Kimball International’s “Experience as Medicine” Booth wins healthcare expo’s Best Brand Storytelling award
During the 2026 Healthcare Design Conference & Expo (HCD), Kimball International’s booth space focused on “Experience as Medicine.”
According to a press release on the award, their stunning structure was designed around one simple belief; that healthcare environments are not passive backdrops. They actively shape how people feel, respond, connect, and heal. Every space, product, and design feature demonstrated how environments can reduce stress, create belonging, support resilience, and improve the care experience.
HCD attendees voted for their favorite exhibitors throughout the expo hall. They were challenged to recognize creativity, innovation, and engaging experiences, and Kimball International’s booth won the Best Brand Storytelling award and was recognized as a standout booth.
The booth space included dedicated vignettes that showcased how Kimball International’s solutions and design thinking can create spaces that aid in the healing experience. From community zones and a mother’s wellness suite to caregiver respite areas and exam spaces, the booth presented furniture configurations and design inspiration.
Booth guests were also treated to a Curiosity Bar which showed examples of how experiences can be prescribed. From referrals to live music and social connections to creative experiences and time in nature, the Curiosity Bar reflected the growing understanding that health is shaped by so much more than what happens during an appointment. It is shaped by what we hear, eat, feel, encounter, and participate in throughout our lives.
“We believe that care extends beyond clinical treatment,” said Jessica Gubbins, Vice President of Brand, Digital, and Insights Marketing for Kimball International. “Every design decision holds the potential to improve outcomes for patients and caregivers, and the environment itself becomes part of the care journey. We are proud to help shape how people feel, respond, and heal throughout their experience.”
During HCD, Kimball International had key presenters for two different sessions. Jill Frazier, Director of Design Solutions and Digital Tools for Kimball International, held a keynote session in the Solutions Theater. Her session, titled Designing Without Friction, addressed how healthcare designers have become experts at overcoming obstacles, but questioned if they should have to be. She shared how friction has quietly become an accepted part of the design process through elements from product information and specifications to visualization and technology workflows. She challenged attendees and explored how reducing complexity can unlock more time for creativity, innovation, and designing environments that support better healthcare outcomes.
Amy McPherson, Health Sales Manager for Kimball International, was a speaker during the interactive roundtable Effective Mentorship for Building Leaders. Along with Sarah Peters and Jessica Vuocolo, they shared insights about how intentional, project-embedded mentorship partnered with more formal programs can be used to develop healthcare leaders early, strengthen succession planning, and reduce burnout.
