The Architecture of Mental Health

This educational session will provide an overview of the history and current state of mental health facilities design, aloong with an exploration of future challenges to creating safety and security in these spaces. Additionally, the program will share principles and examples for visioning the future for behavioral health design. Speakers Erin Sharp-Newton from Posen Architects and Kimberly McMurray from BHFC Design Consultants have extensive experience in this market segment and have developed a presentation to educate participants about this relevant topic, which also addresses the COVID-19 pandemic and how architects are responding to behavioral health needs within our communities.

Speakers:
Kimberly McMurray, AIA, EDAC, Principal, Behavioral Health Facility Consulting
Erin Sharp Newton, Healthcare Design Director, Posen Architects

Moderator:
Elizabeth Sullivan, Associate AIA, LEED GA, EDAC, Healthcare Practice Leader, NK Architects

About the Speakers:

Erin Sharp-Newton is the Healthcare Design Director at Posen Architects and a UDMH Fellow. Sharp-Newton brings years of recognized local, national, and international design experience, with a special passion for how environments impact mental health. Her unique experience and advocacy contribute a sharp, intense, and humanistic approach to architecture, design, and culture. Supporting grass roots to global solutions, Sharp-Newton also serves as Chair for the Local Advisory Community on Drugs and Alcohol for the Department of Health & Human Services, member of the AIA NJ Equity In Architecture Committee, CNJ liaison for the AIA NJ Women in Architecture Committee, trustee for AIA CNJ, Vice-President of the Executive Board of the Hunterdon Drug Awareness Program, and on the Morristown Mayor’s Wellness Committee. She has received acknowledgments throughout her career such as the NJ Biz 50 Best Women in Business Award and recognition by the Charter High School of Architecture and Design. Sharp-Newton holds a Master’s Degree in Architecture from UCLA and a Master in Design from Domus Academy in Milan, Italy. She was a Creative Director with Cibic Workshop in Milan and has been active with major architecture/design schools such as the Domus Academy, Milan Polytecnico, and Venice Polytecnico, Sci-Arc, UCLA, Woodbury, the Art Institute, Drexel, Moore College of Art, Cornell University, and others. She is a regular contributor to Archinect.com.

Kimberly McMurray is Principal of Behavioral Health Facility Consulting, LLC a 100% Woman Owned Enterprise. McMurray, an expert in behavioral health design, is a practicing healthcare planner and architect with over 35 years of leadership experience in healthcare on academic, non-profit, and private medical campus architecture. Collaborating with multidisciplinary user groups has provided her with a unique perspective to client needs. She leads projects from programming to concept development through design by applying her knowledge of clinical operations, evidence-based design, and lean operational planning. McMurray is a registered architect and earned her Evidence Based Design Certification from the Center for Health Design. She holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Arizona State University and a Master of Business Administration from University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Elizabeth Sullivan is a Healthcare Practice Leader at NK Architects in NYC, with headquarters in Morristown NJ. Sullivan has extensive management and medical planning experience. As a healthcare planner, she specializes in medical master planning, small-and large-scale facilities, and complex multi-phased projects. She manages and coordinates with leadership, reconciling key stakeholder and user requirements with applicable codes and guidelines to achieve design solutions that meet programmatic needs and translate into cohesive planning concepts. Additionally, Sullivan worked as both a Project Manager and later as a Director of Facilities and Real Estate Planning for Montefiore Health System in New York. She has unique inside experience working as the client and understands the entire project process from the owner’s perspective. Sullivan is Co-Chair of the AIANY Design for Health Committee. She holds Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Architecture from Tulane University. 

This event is offered virtually; you will receive an email with a Zoom link to access the program.