Sally Lee Named to Building Design + Construction 40 Under 40 Class of 2023
Sally Lee, AIA, NCARB, CDT, education and science associate principal, has been named to Building Design + Construction’s 40 under 40 Class of 2023, the publication’s annual list of architecture/engineering/construction professionals recognized for their career achievements, passion for the A/E/C profession, involvement with industry organizations and service to their communities.
With wisdom that far exceeds her 12-plus years of experience, Lee has crafted a career that combines her passion for people and commitment to design excellence. In her role, Lee directs and executes project leadership, strategic planning and business development efforts that enable higher education institutions, life science companies and real estate developers to achieve their missions and goals.
“Sally is authentic in everything she does, whether collaborating with a design team or interacting with potential clients; her rare combination of being a great designer and business developer has enabled her to progress quickly and achieve levels of excellence typically reserved for more tenured professionals,” said HDR's Global Design Director Brian Kowalchuk, FAIA, LEED AP.
Lee has lived and designed in places as diverse as Hong Kong, Nigeria, Washington, D.C., and Manhattan, which has informed her thinking as an architect. She champions the tenet that, as influential problem-solvers and designers, architects are responsible for imbuing the built environment with value, positive impact, and cultural significance.
In her eight years with HDR, Lee has contributed to many significant, high-profile projects around the globe, including helping to win the firm’s first high-rise building, designing the award-winning Brendan Iribe Center for Computer Science and Engineering and leading the business development efforts in Manhattan, New York, and London. Her creativity and imagination helped fuel the conceptual ideas for One Flight Away, which reimagines how airports might look if designed to optimize and safeguard passenger health and wellness.
Lee takes mentorship to heart and believes in paying it forward. Her mentoring duties take on many forms, including leading studio internship programs, attending career fairs, serving as a guest juror on design critique panels at various universities and acting as an advisory liaison for aspiring architects at her alma mater.
