Deborah Wingler, PhD, MSD-HHE, EDAC, LSSYB

As Principal and Global Practice Director for Applied Research at HKS, Dr. Deborah Wingler collaborates across sectors to develop and implement applied deep dive studies and research services that drive innovation and achieve meaningful and measurable impact across the firm and health practice, globally. She also holds an appointment as Adjunct Faculty for Clemson University with the Center for Health Facilities Design and Testing and Architecture + Health program in the School of Architecture. Deborah’s research focuses on improving the user experience by eliciting insight into users’ affective responses to high stress healthcare environments. During her tenure at HKS, Deborah’s research has contributed to building the evidence base and developing the experience strategy for over 20 million sq ft of healthcare infrastructure. Through her research, she has worked with some of the most forward-thinking top 5 Fortune 500 companies, healthcare organizations and manufacturers, to reimagine primary, specialty, acute, and home healthcare. She is a well-known passionate patient and family advocate for healthcare design, researcher, speaker, and published author. She holds a Ph.D. from Clemson University in Healthcare Architecture and earned a M.S.D. in Healthcare Innovation from The Herberger Institute of Design at Arizona State University. Deborah holds several industry and academic awards. Most recently she was awarded HCD 10 researcher of the year for 2022 by Healthcare Design Magazine.