HiP Awards > People > Designer Lifetime of HiPness

Photography by Tim Coburn.

Kay Sargent is a senior 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. 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 award, naming her a “Designer of Distinction” whose body of work represents excellence in interior design. 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.