Upali Nanda, PhD

Go-getter
DISC Type : d

Professor of Practice at Taubman College of Architecture + Urban Planning, University of Michigan

Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States

Overview

Dr. Upali Nanda is the EVP and Global Sector Director of Innovation at HKS, blending architecture with neuroscience to research human perception in built environments. A published author and Professor of Practice at the University of Michigan, she holds a PhD from Texas A&M. People describe her with sparkling intelligence and intellectual capacity.

Growing up in an artistic family in India, she studied classical Indian dance and developed a passion for balancing art and science. This led her to a love affair with human perception, neuroscience, and psychology, exploring how the human mind seeks patterns and rhythms in the world around it.

She was recognized as one of the top 10 most influential people in Healthcare Design by Healthcare Design Magazine.

Personality Overview

Decisive

Vision Oriented

Self-Confident

They respond well to confident salespeople.  They don’t always try to control the conversation but neither do they like yielding it fully. They can be nudged to make faster decisions by offering what they value.

Topics They Care About

Neuroscience and Architecture
Her research focuses on the intersection of neuroscience and architecture, particularly how environments impact brain health, cognitive fitness, and emotional well-being.
Human-Centric Design
Champions designing for the human experience, focusing on creating spaces that evoke emotions like awe and promote health, happiness, and social connection.
Evidence-Based Innovation
As Global Director of Innovation, she leads research on brain-healthy workplaces and uses data to inform design that supports strategic attention and creative thinking.

Media Appearances

Upali has no verified media appearances

Work History

7-2024
Professor of Practice at Taubman College of Architecture + Urban Planning, University of Michigan
2-2024
EVP, Global Sector Director, Innovation at HKS, Inc.
1-2022 - 2-2024
Partner, Global Practice Director of Research at HKS, Inc.
3-2019 - 1-2022
Partner and Director of Research at HKS, Inc.
1-2019 - 7-2024
Associate Professor of Practice at Taubman College of Architecture + Urban Planning, University of Michigan

Education

2001 - 2005
PhD from Texas A&M University
2001 - 2005
Doctor of Philosophy - PhD from Texas A&M University

More Information

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Exp : N/A Location : Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States Job Level : N/A Designation : Professor of Practice at Taubman College of Architecture + Urban Planning, University of Michigan
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Insights For Selling To Upali

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Stress on the business value that your product offers
  • Make sure that they have the necessary authority, they could present false stature sometimes
  • Ask them questions confidently while doing discovery, don’t be apologetic

DONT's

  • Don’t expect them to change their mind quickly if they say no once
  • Do not give up if they are not convinced, try again with a different approach
  • Avoid repeating yourself or making generalizations

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Upali is

  • Conviction in the product matters to them, followed by proof points and strong testimonials.
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Upali

  • They may not be very forthcoming, but they will say no if needed.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Upali move?

  • They are neither the fastest decision makers nor the slowest.
  • Can Upali take some risk or not?

  • They can take risks but after weighing up the pros and cons.

You And Upali

Personality Compatibility


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