Making a Difference, by Design: Kimberly Montague, FAIA, B.S. Arch ’87, M.Arch ’89, stays grounded by giving back.

The last couple of years have been eventful for Kimberly Montague, FAIA, B.S. Arch ’87, M.Arch ’89. After being named president of Detroit’s Albert Kahn Associates in 2023 and then CEO In 2024 — making her the first woman to hold either position in the firm’s 130 year history — she was elevated to the American Institute of Architects’ College of Fellows in early 2025.

This has also brought her full-circle, as she reunited with the firm where she started out of college. In the years in between, she worked across her home state of Michigan and around the world, researching, designing, and consulting on innovative health care and workplace spaces and strategies. “There is this connective tissue between architecture, design, and planning that I have found is
my sweet spot,” she says.

But where she finds the greatest joy lately is in giving back to her community, whether it’s volunteering, serving on nonprofit boards, mentoring young architects, or helping to raise awareness about architecture and women’s health. “It kind of makes everything real, and it reminds me we’re all connected in some way,” she says.

This fall, she established the Kimberly and W. Clifton Montague Scholarship at Taubman College as a way to support future architects and also show gratitude for the foundational education she received at the college.

A New Trajectory

Montague grew up near Ann Arbor in Plymouth, Michigan, and came to U-M to be a doctor, until she had a run-in with organic chemistry. “I quickly found out organic chemistry is the pre-med weeder class,” she says. “I remember sitting in the back of the auditorium thinking, ‘This might as well be another language, because I don’t get any of it.’”

After reviewing her transcripts, a guidance counselor suggested an introductory architecture class. It was the exact opposite experience. “No one had ever talked to me about what an architect does or what design was about. I didn’t realize it had so much to do with cultural anthropology and the other humanities,” she says. “I was hooked.”

After graduation, Montague worked for several years at Detroit’s historic Albert Kahn Associates, where her interest in medicine was put to good use working on health care projects. “It had that connection between health, wellness, design, architecture, planning, and culture
that seemed to really fit with me,” she says.

When a client shared some new work they were doing on patient-centered care and the role spaces play in how care is delivered, Montague was intrigued. The client was part of an international not-for-profit organization, which would soon be looking for someone who could speak the language of architecture to lead its design consultation efforts. It was a perfect fit for Montague, who spent six years as Planetree’s director of design consultation, traveling the U.S. as well as Brazil, Japan, and the Netherlands, and working with the Veterans Administration, listening to stories from patients, nurses, and doctors about the importance of spaces in their work. “That was a turning point in my career for understanding the impact of design on whatever it is our clients do, whether they’re an insurance provider or a hospital or a manufacturer. That’s where I really saw the impact of the environment come to life,” she says. “It changed the trajectory of my career.”

Making History, Building the Future

Building on that experience, Montague next joined West Michigan furniture maker Herman Miller’s research and insights group, where she explored how spatial arrangements impact health care and workplace environments on a micro level. After stints with another firm and furniture maker, she made her way back to Albert Kahn, which was looking to ramp up its efforts in health care design, first becoming president and then also CEO a year later. 

At Kahn, she’s been focused on harnessing new technology, from drones to AI, to deliver cutting-edge solutions for clients. She’s also deeply committed to mentoring and developing talent, especially the “missing middle” between those just getting started and those long-established in their careers. “One of my top priorities is not only attracting and retaining great talent but also offering them training and professional development,” she says. “Preparing that next generation has always been front and center for me.”

As the firm celebrates its 130th anniversary, Montague says its legacy is evident when looking out the window of nearly any building in downtown Detroit, from the automotive industry to civic structures to hospitals and office buildings. She can’t say much about what’s on the horizon, but she’s excited to carry on its tradition of innovation. “We have some incredible projects that will start to tie that ingenuity together with legacy and history in creative ways,” she says. “It’s a great time to be in Detroit and a great time to be part of the fabric of this city.”

Impacting the Industry, and More

Montague is also leading when it comes to giving back. In addition to her new scholarship at Taubman College, she has given guest lectures in Professor Linda Groat’s seminar class about working adjacent to the industry and, now that she’s back in it, as a woman in architecture. She’s also taken time to mentor students and to review portfolios and interview potential fellows for an endowed fellowship program at Albert Kahn Associates.

“The opportunity to learn from and work alongside so many great people at the college gave me the foundation to excel as an architect,” Montague says. “I was fortunate to receive several scholarships that helped me get through school, and that support made a lasting impact. As part of my commitment to advancing architectural education, I want to share my experiences and give back. Supporting future generations — especially those who may be navigating similar challenges — is one of the most meaningful ways I can show my gratitude.”

Montague recently got involved with the American Heart Association and is chair of its 2025 and 2026 Detroit Go Red for Women campaigns. Elsewhere in the city, she has worked with the Detroit Regional Chamber, Life Remodeled, and Women in Healthcare. She also currently serves on the Michigan Architectural Foundation Board of Trustees, raising awareness and funds to support architecture and students across the state. 

In February, the AIA named her to its prestigious College of Fellows, a designation received by less than 3% of architects. Being recognized in a room full of peers — many of whom she has admired for years — was a humbling experience for Montague. “As an industry, we are doing some pretty amazing things in a variety of ways, so it was an incredible honor,” she says. “It makes you realize the impact that architecture has on human life. It’s where we work, play, live, heal, learn and everything in between. So yeah, it was phenomenal.”

— Eric Gallippo