Stephen N. Parker

I am an architect, a design advocate, that fellow sketching on napkins.

I serve as a dedicated Behavioral Health Planner & Mental Health Design subject matter expert at Stantec. Co-leading our boundaryless Behavioral & Mental Health Practice on a range of mental health projects at all scales from the Arctic to Australasia, I help clients envision experiential environments that harmonize evidence-based design with empathy. I'm blessed to learn from and work with an inclusive team of designers, engineers and specialists in an encouraging, inquisitive and innovative culture.

I'm drawn to projects of purpose, whether providing the best care environments possible for mental health patients, design research that makes care more accessible or partnering with communities to innovate practice for the future. As a firm believer in architects as advocates, we have the duty to design with both efficacy and empathy in mind.

I am heavily involved with a number of organizations, such as the AIA, CHD, Design in Mental Health Network, UIA and others across North America and abroad. Locally, I advocate for issues that impact our communities through such organizations as DCBIA. I've been a guest critic at schools of architecture across the globe, where I continue to mentor aspiring architects and advocate for the profession. As well, I regularly volunteer as a design leader serving communities in need, such as AEC Cares & eMi. I find that design advocacy - for our communities and our profession - drives a sense of purpose in my practice.