Kay is a principal and the director of thought leadership in HOK’s Interiors group. With a passion for using design to transform how and where people work, she spends her days (and many nights) working with clients on workplace strategy and design.

Based in Washington, D.C., Kay leads project teams that solve clients’ business and organizational challenges related to real estate business process, strategic planning, workplace strategy and change management. She collaborates with organizations ranging from tech startups to Fortune 500 companies to optimize their real estate portfolios and create the most innovative work experiences.

In addition to her firmwide leadership, Kay oversees the Washington, DC Interiors group, providing design mentorship and direction to staff and serving as the primary contact for our many clients in the region.

In 2025, Kay authored Designing Neuroinclusive Workplaces: Advancing Sensory Processing and Cognitive Well-Being in the Built Environment, published by Wiley. This landmark book provides actionable strategies for creating more inclusive, adaptable environments that support neurodivergent and neurotypical individuals alike—drawing on years of HOK research, client collaborations and personal experience. It has quickly become an essential resource for designers, business leaders and workplace strategists alike.

Kay is a member of the International Interior Design Association’s College of Fellows, a select body of designers whose work has significantly influenced the profession. The American Society of Interior Designers also has honored Kay with its highest awards, naming her a “Designer of Distinction” and “Luminary of Distinction” whose body of work represents excellence in interior design. She has been recognized in ASID 50, a one-time program commemorating the organization’s 50^th anniversary that celebrates individuals who embody the society’s spirit and have advanced the profession. IFMA has recognized Kay as one of its Top Global FM Influencers, honoring leaders worldwide who are shaping the future of facility management through innovation in sustainability, technology, workplace design, safety and operations.

Outside of HOK, Kay serves on the prestigious Delos Advisory Board alongside wellness and sustainability advocates such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Deepak Chopra. She is also on the international board of directors for AVIXA, the Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association. Kay is co-chair for the ASID Foundation research task force and on the leadership team of IFMA’s WE Workplace Evolutionaries and the advisory board of Work Design Magazine. She has also served on the board of directors for CoreNet Global and the International Federation of Interior Designers/Architects, and has served on the international boards of IIDA, ASID, NCQLP, IFI and NCIDQ. She is an active member of ASID, IIDA, CoreNet Global and IFMA.

Kay has authored numerous reports and articles on the workplace and has spoken at CoreNet, IFMA and other industry events. CoreNet and Tradeline, Inc. both have honored her as a top-rated speaker. A mentor to many, she is a founding member of the D.C. chapter of UPWARD, which accelerates career advancement for executive women.