Thought Leadership
&
Culture Leadership
Ideas, initiatives, and experiences I’ve created to inspire change in organizations and across the design industry.
CULTURE LEADERSHIP
Designing the agency experience like a branded one.
How We Grow
Building culture form the inside out.
When I joined Simon/Myers it was a small agency full of talent, momentum, and potential, but like many growing companies it hadn’t yet built the internal structure to fully support its people. For instance, there was no HR department, communication from leadership could feel inconsistent, and there was little in place to foster a strong, connected culture.
I saw an opportunity to change that from the ground up.
With a vision for how we could work better, communicate better, and grow together, I pitched an internal initiative rooted in employee-led participation, transparency, and shared ownership. What started as an idea became How We Grow: six interconnected committees designed to strengthen culture, improve operations, and give everyone a voice in shaping the agency’s future.
With grassroots enthusiasm and executive buy-in, the initiative launched and it’s still going strong six years later.
The Framework: 6 Committees, 1 Mission
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How We Work
Make the everyday easier.
Simplifying tools, processes, and workflows so the whole agency runs more efficiently.
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How We Share
Keep everyone in the know.
Building transparent, consistent channels for internal communication and knowledge-sharing.
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How We Play
Create connection through fun.
Bringing the team together through events, celebrations, and lighthearted moments.
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How We Live
Support people, not just positions.
Developing internal policies around onboarding, benefits, wellness, and professional growth.
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How We Give
Do good, together.
Organizing community service and donation opportunities that connect us to a bigger purpose.
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How We Include
Build a place where everyone belongs.
Driving DEI efforts and fostering a culture of inclusion and belonging.
The impact.
By identifying pain points and turning them into opportunities, I built a framework that empowered individuals, strengthened operations, and shaped a culture where people felt heard, supported, and inspired to grow, together. The initiative launched and it’s still going strong six years later.
CULTURE LEADERSHIP
Designing the employee experience like a branded one.
S/Mart Sites
A smarter way to connect our team.
While working at S/M, I noticed that my peers and I were repeatedly asking the same internal questions, such as: dates the office was closed for holidays, PTO policies, and what the best practices were for a handful of things. Our internal communications felt fragmented, and I saw more than just a gap, I saw an opportunity: to make our internal communications just as seamless and inspiring as the brand experiences we create for our clients. I envisioned a centralized, easy-to-update online hub where employees could quickly find what they need.
Turning insight into action.
I initiated, pitched, and led the development of a suite of three internal microsites to transform how we share information across the agency. Each site is tailored to a specific audience: new hires, employees, and interns with the goal of helping everyone feel informed, confident, and supported. Designed with clarity and culture in mind, these sites continue to serve as a trusted resource for all employees, even five years later.
The Framework: Three tailored microsites for different employee needs.
Team (Current Employees)
This site serves as a north star for all S/M employees, providing:
Quick reference guides and FAQs on policies, processes, and commonly accessed files
Team info, including contact details, birthdays, and more
Updates on internal initiatives like How We Grow
First Day (New Hires)
A link to this site is sent to new hires ahead of their start date to:
Help them feel welcome, comfortable, and confident on day one
Set a strong first impression of the agency
Establish clear expectations for their first week
Articles on the First Day site are written in the S/M brand voice to reflect the culture and personality of the agency.
Interns
A guide for S/M interns to use during their time at the agency by offering:
Quick reference guides and FAQs tailored to interns, especially those new to the workforce (e.g., “What if I already have a vacation planned?”)
Support in understanding expectations and navigating agency life
How I made it happen.
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Identified the opportunity and pitched the concept to leadership, earning both executive buy-in and grassroots enthusiasm.
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Built and led a cross-functional team: copywriters, graphic designers, web developers, and content SMEs from across the agency.
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Directed content strategy: We outlined topics, gathered information from experts, and rewrote it in a voice that reflects our culture: clear, warm, and human.
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Oversaw design and development: ensuring the experience was not only informative but inviting.
The impact.
3 microsites. 13 sections. 187 articles. 5 years since launch.
The S/Mart Sites are still going strong and regularly updated and actively used across the agency.
As for the number of questions team leads no longer receive about holiday dates, PTO, and reimbursement?
The limit does not exist.
CULTURE LEADERSHIP
Designing the onboarding experience like a branded one.
Every new hire deserves an Onboarding Buddy
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Every new hire deserves an Onboarding Buddy *
Reimagining the First Day
As our team and office locations expanded, so did the gaps in clarity around first days: where to go, who to contact, and what to expect.
I saw an opportunity to improve the experience with structure, warmth, and consistency and turned that into a scalable onboarding system that better reflected our agency’s culture and care.
While this wasn’t about reinventing the wheel, it was a meaningful leap forward for how we welcomed new hires at the agency.
The Framework:
More than a checklist, an experience by design.
First Day Microsite
Developed in parallel with the S/Mart Sites, the First Day page was born, a centralized hub with everything a new hire needs to know before, during, and after their first day. It covers essentials like:
How to get to the office
What to bring and what to expect
Tools to set up
What the first week will look like
Custom Landing Page
A week before their start date, new hires receive an email from their Onboarding Buddy with a link to the First Day site with a personalized landing page with:
A welcome message
Onboarding buddy’s photo and contact info
Their first day office location and arrival details
Previously, this was a printed postcard sent by mail. Today, it’s fully digital, custom-tailored, and just a click away.
The Onboarding Buddy
Each new hire is matched with an onboarding buddy: a friendly face from outside their department, ready to answer questions without judgment, break down silos, and show them the ropes.
A Warm Welcome (Kit)
On Day One, a branded swag kit is waiting at their desk ready to make them feel part of the team from the moment they arrive. Their buddy meets them at the door, introduces them within Slack, gives a tour, and checks in throughout the first few weeks.
Teamwork makes the dream work.
Behind the Scenes: Operational Support
To ensure consistency, and in partner with HR to coordinate logistics and equipment setup, we implemented a repeatable process with a checklist that kicks off 1–2 weeks before each start date.
The impact.
Less confusion, more connection.
And a first-day experience that reflects the agency culture from the start.
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Shaping Conversations with Thought Leadership.
Trend Reports
KBIS Trend Report
Each year I attend the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS), North America's largest event dedicated to kitchen and bath design. I produce a trend report that highlights the exciting design themes and innovations I discover.
NeoCon Trend Report
As a regular attendee of NeoCon, the world’s leading event for commercial interior design, I produce a trend report capturing the key themes, trends, and innovations I encounter.
Speaking Engagements
Guest Speaker at MIAD
For the past two years, I've been invited to speak at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) Professional Practices course, mentoring the next generation of design leaders as both an alum and Creative Director.
“The experience design philosophy and clientele deeply resonated with the students. I've heard them discuss matters Kathleen brought up in relation to their thesis work.”
— John Caruso, Professor of Product Design at MIAD
KBIS Voices From the Industry Session
As part of NKBA’s Voices From the Industry series, I co-presented with the Head of Research at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS). We shared key findings from our organic research report, "Luxury Reimagined: The Future Expectations of Opulence in Kitchen & Bath Design", which explored evolving trends in luxury home design.
Our insights, based on a survey of over 200 U.S. homeowners with household incomes of $750K+, provided a glimpse into what today’s affluent homeowners expect from their kitchens and baths in 2024.
Webinars
Trend Report Webinar
As a guest presenter for Delta Faucet Company, I shared my design trend report and theme findings from the 2020 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) with an audience of designers and architects.
Luxury Reimagined Webinar
In addition to speaking at KBIS for NKBA’s Voices From the Industry series, I also presented "Luxury Reimagined: The Future Expectations of Opulence in Kitchen & Bath Design" for their online format as a webinar. The agency also held a separate, exclusive webinar for our clients.
Collaborating with the research team, we conducted research from our survey of 200+ U.S. homeowners with household incomes of $750K+ who were renovating or building luxury kitchens and baths. Luxury Reimagined provided valuable insights into the evolving landscape of high-end home design for what today’s affluent homeowners expect and desire in their spaces.