Kimberly N. Dowdell is a licensed architect and frequent speaker on the topic of architecture, leadership, diversity, sustainability, and the future of cities. In her 2019-2020 term as national president of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA), she advocated to increase opportunities for women and people of color to gain more equitable access to the building professions. She also more than doubled the organization’s membership and significantly raised NOMA’s profile. In 2024, Kimberly served as the 100th national president of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). She was the first Black woman to be elected since the organization's establishment in 1857. Kimberly was also the first of the Millennial generation to serve as president of NOMA and AIA, signaling a call to action for younger leaders to step up into significant roles in the building industry.

Kimberly’s career aspirations are rooted in her upbringing in Detroit, where she was initially driven to utilize architecture as a tool to revitalize cities. She earned her Bachelor of Architecture at Cornell University and her Master of Public Administration at Harvard University. Kimberly’s professional experience has spanned architecture to government and teaching real estate development. Kimberly is currently the director of strategic relationships and a principal with HOK, a leading global design firm. She co-founded the SEED Network in 2005 and has been a LEED-accredited professional since 2007. In 2022, Kimberly was elected to the Cornell University Board of Trustees. Kimberly’s overarching mission is to improve people’s lives, by design.