Heather Chung

Heather says she found her tribe at SmithGroup, "a group of people with smarts, strengths and experience that I could complement and learn from every day." She also found her calling as leader of the growing San Francisco Health Studio, where she directs the planning and design process for a wide range of health facilities, hospitals, outpatient clinics, wellness centers, senior living and other post-acute care facilities. "Healthcare is the rare field where architecture has the opportunity to engage and support people at their weakest and strongest—and make a real impact on the experience of being human," she states. She says she's learned some great lessons from, of all things, football. "It's not about the mistakes you make," she suggests. "It's about the comeback: how you face adversity, see the opportunity, share your vision and keep moving forward." Given the chance to go anywhere in the world, Heather's curious nature would opt not for a tropical beach, but the chance to peruse through the inventory of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.