Her Story
About Kirstin
Kirstin Hooghkirk serves as Senior Interior Designer at Amtab in Chicago, Illinois, where she has spent the past four and a half years focusing on commercial projects, particularly space planning for elementary, middle, and high schools. After initially enrolling in the nursing program at Illinois State University, she pivoted to design to pursue a more creative and artistic path that allowed her to express her personality. In her role, Kirstin supports her team of designers by handling scheduling, project assignments, and providing resources, including expertise in Revit, Enscape, AutoCAD, and Dynamo, while still occasionally working directly on client projects. She is an active member of the IIDA Chicago Chapter and attributes her success to the satisfaction she gains from being a reliable resource for her colleagues. Kirstin values honesty and staying true to oneself, advice she credits to her mother, and she encourages young women entering the field to share their opinions and take up space. Outside of work, she runs a purse embroidery brand called Noodle Studio 54 on Instagram, named after her cat, and donates to the Trevor Project.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Kirstin
01What do you attribute your success to?
I base my success on how satisfied I am and how happy I am. Not with the results but the feeling I get by doing something. I love working on projects but where I am at in my career I may not be working on projects as much but I get my happiness by knowing that I'm a resource that people can rely on.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
From my mom: just do what makes you happy and what's actually speaking to you. Work is the main part of your day every day. You need to make sure you're doing something that you actually enjoy and that you'll have passion for.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Do not be afraid to share your opinion and take up space. You are here for a reason. You chose this career for a reason. Follow it and don't be afraid to sit at the table and have your voice be heard.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
With the economy right now prices of things are very expensive so being able to get projects done under budget and having clients actually kind of go through with projects just based on financial reasons that's kind of the hardest.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
A sense of honesty but not even just to others but to yourself like staying true to who you are and not letting yourself kind of get washed up in the newest craze or the newest fad. Stay true to what you like and what your personal interests are and don't let anyone make you feel ashamed for that. Stick up for what you believe in and don't be afraid to speak up.
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