FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HOUSTON, TEXAS—Kirksey Architecture is proud to announce that Catherine Callaway, AIA, LEED AP has been named the 2019 AIA Houston Ben Brewer Young Architect. The award was named in honor of Ben Brewer, FAIA, for his distinguished service to the profession and significant influence on young professionals. It recognizes excellence in ability, exceptional work, and significant contributions in the practice of architecture by architects who are in their first 10 years of practice. This is the fifth time a Kirksey employee has been the recipient of such a recognition–-previous winners include Kirksey President Wes Good (2001), Executive Vice President and Interior Architecture Team Leader Brian Malarkey (2004), Vice President and PreK-12 Team Leader Nicola Springer (2009), and Vice President and Sustainability Director Julie Hendricks (2012).
“We are tremendously proud of Catherine for earning this incredible honor,” says Janis Brackett, AIA, LEED AP, Vice President and Community Team Leader at Kirksey. “Her passion for architecture and her commitment to Houston and the surrounding community is evident through her hard work, local involvement, and dedication to service. She inspires others by balancing career, family, chapter leadership, and volunteer efforts. Catherine is a great partner at Kirksey and AIA Houston—I can’t wait to see what the future holds for her.”
Catherine’s architecture career began after graduating with a Master of Architecture from the University of Houston in 2007. The impact of her contributions to both the profession and the community since then are beyond measure. In addition to holding the AIA Houston Chapter Presidency in 2017, she led the chapter’s response to Houston’s infamous Hurricane Harvey and the effort to build a new Architecture Center that was damaged due to extensive flooding. Other professional accomplishments include being named one of the Houston Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 (2016), her involvement with Houston 2020 Visions in partnership with the City of Houston and Council Member David W. Robinson, serving as the Founding Chair of the Architecture Center Houston’s Tours Committee, and her commitment to AEC Cares, a group of local architects and contractors who help make a significant difference in the lives and futures of those in need. In 2018, AEC Cares joined forces with the Santa Maria Hostel to renovate its women’s substance abuse treatment center.
“The future of the profession is strong because we have visionary leaders like Catherine,” says John Clegg, AIA, AIA Houston’s current President.
Catherine was recently honored in front of her peers at the 2019 AIA Houston Celebrate Architecture Gala at the Lone Star Flight Museum.
Click here to learn more about Catherine and her background in architecture.
