As an Environmental Design student at Texas A&M, Denise Bates made a conscious decision to focus on interior design and architecture. She saw an opportunity for a sustainable approach that could both reuse existing structures and better integrate interior functions with building design. Denise has remained an advocate for the building occupant throughout her career. Her experience began with an office furniture manufacturer specializing in workplace processes. Working in architectural practice, she gained expertise in multidisciplinary project types including restaurants, retail, multi-family, government agencies and global corporate accounts. Her participation in the Dallas AIA Committee on the Environment and a series of grassroots efforts in the early 2000’s resulted in the formation of the USGBC North Texas Chapter. She has seen the evolution of green building programs from LEED to WELL and Living Building Challenge. As building and energy efficiency standards become more codified, the emphasis is shifting to occupant health and well-being. In her current position at Gensler as Resilient Design Leader, her conversations with clients now include long term strategies addressing climate change and man-made threats. Throughout her career, Denise has maintained a hand’s-on responsibility for project documentation and implementation of the most advanced technical tools for drawings and project management. Her efforts in interior design education include mentoring students and collaborating with colleagues and industry partners on transparency in material and furnishings health.