For over 30 years, Alice has been a leader and innovator in the design of care facilities for children, youth, adults, and seniors with complex needs. She joined Montgomery Sisam in 2001, becoming a Principal in 2006, and has since been instrumental in shaping the firm’s philosophy of design for therapeutic spaces to support the recovery of our most vulnerable populations requiring mental health and addictions treatment.

Delivering projects ranging from small private facilities and not-for-profit initiatives to multi-phased campus redevelopments, Alice is immersed in the most current thinking on the impact of design on removing barriers to care. She strives to craft care experiences that make a positive contribution to occupants’ physical and mental well-being. Her designs are founded on a desire to create normalized, home-like settings that are comforting and empowering to patients, while also being supportive of staff and visitors. She is a firm believer in promoting the healing power of nature and the outdoors, incorporating therapeutic gardens for the wellness of all building occupants. Distinguished projects such as the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH),  the Carefirst One Stop Centre for Seniors, the Philips House Redevelopment and the Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences, demonstrate Alice’s achievement in balancing lean-thinking, operational efficiency and occupant safety within the healing environment. These designs not only satisfy functional requirements, but enhance the activities they house.

With such extensive knowledge and rich body of work, Alice was named a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. She has been invited to participate in international conversations surrounding best practice, research and innovation in Mental Health care and contributes regularly to research-based publications. She is a member of the International Academy of Design and Health, the “Design in Mental Health Network” and a Post Occupancy Evaluation Round Table/Think Tank. She is also an active member of the academic community, mentoring Master’s Thesis students from various universities and leading a Study Group between Psychiatry Residents from University of Toronto and front-line practitioners.