Erin McNamara, CPSM
Since 2022
Active
SMPS DC member
AEC marketing professional
Erin leads market strategy for SmithGroup’s Health practice, the largest practice within one of the world’s preeminent integrated architecture, engineering, and planning firms. As Health Market Strategist and Associate, she oversees strategic and tactical activities encompassing research and knowledge management, environmental scanning, marketing and communications, staff and client development, and public relations to ensure market leadership and practice growth for SmithGroup’s interdisciplinary healthcare team.
Her extensive expertise spans healthcare strategic planning, evidence-based design research, knowledge management, and market intelligence with specialized understanding of healthcare delivery, patient experience, and long-term value creation. Erin brings deep knowledge of strategic issues affecting the healthcare industry, supporting breakthrough healthcare facility design that improves operations while creating thoroughly human healing environments. She is accredited in evidence-based design (EDAC) and leads in-house and outreach healthcare education and research efforts for the firm.
With 25+ years of experience in healthcare architecture and strategic planning, Erin has contributed to marketing and thought leadership excellence throughout her career at SmithGroup, advancing from Health Analyst to National Practice Marketing Manager to Health Practice Manager to her current role as Health Market Strategist. Her comprehensive understanding of healthcare planning, design, and delivery enables effective strategic support for complex healthcare projects spanning ambulatory care, hospitals, behavioral health, cancer care, long-term care, and wellness facilities serving communities throughout the United States.
Erin demonstrates exceptional professional leadership through her CPSM certification, Evidence-Based Design Accreditation and Certification (EDAC), and sustained commitment to advancing healthcare design through research, education, and professional engagement. Her thought leadership extends across multiple professional organizations including Women in Healthcare, where she serves on the Board of Directors as Director of Communications (January 2025-present) and previously served as Board Member and Communications Director for the DC Chapter (2022-2024).
Throughout her distinguished 25-year career at SmithGroup, Erin has earned recognition for marketing excellence, including an SMPS Marketing Communication Award. Her strategic approach to healthcare market intelligence and knowledge management has positioned SmithGroup’s Health practice as an industry leader in evidence-based design and patient-centered care environments. She serves on the AIA/AAH Academy Journal Editorial Review Committee (2019-present), contributing to scholarly discourse on healthcare architecture and design.
Erin brings significant thought leadership through her involvement in transformative healthcare research initiatives including SmithGroup’s award-winning “Fare2Care” concept (second place, Healthcare Design magazine Breaking Through competition 2020), “The Decaf Hospital” concept (first place, Breaking Through competition 2024), and comprehensive research on ambulatory care transformation, COVID-19 pandemic response frameworks, and future healthcare delivery models. Her strategic research initiatives explore innovative care delivery models, consumerism in healthcare, value-based care environments, and population health facility design.
Her expertise in evidence-based design research and healthcare strategic planning enables effective support for major academic medical centers, community hospitals, ambulatory care networks, and specialty healthcare facilities. Erin’s 25+ years of experience spanning healthcare analysis, marketing strategy, practice management, and market intelligence provides valuable industry perspective that enhances both individual and organizational professional excellence.
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