Kelly McKenna

Kelly counts among her inspirations pioneering women such as urban planner Jane Jacobs and architect Zaha Hadid, who both challenged prevalent assumptions at the intersection of theory, practice, and social impact. Following George Elliot’s encouragement that “It’s never too late to be what you might’ve been,” Kelly strives to challenges assumptions of her own by perpetually looking for new opportunities to learn and further develop her design skills. Sustainability is a particular focus for her work as a designer. Her commitment to this critical field of practice began with her studies at Cal Poly SLO, where she minored in Sustainable Environments and was an Edward Allen Student Award nominee for a thesis project exploring approaches to creating sustainable middle schools that nurture physical and psychological wellness in children.