engineer focused on achieving the best outcome for clients and his own organization by developing tools and processes to ensure a successful result. He creates and maintains documentation processes so projects are organized and accessible to both the DHAE team, clients and stakeholders to secure the success of current and future engagements. His commitment to the field and his knowledge of guidelines for the design and construction of facility licensing standards make him an asset to this or any team.
BUREAU OF FIRE SERVICES (BFS) CODE UPDATES
FRIDAY, MARCH 27 | 1:00p
Joe Forro, Bureau of Fire Services
Joe Forro has served as the Operations Chief of the Bureau of Fire Services at the State of Michigan since August 2021 where he oversees all Plan review and Fire inspection activities. Prior to that, he was the Milwaukee County Fire Chief for 5 years and served in the US Air Force for over 23 years in a variety of fire safety positions and assignments
Rick Day, Bureau of Fire Services
Rick Day is the Bureau of Fire Services Region 3 State Fire Marshal Supervisor. Rick has been a State Fire Marshal Inspector with the Bureau of Fire Services for over 22 years. He is a NFPA Certified Fire Inspector, NFPA Certified Plan Examiner and a Registered State of Michigan Plan Reviewer of Fire Protection Systems. Rick is a Principal Voting member of 16 NFPA Technical Committees. He has decades of experience inspecting hospitals, surgery centers, hospices, schools, colleges and many other state regulated facilities. He also has extensive experience completing over 500 CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) Deemed Status Surveys of Hospitals, Surgery Centers, and Nursing Homes.