ONEder Podcast

In this episode we sit down with educator, author, and founder Marita Diffenbaugh to explore what it truly means to design learning around the human experience. Together, we unpack the shift from content delivery to learning as a service, one rooted in listening, relationships, and real-world application. From rethinking how we measure success to creating environments that foster curiosity, agency, and belonging, this conversation challenges conventional models of education and invites us to see learning as a lifelong, deeply human endeavor.

In this episode of the ONEder Podcast, workplace leaders and planners gain a front-row seat to how AI is redefining the modern office. Host CCB speaks with Elena Beloshapkova, Founder and CEO of InSpace, on turning workplace data into actionable insight, improving employee experience at scale, and designing environments that truly support hybrid work. This conversation offers practical, forward-looking perspectives for anyone shaping strategy, space, and culture in today’s workplace.

Step inside "Healthcare Design for Belonging"—a ONEder podcast where dynamic voices from Providence and NBBJ explore how thoughtful design can transform hospitals from places of anxiety into environments of safety, dignity, and welcome. Join us for a conversation that blends powerful stories, innovative research, and practical tools, all aimed at creating healthcare spaces where everyone feels they belong. Whether you’re a design pro, a healthcare leader, or just passionate about stronger communities, this episode arms you with fresh ideas and inspiration to reimagine the future of care.

What if the spaces we inhabit could actually help us heal? In this episode, we speak with Dr. Esther Sternberg, a pioneering physician and scientist whose groundbreaking research bridges neuroscience, architecture, and integrative medicine. Drawing from her work at the NIH and the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine, Dr. Sternberg reveals how elements like light, air quality, noise, and spatial design can profoundly affect our stress levels, focus, and overall health. We explore how thoughtfully designed environments—whether offices, hospitals, or senior living spaces—can support emotional and physical well-being. Through the lens of integrative health, which considers sleep, movement, nutrition, relationships, spirituality, and the built environment, Dr. Sternberg offers a powerful case for reimagining the spaces around us to truly support how we live, work, and heal.

In this episode of the ONEder Podcast, CCB speaks with Lance Hayes and Yi-Chun Lin from Board and Vellum, a Seattle-based design firm, about their research project funded by the ONEder Grant. Their study explores the concept of workplace attachment in a hybrid work environment, investigating how employees form emotional connections to their workplaces in the context of remote and in-person work. Episode link: https://www.oneworkplace.com/podcast/fostering-connectivity-encouraging-workplace-attachments

In this episode, the ONEder Grant-winning team from Perkins Eastman discusses their research, "Someplace Like Home: Leveraging the Science of Hominess at Work." Their study explores how workplace changes, such as hybrid work and unassigned seating, affect employees' sense of belonging and comfort. Focusing on the loss of a stable "home base," the research highlights the importance of physical and psychological comfort in enhancing productivity and well-being in flexible work environments.

In this episode of The ONEder Podcast, Kevin Dobson discusses his new Sacramento charter high school’s focus on hands-on education in the building trades, providing students with practical skills, work experience, and college credits. He shares the challenges and opportunities in addressing workforce shortages in construction and manufacturing, and how Capital College and Career Academy provides students with an alternative to traditional college paths. Kevin also invites industry professionals to get involved through mentorship and internships to support the next generation of skilled workers.

Dr. Justin Mohatt shares how the Ohana Center is redefining youth mental wellness, emphasizing prevention and the impact of COVID-19. Funded by a donor and designed to feel like a resort, the center aims to destigmatize mental health through safe, inclusive environments for patients, families, staff, and the community.

Amir Kia, co-founder of Spirit Living Group, joins the ONEder Podcast to share his perspective and experience leading a purpose driven senior housing organization dedicated to providing thoughtful care for elders in urban communities. Amir discusses intention and strategies for senior living design and care, from mindfulness training for staff members, utilization of new technologies for safety and wellbeing, to multi-use outdoor features that meet the needs of both older residents and younger visitors. Learn more about thoughtful design, development and management of senior living communities.

As dense and fresh as the outdoors, this conversation with IA Seattle ONEder Grant winners, Lisa Baumbach and Charles Fadem, explores their innovative research into "The Ecotonal Office”. From the impact of natural environments on workplace wellness, challenging conventional office design, through fieldwork in diverse ecosystems, they uncovered surprising insights into productivity and adaptability. It’s a fast, fun review of a project that thoughtfully merges work and technology with the natural world, reshaping our notion of workplace.

Need a quick shot of compassion or a roadmap on how to get there? Interested in learning how to celebrate the leaders and the individuals, the models, the training and the types of efforts that move the needle toward working in a compassionate business? Scott Shute shares his journey from his personal practice and work in corporate America, to leading the Mindfulness and Compassion Program for LinkedIn employees, through building a consortium of leaders and change makers coming together to change work from the inside out. Give yourself a gift, carve out 30 minutes for this ONEder Podcast.

Cultural anthropologist Melissa Fisher Ph.D. shares with us the significance of anthropology in assessing the evolving landscape of hybrid work environments to empower workplace design. As our community witnesses unprecedented shifts in how, where and by whom work is conducted, understanding the social and cultural dimensions of these changes becomes paramount. Melissa shares her research and experience to describe how anthropology can serve as a crucial lens for deciphering the intricacies of modern workplaces, unveiling invaluable insights into diverse behaviors, norms, and interactions. This podcast should come with a CEU!