Gensler Welcomes Stephanie Pons Reece As Regional Healthcare Practice Leader

Healthcare strategist and operational leader to drive innovation and strengthen partnerships with health systems and academic medical centers across the South Central Region

HOUSTON — Leading global architecture and design firm Gensler announced that Stephanie Pons Reece has joined the firm as Regional Healthcare Practice Area Leader, based in Houston.

At Gensler, Reece will focus on building strong collaborations with local health systems and academic medical centers, translating clinical and operational needs into environments that support healing, innovation, and adaptability. She aims to help shape the national dialogue on the future of healthcare design — ensuring it fosters positive outcomes, workforce well-being, and sustainable growth.

Commitment to Gensler’s Healthcare Practice

“Stephanie joins us as Gensler’s healthcare practice expands its reach across the South Central region and beyond,” said Alanna Carter, Global Healthcare Practice Area Leader at Gensler. “Her expertise in aligning care delivery with capital planning, operational efficiency, and long-term strategy directly supports our radically human approach — designing healthcare environments that meet the emotional, physical, and technological needs of patients, families, clinicians, and researchers.”

A proven leader in healthcare strategy, operations, and design, Reece has a track record of guiding both U.S. health systems and global programs through complex transformation. She has consulted with some of the nation’s largest healthcare organizations, partnering with them on operational master planning, optimizing workflows, and tackling capital planning challenges. Her experience spans the U.S. and international markets, including public health initiatives in South Africa, Spain, and Argentina. By combining her leadership with our cross-industry insights, from science and digital experience to hospitality and education, we’re moving healthcare beyond convention toward connected, resilient, and people-first innovation.

Looking Ahead

“My belief in the power of healthcare design to promote human dignity is what motivates me,” said Reece. “Joining Gensler allows me to help organizations deliver exceptional care and create positive experiences for patients, families, and care teams.”

Prior to joining Gensler, Reece worked at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital. At Baylor, she contributed to research for Acute Myeloid Leukemia, while at Texas Children’s she collaborated on program development for the Global HOPE Program in Malawi, advancing pediatric cancer care in Sub-Saharan Africa. She also managed large-scale, system ambulatory initiatives and oversaw the Neurosurgery Division with the Division Chief as part of the Department of Surgery. These experiences deepened her understanding of how the built environment impacts healthcare delivery.

Reece holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from Middlebury College, a Master of Public Health from Brown University, an MBA from Rice University, and a certification in Data Visualization from Cornell University. She serves on a committee with the International Society of Pediatric Oncology and is passionate about advancing care models that support both patients and providers.

About Gensler

At Gensler, the value of our work stems from its positive impact on the human experience. We are a dynamic and collaborative design firm uniting creativity, research, and innovation to solve complex problems for our clients. Our work challenges conventional ideas about architecture and the built environment. We aren’t just designing buildings — we are reimagining cities and places that make a difference in people’s lives. Founded in 1965, Gensler has built a team of 6,000 professionals who partner with clients in over 100 countries each year. Everything we do is guided by our mission: to create a better world through the power of design.