The Health Design Podcast

Dr. Gary Sprouse is a retired primary care physician who practiced in Maryland for 38 years. He graduated from George Washington University Medical School in the top 10% of his class and is a member of Mensa. He is committed to helping people improve their mental health. He has taken everything he has learned about stress reduction and crafted his award-winning book, Highway to Your Happy Place: A...

Kimberly Warner is a filmmaker, author, and patient advocate whose work explores what it means to live fully in a body that doesn’t always feel well. After studying pre-med and biology at Colorado College and pursuing graduate training in naturopathic and classical Chinese medicine, she veered from a clinical path toward a creative one, trading diagnostics for documentary and turning questions of...

Dr. Tyson Garfield is a geriatrician, educator, and health communicator dedicated to helping people live healthier, more financially empowered lives as they age. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Geriatric Medicine and the Associate Program Director of the Geriatric Fellowship at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, where he provides primary care for older adults and leads e...

Gina Chang, AIA, EDAC, is a Principal at CO Architects, based in Los Angeles. A healthcare architect and medical planner who has successfully led large teams through ambitious project goals for more than 20 years, Gina believes that a deep understanding of the client’s mission and culture is the key for successful healthcare facilities. She is an advocate for evidence-based design and biophilic de...

Dr. Michelle May is a former family physician and a recovered yo-yo dieter. Like many people in our current food-abundant, diet-obsessed culture, Michelle struggled with disordered eating and body image. From middle school to medical school, her unhealthy relationship with food was her secret, but in her medical practice, she discovered she wasn’t alone! Many of her patients were trying one diet a...

Dr. Gary Sprouse is a retired primary care physician who practiced in Maryland for 38 years. He graduated from George Washington University Medical School in the top 10% of his class and is a member of Mensa. He is committed to helping people improve their mental health. He has taken everything he has learned about stress reduction and crafted his award-winning book, Highway to Your Happy Place: A...

Mark Steven Porro, a New Jersey native (Exit 163), earned an Industrial Design degree from The Ohio State University. After years of agency work, his love of acting led him to Hollywood, where he appeared in dozens of television, film, and stage productions. Mark also spent his twenty-eight years in Tinseltown, entrepreneuring. He started five non-profit companies. But hold the applause, none were...

An unexpected breast cancer diagnosis at 33 years old empowered Jessica Baladad to channel her experience into a mission that’s changing the way women advocate for their medical care. The six-year cancer survivor created Feel For Your Life, a free mobile app that shows women how to perform self exams, track their progress and set monthly reminders. It’s the first of its kind created by a breast ca...

Rhonda Nelson, renowned patient advocate, author, speaker and philanthropist is a beacon of resilience and strength. Her charitable work spans championing equitable access to affordable healthcare, supporting those diagnosed with AERD (Aspirin Exacerbated Respiratory Disease), serving as a voice in the foster care system and encouraging women to reinvent themselves in their different stages of lif...

Mary Beth has been sober from her methamphetamine use disorder since 1994. She also is in recovery from abuse, trauma, and anxiety. She wrote about her story in her award-winning memoir From Junkie to Judge: One Woman’s Triumph Over Trauma and Addiction. Mary Beth is a Director for She Recovers Foundation and for LifeRing Secular Recovery. She also is on the Advisory Council for The Hyer Calling F...

Peter is of Greek descent and shows resilience and strength in facing the challenges of living with Beta Thalassaemia. Peter is passionate about supporting and advocating for others who share his condition. As an Early Childhood teacher, Peter uses his knowledge and personal experiences to assist families navigating the complexities of the health system and accessing vital services. He is a dedica...

Sarah Michelle Boes, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, is the Founder of Sarah Michelle NP Reviews and also served as the Chief Nursing Officer at Blueprint Test Prep. With a robust educational background including a BSN from the University of Kentucky and an MSN in Nursing Education from Western Governors University, Sarah has extensive experience in oncology, intensive care, and nursing education. After obtain...

Mr. Kedziora is the co-founder of Estenda Solutions, a leading company specializing in custom software development, data analysis, and AI for healthcare and medical companies. With a remarkable journey spanning over 30 years, he possesses a deep understanding of designing, developing, and deploying successful projects. His extensive experience enables him to provide valuable guidance and innovativ...

Emily is the Founder and CEO of Attane Health, a digital health company in the “food is medicine” space. Rooted in lived experience, Emily leads a passionate team dedicated to changing health outcomes through harnessing the healing power of food. After experiencing first-hand the challenges of managing chronic health conditions with limited resources, Emily founded Food Equality Initiative (FEI)....

Thomas Wong, AIA Thomas Wong is a Design Partner in Ennead Architects. Thomas has provided insightful design leadership on a broad range of building and program typologies, from museums to academic buildings and inpatient hospitals. The projects he has designed span multiple geographic regions, from Asia and the Middle East to cities across the United States. The diversity of typologies and contex...

Mahwish Syed is an award winning fashion and interior designer, celebrated author, cancer survivor, and devoted mother. Her creations have adorned bodies and homes for over two decades, fostering spaces that nurture and heal. Featured in distinguished publications like New York Times, Architectural Digest, Elle Décor, and Hamptons Cottages & Gardens, her designs transcend boundaries. Her book "Pur...

Mary I. O’Connor, MD is founder and Chief Medical Officer of Vori Health, a virtual musculoskeletal company focus on transforming the delivery of patient-centered and value drive care. She is a nationally recognized leader in health equity and Chair of the Board of Directors of Movement is Life, a nonprofit multi-stakeholder coalition committed to addressing musculoskeletal health disparities. Her...

Susannah Fox is a health and technology strategist. Her book, Rebel Health: A Field Guide to the Patient-Led Revolution in Medical Care, was recently published by MIT Press. She is a former Chief Technology Officer for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where she led an open data and innovation lab. She has served as the entrepreneur-in-residence at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundatio...

Tina M. Baxter, an advanced practice registered nurse and board certified gerontological nurse practitioner based in Anderson, Indiana, has over 20 years of experience as a registered nurse and 16 years as a nurse practitioner. She owns Baxter Professional Services, LLC, specializing in legal nurse consulting, wellness coaching, and healthcare educational resources. Tina hosts a weekly Facebook li...

David E. Montgomery is a board-certified cardiologist focusing on preventing heart disease at PREventClinic in Atlanta, where he is the founder and managing partner. Dr. Dave is also a sought-after TV personality, frequently appearing as a medical contributor on CNN/HLN and NewsNation. Dr. Dave was selected by his peers in Atlanta Magazine’s Top Doctors in 2022. Dr. Dave is the host of the web ser...

Epiphany Jordan, MPH, CPH, is on a mission to rebrand human touch. From 2013-2020, she provided platonic touch therapy in a ritualized setting with her business, the Austin-based Karuna Sessions. She is also the author of Somebody Hold Me: The Single Person's Guide to Nurturing Human Touch. Somebody Hold Me addresses the touch deficit singles face, and offers multiple solutions. She has appeared o...

Lori Abrams has been a consultant for the past year and a half, helping Organizations accomplish representation in their clinical trials. This has been achieved by developing patient and community focused Diversity Strategy Action Plans, incorporating the patient and caregiver’s voice into decision-making, and bringing tangible solutions to the visible and invisible barriers that prevent represent...

Jill Wener, MD is a board-certified Internist, certified EFT/tapping practitioner and trainer, anti-racism educator, DEI consultant, trauma specialist, allyship coach, expert in physician wellness, and Co-Founder and Partner at Conscious Anti-Racism, LLC. She is also a proudly anti-Zionist Jew, and is dedicated to fighting for freedom for people of all identities. Jill is passionate about helping...

Eric Fisher is a Candian certified counsellor with over 13 years experience working in inpatient and outpatient treatment environments. Originally from the US, Eric specializes in helping those with addiction and trauma. He operates his private practice, Recovery Arts Counselling, in Calgary, AB.

Brain cancer significantly impacts marriages, often increasing the risk of divorce. According to research published in the journal Cancer, women are six times more likely to end up separated or divorced if they are diagnosed with cancer ... than if their husbands were facing the same illness. The study suggests, "Early identification (marital discord) and psychosocial intervention (life coaching)...