As Vice President for the global architecture and engineering firm HDR, Kaia leads the national urban design, planning and landscape architecture practice, driving geographic and strategic growth through centers of design excellence. She works collaboratively with interdisciplinary teams to create solutions for land-based projects at a variety of scales. Her projects have won awards and recognition ranging from Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas, the Conference of Mayors Best Practices, American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Design and Research Awards as well as ACEC Engineering Excellence. Based in Denver, Colorado, Kaia’s experience ranges from award-winning placemaking and park design for the Central Park, Denver (formerly known as Stapleton) community, one of the largest in-fill developments in the United States. She also works with transportation agencies to help them prepare for new mobility technology while retaining livable community qualities. Kaia frequently bridges disciplines, integrating multiple design perspectives into strategic thinking and site solutions for clients in both the public and private sectors. Kaia is committed to the Urban Land Institute both nationally and locally. She serves on ULI’s National Urban Revitalization Product Council and attends and speaks at ULI Spring and Fall meetings regularly. She has served on ULI Colorado’s Executive Committee as co-chair for the Business Development committee and as co-chair for WLI. She led the submission of ULICO’s first winning WLI Hines Innovation Grant which helped launched WLI Colorado’s first women’s mid-career mentoring program, titled 'Breaking the Glass Ceiling,' which is currently in its 3rd successful year. She currently serves as the Chair of ULI Colorado's District Council.