Dr. Ray Pentecost is the Director of the Center for Health Systems & Design at Texas A&M University and holder of the George J. Mann Chair of Healthcare Design. Ray is a Fellow in both the American Institute of Architects and the American College of Healthcare Architects, a former Licensed Nursing Home Administrator, a LEED Accredited Professional, and an ordained minister. Ray is dedicated to improving the health of people on this planet through design. In order to do that, he believes a new approach to the practice of architecture involving multi-disciplinary research is imperative. Producing a design workforce steeped in the traditions and skills of rigorous research means adjusting the architecture curriculum to include more such content, detailing both the conduct and use of scholarly research, a shift to which Ray is fully committed. Ray is widely known for his leadership in this field. Internationally, he is the current global Co-Director of the International Union of Architects - Public Health Work Programme (Paris). He is also a Past President of the International Academy for Design & Health (Stockholm). In the United States, he is a two-time Past President of the AIA Academy of Architecture for Health, as well as a Past President of the American College of Healthcare Architects. Ray studied architecture (BA, BArch) at Rice University, School of Architecture, Public Health (MPH, DrPH) at the University of Texas, School of Public Health, and gerontology at the University of Texas, School of Nursing, all in Houston.