By Lindsey Coulter
Alexandria Supino, AIA, NCARB, EDAC, recently joined Gresham Smith’s Charlotte, N.C., office as healthcare studio leader. In her new role, Supino will oversee studio operations and project delivery, partner with market leadership to support professional development and design excellence, and help strengthen client relationships and pursuit efforts across the region. Supino most recently served as studio lead at Scope Architectural Consulting and previously was a senior associate with E4H Architecture. She also held leadership roles at HDR across healthcare and Department of Defense projects, is a licensed architect, and earned a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Healthcare Market Vice President Corie Baker said Supino brings “a valuable combination of healthcare planning insight, design leadership and project delivery experience,” adding that her patient- and staff-centered approach and mentoring capabilities will support growth.
As she steps into her new role, Supino spoke with Healthcare Construction + Operations News about why she returned to lead in her hometown, what she plans to prioritize in year one, and how human-centered and evidence-based strategies translate into practical, buildable decisions.
HCO: What drew you to join Gresham Smith as Healthcare Studio Leader in Charlotte at this point in your career?
Supino: Charlotte is my home, and as a native Charlottean I care deeply about the Queen City. This role gives me the opportunity to make a real impact on healthcare right here in our community and help ensure Charlotte has the very best. After getting to know the Gresham Smith team, I could genuinely see myself building something meaningful here and now as Studio Leader, I’m excited to mentor and support the team, grow the practice, and bring the lessons I’ve learned throughout my career to help others succeed.
HCO: What are your priorities for the Charlotte Healthcare Studio in your first year?
Supino: In my first year, my top priorities are to support and develop our team, put a clear growth strategy in place, and strengthen our reputation as Charlotte’s go-to healthcare design studio, known for elevated design and deep local expertise.
HCO: You’ve emphasized patient-, family-, and staff-centered environments. What does truly human-centered healthcare design look like in today’s market?
Supino: Human-centered healthcare design starts with designing for every occupant from patients and families to visitors and staff, because each group experiences spaces differently. In our Charlotte Studio, we identify those users and map their journeys through spaces to understand what they need and how they move through the environment. From there, we design spaces that support great care delivery while feeling more intuitive, comfortable and welcoming for everyone.
HCO: How do you translate research into practical solutions for healthcare clients?
Supino: I translate evidence-based research by pairing proven best practices with direct input from the people who use the space every day. Our team listens closely to our clients and then turns what we learn into clear, buildable decisions — down to the placement of equipment, accessories, charging locations and outlets. That level of detail supports smoother workflows for staff and helps create better outcomes for patients.
HCO: Charlotte and the broader Southeast continue to grow rapidly. What healthcare facility trends are you seeing in this region, and how should providers prepare?
Supino: One major trend that healthcare is seeing is the rapid growth of advanced therapies like Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) and CAR T-cell therapy. Delivering these programs effectively requires a coordinated set of spaces, including the BMT lab, phlebotomy, and infusion, designed to work together as one clear patient experience. Providers should prepare by planning flexible, scalable environments that keep these functions together, potentially in a dedicated outpatient facility, so care can be located closer to the communities that need it with less travel and fewer steps for patients.
HCO: You’ve led work ranging from renovations and clinic fit-outs to medical office buildings and larger healthcare projects. How are client priorities shifting across these project types?
Supino: Across project types, clients are still prioritizing the patient room and the care experience, but they’re getting much more intentional about how every remaining square foot is used. Once patient capacity is met, many health systems are investing the remaining space for staff support, such as larger break rooms, additional charting or dictation areas, more storage, and practical amenities for visitors. The shift is to design smarter, more efficient layouts that improve day-to-day operations and boost both staff and patient satisfaction.
HCO: Many healthcare systems are balancing cost pressures with the need to modernize facilities. How can design teams help clients achieve both financial discipline and innovation?
Supino: Design teams can help clients balance cost and modernization by focusing first on what drives care delivery and performance, especially the right equipment and the spaces that support it. From there, we look for durable, low maintenance materials and a neutral, flexible base palette that can evolve over time with targeted updates like art, lighting, and wall finishes. Those smaller, strategic improvements can create a modern feel and measurable impact without overextending the budget.