Connecting the community: How Danielle Zender drives healthy building innovation from design to dialogue

Danielle Zender’s passion for healthy building design was sparked during a presentation at Columbia University, leading her to earn her WELL AP credential in 2023. Today, as a Project Manager, Healthy Building Consultant, and Sustainability Consultant at Cosentini Associates, she guides projects ranging from interior fit-outs to community-scale developments while striving to “walk the walk” by balancing physical, mental, and emotional health in all aspects of life. Named the 2025 WELL Forum Influencer for her active engagement in IWBI’s online community, Danielle champions the Mind concept, policy-driven wellness, and the expansion of healthy design into residential spaces.

How did you first hear about the WELL AP? What made you interested in the credential?

I attended a presentation on WELL Certification conducted by Blake Jackson at Columbia University.

What’s one way becoming a WELL AP has impacted your life and/or career?

Becoming a WELL AP and active participant in the WELL Community has fueled my passion for better building design.

What are some things you’ve been able to do (or you plan to do) as a WELL AP you couldn’t before? Why are those things important to you?

Becoming a WELL AP and supporting WELL Certification projects has allowed me to hone my expertise in high-performance building design.

Did anything about the WELL AP process surprise you—from registering for the exam to your experience post-accreditation? What was it? How would you prepare WELL AP candidates for that?

No surprises, but I do recommend WELL AP candidates to leverage the study materials IWBI makes available to ensure their success!

What’s something about the WELL AP—or the WELL movement in general—that isn’t often discussed, but you think deserves more attention

I think the current iteration of the WELL Building Standard strikes a good balance between design intervention and policy implementation to support health and well-being in, but I look forward to the adoption of the WELL movement on a residential scale.

Do you have any advice you’d give potential WELL AP candidates?

The achievement is worth the study time!

What does well-being mean to you? How do you incorporate it into your life and routine?

Well-being to me is the synergy of Physical, Mental, and Emotional health. I advocate for and implement design interventions, employee policies, work-life balance strategies, and operational protocols both in my personal life and as a WELL Consultant for my clients. I strive to “walk-the-walk” with well-being in all facets of my life.

Is there a specific WELL concept, feature or set of features that have really resonated with you and that you’ve incorporated into your own life?

The Mind concept is my personal favorite. I love the dialogue and design opportunities that come from a place of supporting cognitive health and emotional well-being.

What projects do you have planned for the future? How will your WELL AP credential support the project’s success?

Working full-time as both a LEED and WELL consultant, I can say that there are plenty of project opportunities on the horizon. Our team continues to submit proposals on a varying scale of projects; from interior fit-outs all the way up to the Community scale. Maintaining my WELL AP supports my clients (Innovation Feature) and supports me in maintaining both my skills and knowledge of the latest and greatest healthy building strategies available.

Learn more about what it takes to become a WELL AP!