Kimberly Dowdell, AIA, NOMA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C, joins HOK’s Chicago studio as director of business development.
Kim brings expertise in strategic planning, design, project management, housing policy and real estate development. She previously worked in HOK’s New York studio from 2008-2011.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Kim back to HOK,” said Riccardo Mascia, our managing principal in Chicago. “She is a nationally recognized leader in the design profession, and we know that her deep professional connections and expertise will help us continue to expand our successful practice in Chicago while contributing to the ongoing success of the entire firm.”
Kimberly will collaborate with other members of the leadership team in Chicago to develop and implement strategic business development and marketing initiatives. In addition to cultivating and maintaining relationships with clients and partners, she will speak at industry conferences and events and mentor HOK’s emerging leaders.
“I’m excited about returning to a design practice as a principal with HOK in Chicago,” said Kimberly. “While I have enjoyed many aspects of my prior work in public service and real estate, my professional roots are in design. I look forward to leveraging my diverse experiences to serve our clients, create transformative projects and expand the reach and impact of our Chicago office.”
Kimberly is the 2019-2020 National President of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA). She initiated the concept behind Social Economic Environmental Design (SEED), an organization that she cofounded in 2005. She is a member of the Detroit Developer Roundtable (DDR) and the Urban Land Institute (ULI). She was a 2018 Crain’s Detroit Business “40 Under 40” honoree. In 2019, Kimberly delivered the 19th Annual Dunlop Lecture at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. She holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Cornell University and a Mid-Career Master of Public Administration from Harvard University, where she was a Sheila C. Johnson Leadership Fellow.