“Architecture is a team sport that depends on collaboration and diverse viewpoints, including those of women,” says Beth Young, principal and Sacramento office director of HGA. “I’ve seen the industry’s landscape change, with more women hired and more women promoted to leadership positions, and HGA is at the leading edge of that evolution.”
A multi-disciplinary design firm rooted in architecture and engineering, HGA has more than 1,000 employees nationwide and 51 percent of them are women — far above the industry average. Also remarkable, the firm’s board is 75-percent women. Locally, Beth Young, Courtney McLeod-Golden, Heather Kampa and Tracy Randall hold significant leadership positions as part of the Sacramento office’s 56 percent women.
“We’re doing a lot of training and initiatives to further gender and racial equity across the firm and we’ve brought on a director of equity this past year,” says Courtney McLeod-Golden, principal. “Also, HGA’s dedication to work-life balance and benefits support working parents, so the firm stands apart as an inclusive and supportive employer.”
“I’ve seen the industry’s landscape change, with more women hired and more women promoted to leadership positions, and HGA is at the leading edge of that evolution.” Beth Young, Principal, Sacramento Office Director
Committed to learning and growing, HGA values respect for people which creates a safe space for team members to do their best work and empowers them to speak up. Several women at the Sacramento office have leadership roles in the firm’s initiatives on equity and inclusion, hybrid work, WELL Health-Safety Rating certification, sustainability, community action and a formal mentorship program.
Looking ahead, HGA will continue to utilize a unique mix of personal insight and talent among their teams to shape the future. Tracy Randall, interior design leader, concludes, “With a holistic approach to design, we are making every effort to engage a diversity of stakeholders and voices in our design process so we can create equitable communities that improve the human experience.”
