career exploration & workforce development ... FOR GIRLS!
Thanks to her mom, Kristin grew up with a love for music, but little did she know that would set her on a path for an amazing career. She started playing musical instruments when she was very young and when she entered high school, started running live sound during school performances. When it came time to start applying to colleges, Berklee College of Music was at the top of her list. She was accepted and earned a dual bachelor's degree in Music Production & Engineering and Music Business. Kristin says that the education she received at Berklee and the connections she made have shaped her entire career.
After college she moved to NYC and worked in a recording studio as a freelance engineer. When the profitability of recording studios started feeling the effects of Napster and other technologies and began shutting down, she decided it was time to start looking for other career options. A couple of her Berklee professors introduced her to the world of consulting and she has been an audiovisual design consultant ever since. As a Senior Design Consultant for ACT Associates, Kristin works with architects to design AV systems for commercial buildings. ACT focuses on several markets including higher education, corporate, and biotechnology with services including audiovisual design, room acoustics, and smart solutions. One of their recent internal achievements has been incorporating Virtual Reality into their design packages. This allows them to show clients their future space with AV technology, acoustical solutions, and furniture layouts while still in the design phase.
Kristin says that although she has spent her entire career working in male-dominated industries she has never really felt out of place. She grew up with a twin brother and in a neighborhood full of boys, so she learned from an early age how to be tough, competitive, and smart. Her brother was an almost perfect balance of supportive and competitive which drove her to be the best that she could be. Although there weren’t a lot of women for her to look up to when she started her career, she says that she has enjoyed watching the number of women in in these industries grow. She participates in the AVIXA Women’s Council, a council supporting women within the AEC industry, and says that is has been nice to feel the support of other women. She wants to encourage anyone in high school or college interested in the AEC industry to join this council. It’s a great way to network and build a strong support system as you launch your career.
When asked if she could go back and give her 18-year-old self some advice, Kristin says that advice would be to not let fear get in the way of your dreams. You can accomplish any dream that you decide to go after as long as you equip yourself with a strong education, work ethic and amazing friends. Kristin says that without the continuous support of her family and friends, she would not be where she is today. Her music teachers in middle and high school shaped her as a musician and instilled in her a ferocious work ethic. At Berklee, Mitch Benoff, Alex Case, and Tony Hoover were very influential professors. Alex and Tony introduced her to the AEC industry. Randy Willis of McKay Conant Hoover shaped her as a Junior AV Consultant and has continued to be an amazing mentor and friend. The number of colleagues that make her job amazing are countless and Kristin says that she feels lucky to have been surrounded by a village of exceptional people throughout her career!
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