Community Impact

We often talk about the vital importance of community to developing and achieving our mission, vision and goals. In fact, one of the three tenets of the new strategy we unveiled last year was “Build broader and deeper communities.”

At The Center, our communities take on a wide range of purposes, sizes and makeups – from our Affiliates, Research Coalition, Environmental Standards Council and our new Environment Networks, to our EDAC practitioners, Sponsor Partner supporters, and legion of volunteers who serve as award jurors, webinar and workshop presenters, EBD coaches and more.

One of our communities that’s small in size but mighty in its impact on The Center’s direction and success includes our Board of Directors and Advisory Board – active and retired experts from all facets of the healthcare design industry who passionately and generously share their time, ideas and guidance to help The Center’s executive team strategize, address challenges, and evaluate and pursue opportunities.

Last month our boards gathered as guests of Steelcase at their headquarters in Grand Rapids to explore ways to strengthen, nurture, and sustain community, and discover ways to leverage our communities to inspire innovation and ensure innovations are implemented and produce the desired impacts.

It was a head-spinning two days that began with a tour of the Steelcase Learning and Innovation Center and a sneak peek at Steelcase’s new “Project Ghost” video conferencing unit, before diving into an interactive workshop – “Leveraging Community for Impact” – conducted by Dr. Tracy Brower, VP of Workplace Insight for Steelcase. Tracy led us through the elements of effective communities, keys to creating connections, and defining and measuring success.

I want to take this opportunity to thank our Steelcase hosts President Jim Stelter, VP of Sales Healthcare Benjamin Pratt, Dr. Brower and their team for an amazingly productive and enjoyable two days.

I also want to invite you to “meet” our Board of Directors and Advisory Board here on our website. As a lean, mean, non-profit machine we couldn’t begin to afford the caliber of counsel we receive from these amazing folks and can’t begin to fully express our gratitude.

Be Well,

Debra Levin, Hon. FASID, EDAC
President and CEO