Perkins&Will Appoints Katy Daugharty as Southeast U.S. Regional K–12 Practice Leader

Daugharty has over 20 years of experience designing and renovating K–12 school buildings. Since joining the firm in 2024, she has demonstrated strong leadership and client service, building trust among colleagues and clients alike. Her extensive portfolio includes new construction, additions, renovations, adaptive reuse, historic restorations, and specialized learning environments for major public school districts and private institutions, including elementary, middle, and high school campuses.

“Strong schools are the foundation of thriving communities,” says Daugharty. “School districts today face growing expectations and increasingly complex challenges, balancing tight budgets with the need to improve outcomes for students and support educators. We’re proud to continue Barbara’s legacy of design excellence by partnering closely with teachers, administrators, and school leaders who maintain and care for our schools, creating healthy and engaging learning environments that nurture the imaginations of the next generation.”

Under Crum’s leadership, Perkins&Will grew and sustained its reputation as a premier K–12 design firm both regionally and nationwide. The company has successfully programmed, planned, and designed educational facilities for more than 85 years, delivering a portfolio of over 2,800 K–12 schools. Each fall, over 850,000 students enter K–12 schools designed by Perkins&Will.

“What has always inspired me most is the opportunity to help students, teachers, and communities thrive,” says Crum. “I am incredibly proud of what our talented team has accomplished together and grateful for the trust our clients have placed in us over the years. Katy is a powerhouse leader with the portfolio and industry recognition to ensure the practice continues growing and evolving while staying true to the values that have defined our success.”

Daugharty’s advancement comes at a crucial inflection point for school districts facing enrollment cliffs, fluctuating construction costs, and evolving priorities around safety and well-being. To help clients navigate these hurdles, she will focus on three key priorities: leveraging the multidisciplinary expertise of Perkins&Will’s K–12 practice; guiding clients toward strategic facility investments through thoughtful, evidence-based design; and drawing on the firm’s global knowledge to advance sustainability, resilience, and occupant health for students and educators.

In the practice’s next phase, Daugharty will prioritize helping districts shape learning environments that meet immediate needs and long-term goals, especially through renovations, additions, and phased campus transformations, as well as opportunistic new construction work.