"When one of us rises, all of us rise." –Kristin Leija on the Healthcare Interior Design 2.0 podcast

Today on the pod, Cheryl sits down—virtually—with Kristin Leija, RID, CIDQ, CHID, EDAC, LEED Green Associate, WELL AP — Registered Interior Designer & Certified Healthcare Interior Designer at Perkins&Will in San Antonio, TX.

Kristin brings big-firm reach with a startup spirit—supporting teams across Texas while anchoring in San Antonio's historic Pearl District. As a post-COVID entrant to healthcare design, she pairs digital fluency with CHID/EDAC rigor and a community-first mindset. 

We talk building credibility without 20 years on the clock, designing for a multicultural city, caregiver realities (including her own), and the rising focus on behavioral health and "living design" sustainability.

What We Cover

• Post-COVID vantage point: translating six-foot spacing, touch reduction, and one-way flows into healthcare planning

• Earning trust early: leading with research, active listening, and co-authoring solutions with clients

• Community + culture → design: how San Antonio's "smallest big city" vibe shows up in wayfinding, lobbies, and public spaces

• Caregiver lens: where do you take sensitive calls, decompress, or bring a child while visiting?

• Behavioral health everywhere: why BH thinking is showing up across non-BH projects

• Futurism in practice: scanning signals, staying curious, and shaping what's next

• Living design: Perkins&Will's holistic take on health, wellness, sustainability, and poetics

Key Takeaways

• Curiosity beats tenure. Showing up with relevant research and good questions builds credibility fast.

• Design the whole journey. Spaces that respect caregivers' needs (privacy, quiet, nooks) change the experience.

• Culture isn't décor. Authentic place-based cues support wayfinding, belonging, and ease.

• Behavioral health is universal. Small, thoughtful interventions can lower stress across all settings.

• Be a futurist. Track signals, share knowledge, and help clients prepare—not just react.

Connect with Kristin Leija

• Email: kristin.leija@perkinswill.com

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-leija/

Resources & Shout-outs

• Perkins&Will — San Antonio Studio — Kristin's team; community-rooted healthcare design. https://perkinswill.com/studio/san-antonio/ Perkins&Will

• Pearl District (San Antonio) — Historic brewery reimagined as a cultural hub where Kristin's studio is based. https://atpearl.com/ Pearl

• Culinary Institute of America — San Antonio (at Pearl) — Daily energy and inspiration right outside the studio. https://www.ciachef.edu/cia-texas/ Culinary Institute of America

• Fiesta San Antonio — The city's "party with a purpose," celebrating culture and community each April. https://fiestasanantonio.org/ Fiesta San Antonio

• UTSA — The University of Texas at San Antonio — Local research partner ecosystem Kristin references. https://www.utsa.edu/ UT San Antonio

• Wilford Hall Medical Center — Former USAF medical hub meaningful in Kristin's family story. https://www.army.mil/article/273984/wilford_hall_preserving_a_legacy_brick_by_brick Army

Design frameworks & focus areas

• Perkins&Will — Living Design — Holistic health, sustainability, and poetics in practice. https://perkinswill.com/living-design/ Perkins&Will

• Behavioral Health Design — Kristin's recent work; principles that translate across care settings. (Overview article you can cite as needed.) https://healthcaredesignmagazine.com/news/perkinswill-opens-new-design-studio-in-san-antonio/64570/ HCD Magazine

• Foresight / Futurism in Design — Signal-scanning mindset to prepare clients for what's next. (Visitor guide to Pearl as a culture/innovation anchor.) https://www.visitsanantonio.com/plan-your-trip/neighborhood-guide/pearl-district/ Visit San Antonio

Credentials & organizations

• CHID — Certified Healthcare Interior Designer (AAHID) https://aahid.org/certification/ AAHID

• EDAC — The Center for Health Design https://www.healthdesign.org/certification-outreach/edac/ Health Design

• LEED Green Associate — USGBC https://www.usgbc.org/credentials/leed-green-associate U.S. Green Building Council

• WELL AP — IWBI https://www.wellcertified.com/well-ap wellcertified.com

• NCIDQ / CIDQ https://www.cidq.org/ CIDQ

Our Industry Partners

The world is changing quickly. The Center for Health Design is committed to providing the healthcare design and senior living design industries with the latest research, best practices and innovations. The Center can help you solve today's biggest healthcare challenges and make a difference in care, safety, medical outcomes, and the bottom line.  Find out more at healthdesign.org.

Additional support for this podcast comes from our industry partners:

• The American Academy of Healthcare Interior Designers

• The Nursing Institute for Healthcare Design

Learn more about how to become a Certified Healthcare Interior Designer®  by visiting the American Academy of Healthcare Interior Designers at: https://aahid.org/.

Connect to a community interested in supporting clinician involvement in design and construction of the built environment by visiting The Nursing Institute for Healthcare Design at https://www.nursingihd.com/

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The world is changing quickly. The Center for Health Design is committed to providing the healthcare design and senior living design industries with the latest research, best practices and innovations. The Center can help you solve today's biggest healthcare challenges and make a difference in care, safety, medical outcomes, and the bottom line.  Find out more at healthdesign.org.

Additional support for this podcast comes from our industry partners:

• The American Academy of Healthcare Interior Designers

• The Nursing Institute for Healthcare Design

Learn more about how to become a Certified Healthcare Interior Designer®  by visiting the American Academy of Healthcare Interior Designers at: https://aahid.org/.

Connect to a community interested in supporting clinician involvement in design and construction of the built environment by visiting The Nursing Institute for Healthcare Design at https://www.nursingihd.com/

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