Steinberg Hart Partner Katia McClain has been named among the top 100 most powerful people in the region. The Silicon Valley Business Journal Power 100 List recognizes leaders in various industries who have made a significant impact in their field and have helped shape the region’s economy. This award is a testament to Katia’s hard work, dedication, and contributions to the San Jose community, advocacy for women and Latinos in leadership, and the architecture industry.
The SVBJ’s Power 100 List is made up of local residents who live and work in Silicon Valley:
- Influencers who are either redefining what Silicon Valley is all about or improving what’s already working well in the region.
- Leaders that are adeptly navigating their companies and organizations through challenges and capitalizing on emerging opportunities.
- Visionaries who have unique insights about the future and are motivating others to follow them.
- Game changers, people who 10 or 20 years from now we’ll say, “they changed history.”
Born in Mexico City, Katia is a proud binational and bicultural architect with nearly three decades of experience on a wide range of complex, large-scale civic, education, and mixed-use project typologies. She is currently leading two affordable housing projects in Silicon Valley. As the leader of our San Jose office, Katia fuses her expertise leading complex, innovative, and highly sustainable projects with her passion for championing an inclusive, people-focused culture across our firm, earning her the title of Chief People Officer. At Steinberg Hart, her commitment to creating a welcoming and inclusive workplace and promoting these values at Steinberg Hart has led her to be an integral advocate for our staff. Notably, she spearheading the effort for our firm to become a JUST Organization. She believes that it is important for architects to represent the communities they serve and has been a mentor to many young architects, helping them to develop their skills and achieve their goals.
Katia is deeply involved in her community. She serves on the Board of the San Jose Downtown Association and the Board of the Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley. She is a founding member of AIA Silicon Valley’s Women in Architecture Committee, and was an integral part of the planning committee that brought the American Institute of Architects’ Women’s Leadership Summit to San Jose. She is responsible for establishing a partnership with Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana, a contemporary arts space focused on the Chicano and Latino experience and history located in San Jose’s SoFA district, which resulted in Steinberg Hart completing a pro bono project benefiting the organization.
In a recent interview with Madame Architect, Katia shared her success story and provided insights on what it takes to succeed in the architecture industry. She emphasized the importance of having a clear vision and staying true to one’s values, as well as the need to continuously learn and evolve. Katia also stressed the importance of mentorship and seeking guidance from experienced professionals in the field. Over the last three decades, Katia has worked to advocate for diversity and inclusion in the architecture industry, and her efforts result in powerful environments that have a positive impact on the communities they serve.
Her work has made a lasting impact on our organization and our communities. Katia’s passion for supporting people and community through architecture is an inspiration to us all. We could not be more thrilled to see her being recognized for her many contributions.
Katia, congratulations on this well-deserved recognition.