Meet Josh Baumgardner, AIA, NCARB – Our Newest Healthcare Project Manager

Every architect’s story begins differently. For Josh Baumgardner, AIA, NCARB, the journey started in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, with a love of building, a set of Legos, and an early fascination with how things fit together.

When Josh was ten, he helped his dad and a local builder draft plans for a house that was later constructed just down the street from where he grew up. Watching that design come to life—line by line, beam by beam—sparked something lasting: a curiosity about how ideas on paper become real spaces that people inhabit every day.

Now, years later, that same curiosity continues to drive his work as he joins Wilmot Sanz as our newest Healthcare Project Manager.

While Josh’s career path didn’t begin in healthcare, it’s where he found his true purpose. Growing up, he admits that hospitals made him uneasy—something many people can relate to. Instead of avoiding that discomfort, he decided to take it on as a design challenge.

“I wanted to create spaces that make people feel calm and cared for,” Josh says. “The goal is to build trust the moment someone walks through the door.”

That mindset now defines his approach: better care through better spaces. He’s passionate about creating environments where quality, empathy, and functionality are visible everywhere—from the parking lot to the patient room.

Josh’s background is as multidisciplinary as it is technical. Before becoming a licensed architect, he spent several years as a mechanical designer, giving him deep insight into MEP coordination, systems integration, and facility planning—skills that now inform his architectural work with remarkable precision.

Over the past decade, he has applied that expertise to a range of outpatient clinics, surgical centers, and pediatric facilities, helping clients achieve environments that are not only efficient but deeply human in their design. His ability to bridge technical coordination with creative problem-solving makes him a natural fit for the Wilmot Sanz team.

Outside of architecture, Josh’s creative energy takes other forms. He’s a proud dad, an avid guitarist, and—once upon a time—a songwriter who even pitched music to Kesha while working with Universal Music Publishing Group in Nashville.

That storytelling instinct continues to influence his approach to design. Every space, he believes, tells a story—about people, purpose, and the process of care.

“A healthcare building isn’t just a set of systems—it’s a stage for some of the most important moments in people’s lives,” he explains. “Our job is to design those spaces with empathy and intention.”

Josh is equally passionate about giving back to the next generation of architects. He’s a strong advocate for mentorship, encouraging emerging professionals to get out into the field, ask questions, and never stop learning. His advice?

“Find mentors who challenge you, learn how buildings really come together, and get familiar with the FGI Guidelines—you’ll use them more than you think,” he says with a grin.

As Josh steps into his new role at Wilmot Sanz, he’s eager to dive into projects that balance innovation and practicality—designing healthcare environments that are as intuitive as they are inspiring. His technical expertise, collaborative spirit, and patient-centered mindset align seamlessly with the firm’s mission to improve lives through design.

Welcome to the team, Josh—your energy, curiosity, and passion for healthcare architecture are already helping us move forward.

‍