Kathleen Kennedy
Growing up, my father worked in the roofing industry, which sparked my early interest in how buildings are constructed. He taught me a great deal about the field, and I always enjoyed helping around the house—fixing things and learning how homes work, including what’s inside the walls. That curiosity eventually grew into a deeper interest in design and construction.
In high school, I took drafting, where my teacher was very supportive of my passion and encouraged me to pursue it as a career. That encouragement motivated me to explore the field further, and I decided to pursue it seriously.
I am now working toward my bachelor’s degree in Interior Design, with plans to continue on to a master’s degree in Architecture. I am currently an architectural intern at HuntonBrady Architects, where I work on a commercial hospital project creating floor plans, reflected ceiling plans, and renderings. I have also assisted with data collection and benchmarking for K–12 school projects completed by the firm.
After completing my bachelor’s degree, I plan to continue gaining experience in interior design while pursuing my master’s in architecture. Ultimately, my goal is to become a licensed architect while continuing to work on interior design projects within a commercial architecture firm.
• Bachelor's in Interior Design (in progress)
• Master's in Architecture (planned)
What do you attribute your success to?
I definitely attribute my success to my family. They have been incredibly supportive of all my decisions and the challenges I’ve faced throughout college and my early career. They consistently encourage me and stand behind everything I do. My parents have also been very helpful when it comes to school and academic pressure. If I run into obstacles, such as not getting into a class or having to adjust my plan, they remind me that it’s not the end of the world and that there are different paths to reach my goals. Their support has helped me stay motivated and flexible, and I truly credit much of my progress to them.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received is that your path doesn’t have to follow a perfect timeline. Early on, I used to feel like I needed to complete everything exactly as planned, finish school in a set number of years, follow a strict order, and always have the next step figured out. But I was told that it’s more important to focus on gaining real experience, learning as much as possible, and staying open to different opportunities along the way. That advice has helped me stay flexible and not get discouraged when things don’t go exactly as planned. It’s reminded me that career growth isn’t linear, especially in a field like architecture and design, and that taking time to build strong experience is just as valuable as finishing quickly.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
The advice I would give to young women entering the industry is to believe in yourself and stay confident in your abilities, even when things feel challenging. This field can be demanding, and I’ve personally faced obstacles along the way, but persistence has made a big difference.
It’s important to keep pushing forward, stay open to learning, and not give up when things don’t go as planned. Progress may not always be immediate, but consistency and self-belief really do add up over time.
Locations
HuntonBrady Architects ·
Orlando, FL