Katie Sprague, Principal in CRTKL’s Los Angeles office and Keith Campbell, Principal in CRTKL’s Chicago office, announce their retirements after 30 and 25 years with the firm. Their legacies have shaped the people and places they touched, as well as the fabric of the firm itself.
“It is bittersweet to say farewell to Katie and Keith,” begins Kim Heartwell, CEO of CRTKL. “Bitter, in the sense that I’ll no longer get to enjoy a conversation with Katie about the significance of measuring happiness through our design work or admiring Keith for his steadfast dedication to the Chicago community and our office. But, sweet that their lasting legacies will continue in the firm and the built environment for generations to come. Both care so deeply about design, the process, and its power to transform communities and equally for their mentorship. The stories told about the personal impacts they have both made across the firm are inspiring. I thank Keith and Katie for helping us build a world that values people, the planet and positive design.”
Katie Sprague is the leader, innovator, and now torch-passer for branding and Experience Design at CRTKL. She attended Loyola Marymount University and ArtCenter College of Design for degrees in Fine Arts and Graphic Design.
“For the past 30 years, Katie has been a mentor, partner and a true friend,” begins Kevin Horn, Principal in CRTKL’s Los Angeles office. “Our careers and families grew up together, and she has always been a constant source of support through thick and thin. It has been a once-in-a-lifetime partnership that I was lucky enough to have come my way and that I will always be grateful for.”
“At her core, Katie’s greatest strength is bringing people together,” says Angela Acosta, Associate Principal in CRTKL’s Los Angeles office. “If there’s one thing to take away from Katie’s tenure with the firm, it’s that she was a great, if not the greatest, communicator, and she set forth a foundation that her team will continue to evolve—engraining her legacy across CRTKL.”
Katie started with CRTKL in July of 1991. As a brand strategist, Katie brings complementary components to the traditional architectural design process — focusing on research, analysis and the human experience. She uses a collaborative approach that begins with her clients’ visions and missions, adding in user research and then translating those intangible assets into the built environment.
“Katie, of course, I will miss having her join me in these incredible visioning events with our clients,” begins Marc Fairbrother, Principal in CRTKL’s Washington, DC office. “Maybe even more—I will miss having her as part of our comradery before, during and after these sessions. Thanks for putting up with me for so many years, Katie. I’ll miss you greatly!”
“Katie exits CRTKL with the same thoughtfulness and grace that has characterized her entire career,” begins Jeff Gunning, Principal in CRTKL’s Dallas office. “She has influenced the way that we collaborate and differentiate ourselves from our competitors. Her work has helped shape today’s CRTKL – from the way we win to the way we work – day-to-day. Her communication skills and creative contributions have positioned her among the most consequential leaders in the history of the firm.”
“She has changed our business in a big way — leading to a new way of thinking for the firm and the profession,” shares Daun St. Amand, Principal in CRTKL’s Los Angeles office. “If Katie were an architect, she would certainly qualify for a Fellowship with the AIA.”
Her international, award-winning branding projects span all the project types in CRTKL’s portfolio — from retail and hospitality to residential and healthcare. She was part of the team that created the Happiness by Design program at CRTKL and authored Happiness: Now More Than Ever, a primer about the importance of designing for mental health and human-centric happiness.
Keith Campbell is known for his well-honed ability to design solutions that enhance his clients’ highest development and commercial aspirations. He is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design and a LEED AP licensed architect in fifteen states and Ontario, Canada.
“Keith Campbell is the architect’s architect, and that is a good thing!” says Mark Lauterbach, Principal in CRTKL’s Chicago office. “When I first met Keith, I knew he had a special talent, and many of us could relate to that and see its relevance to our firm. His care and thoughtfulness in the development and analysis of design solutions, sensitivity to our clients’ goals and aspirations, passion for making better places for people, and dedication to our firm and the Chicago office are key attributes I will cherish. Thanks, Keith, for 25 years of service and influence!”
“He is a gentle giant in the profession of architecture,” says Daun St. Amand. “We will miss Keith’s advocacy for design for the firm as well as for the profession.”
Keith began with CRTKL in January of 1997. In his twenty-five-year career with the firm, he has focused his professional career on mixed-use architectural and urban design solutions that transform and energize neighborhoods and cities — breathing new life into undervalued, underserved and blighted environments. Locally, he is a Chicago Architecture Center (CAC) and Chicago Loop Alliance member.
“Keith is one of those increasingly rare architects who expresses his design concepts through beautiful drawings, working out details and documenting with scaled, evocative sketches with pen and colored pencil,” begins Jeff Gunning. “His diverse portfolio of work includes retail, office, residential and sports projects, all imbued with his pure and modern design sensibility.”
“It’s difficult for me to say so long to someone I’ve worked with for decades. As we’ve gotten to know each other over so many years, I’ve always respected the graceful way he handled himself,” Marc Fairbrother begins. “All the best to you and yours, Keith, and I hope we cross paths in the future!”
“Keith is on my personal Mt. Rushmore of favorite people I’ve ever worked with,” says Erich Dohrer, Associate Principal in CRTKL’s Chicago office.
With more than three decades of experience, Keith is an expert at creating memorable spaces and experiences within his mixed-use projects, focusing on the optimal mix of office, retail, entertainment, hotel and residential spaces. His work received awards from the American Institute of Architects, the American Planning Association, the Urban Land Institute, the Congress for New Urbanism and ICSC.