Mike Arend Joins HDR as Senior Health Strategist
Mike Arend, MHA, recently joined HDR as a senior health strategist in our Minneapolis architecture studio. In this position, Arend is excited to apply his deep understanding of the healthcare industry at the intersection of healthcare strategy, operations, facility planning and development.
As senior health strategist, Arend applies health delivery trends and innovations to strategic business planning and facility master planning efforts. In collaboration with HDR health principals, he will lead and coordinate pursuits and develop strategic client relationships serving as a liaison between client leadership and HDR’s architectural design teams.
Arend is passionate about catalyzing tangible, transformational change in healthcare and pushing organizations beyond the status quo.
“This transformational change is most evident at the intersection of healthcare strategy and new facility development,” Arend said. “When a beautiful new patient care facility opens after much strategizing, visioning, planning, design and construction, a new healing environment emerges in ways that are perceptible, palatable, and tangible.”
With over 30 years of experience in professional healthcare leadership — approximately half in consulting and half in operational leadership roles — Arend has worked for, or consulted with, over 35 different healthcare organizations. Across this diverse portfolio of projects, he has led and partnered with senior leaders, physicians, architects, and other stakeholders — often serving as a bridge between these constituents.
Most recently, Arend served as senior strategic advisor and administrator for St. Luke’s Health System in Boise, Idaho, leading business planning across multiple service lines and maintaining full strategic and operational responsibility for the neuroscience and orthopedic service lines.
“Mike brings hands-on experience from the owner’s side in administrative roles that cross the intersection of strategy and healthcare delivery,” said Health Practice Leader Holly Madara. “We are excited to leverage his experience and insights to elevate HDR's services.”
Arend earned both his bachelor’s in public health & business and master’s in healthcare administration from the University of Minnesota. He is an active member of several industry organizations, including the American College of Healthcare Executives, ACHE-Healthcare Consultant Forum, American Hospital Association, and the Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development.
