Emily Karbo Joins ESa to Enhance Healthcare Design with Clinical Expertise and Innovation
ESa is pleased to announce the addition of registered nurse, Emily Karbo, as clinical operations/design specialist, bringing a wealth of experience from her distinguished career in critical care and healthcare innovation.
As a registered nurse with extensive clinical experience, Emily offers a unique perspective at the intersection of healthcare and design, poised to elevate ESa’s evidence-based design philosophy.
In her recent role at Mayo Clinic, Emily contributed to the Bold. Forward. Unbound. initiative in Rochester, Minn.—a monumental $5 billion capital investment project. Emily worked alongside multidisciplinary teams, integrating her clinical expertise into the early design phases of new clinical buildings on the Mayo Clinic campus. Her work centered on human-centered design principles, where she facilitated stakeholder engagement sessions with both frontline care staff and executive leaders, integrating clinical insights into patient-centered design solutions.
Emily’s experience in pediatric and neuroscience intensive care units (ICUs) provides her with an understanding of healthcare workflows, patient journeys, and care delivery. Currently in the final semester of her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in Health Innovation and Leadership from the University of Minnesota, Emily is also skilled in design thinking, quality improvement, and systems approaches—tools that will enhance ESa’s approach to health-focused, evidence-based design.
Throughout her tenure at Mayo Clinic, Emily was honored with several awards, including the Mayo Clinic Individual Achievement Award and the Mayo Clinic Excellence Through Teamwork Award in 2024, reflecting her dedication to both patient care and collaborative success.
Emily holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of South Carolina and is certified in Health Care Design and Innovation from the University of Minnesota. Her academic achievements, combined with her clinical expertise, make her a key asset to the team at ESa, where she will continue to influence the future of healthcare design.
“We are excited having Emily part of the ESa team, she brings a unique blend of clinical expertise and design innovation to our team,” said Kevin Harney, vice president at ESa. “Her ability to bridge the gap between the clinical and design worlds will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of patient-centered healthcare environments.”
About ESa
Founded in 1961 and located in the heart of Nashville, Tennessee, ESa celebrates their past and looks toward the future by creating environments across the country that shape lives. They provide services in architecture, interior architecture, master planning and space planning to our clients in commercial, community + arts, education, healthcare, hospitality, residential and senior living.