ABOUT.
Kaitlyn Boniecki is a graduate of Kent State University’s dual Masters of Architecture and Masters of Urban Design program. She obtained a Bachelors of Science in Architecture from Kent State as well, graduating summa cum laude and with a minor in sustainability. During her academic career, Kaitlyn has won several awards for her work, including for her Masters of Urban Design thesis project Designing for Dystopia: The Game, and her design proposal for the Mahoning Valley entitled Work, Play | Industry, Nature. She was the recipient of the Henry Adams Medal from the AIA in 2021, and has received the Bronze Medal from Tau Sigma Delta for distinguished students of architecture and the allied arts. Also during her academic career, Kaitlyn has studied in Florence, Italy and Curitiba, Brazil in effort to learn about international city planning, architecture, and culture.
Kaitlyn is an Associate Member of AIA Cleveland, actively participating in the WIA+ Committee and serving as the Co-Chair for the YAAM (Young Architects and Associate Members) Committee. She leads and coordinates the monthly “Wellness in Design” event series and plans and hosts events centered on mentorship and community building for the younger designers and architects in the city. Kaitlyn is also one of the lead mentors for her ACE Cleveland team at the Garrett Morgan School of Engineering and Innovation where she is responsible for coordinating a diverse team of mentors, planning lessons that aim to keep students engaged, and maintaining scheduling in order to meet the project deadlines and deliverables. Her team won the design competition in 2024 and came in second the year prior (the first year of being involved in the program).
Kaitlyn has previously worked with the Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative where she had focused on the urban design and economic redevelopment opportunities of the Mahoning Valley and East Side of Cleveland by visualizing alternative futures through research on the future of work, sustainable development, and community-driven activation. She has also previously worked at Bialosky Cleveland, where she worked on projects that focused on both architecture and planning. Her interest in adaptive reuse and community-focused projects led her to work on some notable buildings, including Park Synagogue, the Hawthorne School, Euclid Public Library, and CPL Glenville. At Bialosky, Kaitlyn joined the Community and Pipeline groups of the firm’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion initiative as well as the firm’s event planning group that was responsible for the annual summer picnic, chili cook-off, and end of year celebration.
Kaitlyn currently works at AODK, Inc. in Lakewood, Ohio, focusing primarily on medium-to-large scale mixed use buildings and small scale retail adaptations. She continues to push her interest in adaptive reuse and advocates for client and community involvement during the design process. She participates in two of the internal office “Foundations” working groups where she has been responsible for modernizing and standardizing the firm’s Revit and Design Process templates. She passionately advocates for the inclusion of community engagement and sustainable practices within design projects, and actively encourages her co-workers to get involved in the local community.
Kaitlyn continues to work towards licensure and intends to become licensed in the next few years.