Kelly Hayes-McAlonie

Kelly Hayes McAlonie, FAIA, is a nationally recognized architect, educator, and advocate whose transformative work in public architecture has reshaped university campuses, empowered students, and elevated the visibility of women in the profession. With over three decades of experience, she blends strategic vision with a deep commitment to equity and education—building environments and movements that leave lasting impact.

As Director of Campus Planning at the University at Buffalo (UB), McAlonie oversees more than 12 million square feet across three campuses, leading the implementation of the $2.4 billion UB2020 Comprehensive Master Plan. Her leadership has shaped the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, the South Campus Revitalization Plan, and Reimagining North Campus. These efforts are transforming one of the State University of New York's flagship institutions into a student-centered, forward-looking environment. As Tracy Conhiser-Uy, AIA, Senior Architect at DASNY, remarked, “Kelly has rightfully set an extremely high bar for the public architecture that embodies the entire University at Buffalo campus”​.

Kelly’s commitment to learning spaces began in graduate school, where she studied architecture for children. That passion led her to design more than 100 play environments early in her career. In 2000, she founded the Architecture + Education program, a groundbreaking initiative that connects AIA members, university students, and public school teachers to teach design in the classroom. Now in its third decade, the AIA National Award-winning program has reached more than 5,000 students across Buffalo. Its impact is best captured by a fourth-grade participant who said, “I never heard of that. Can I really be an architect? I didn’t know I was allowed”​.

Kelly’s influence extends beyond design and planning. A leader within the American Institute of Architects (AIA), she served as President of AIA New York State, was a Strategic Council representative, and held a three-year term on the National Architectural Accrediting Board, including as Treasurer. She has shaped national conversations around architectural education and public architecture, co-founding the Excelsior Awards for Public Architecture in New York and launching the Every Building Has an Architect campaign to amplify the visibility of architects in the public sphere.

Gender equity is a cornerstone of McAlonie’s work. Inspired by discovering the little-known legacy of Louise Blanchard Bethune—the first professional woman architect in the U.S.—she devoted over 20 years to researching Bethune’s life, culminating in the 2023 publication of Louise Blanchard Bethune: Every Woman Her Own Architect. The book received the Arline Custer Memorial Award and has catalyzed widespread recognition of Bethune’s contributions, including public exhibits and the creation of an archive at the University at Buffalo.

In 2011, McAlonie collaborated with historian Despina Stratigakos and Mattel to create the Barbie I Can Be…Architect doll, which introduced young girls to architecture as a career path. She developed and led educational workshops at the AIA National Convention in New Orleans, where over 400 girls engaged in architecture-themed activities. The project was featured in major media and even in the 2023 Barbie movie, helping to reframe the narrative around women in design.

In recent years, McAlonie’s advocacy has extended to the public realm through her leadership of the Trailblazing Women of Western New York monument project. In a city where only 2% of monuments honored women, she helped bring to life three bronze statues of historic women leaders—Bethune, civil rights activist Mary Talbert, and Seneca educator Geraldine Sid-Tah Green—installed in front of Buffalo’s Old Erie County Hall in 2024. The initiative continues to grow with plans for a regional plaque program celebrating women’s contributions across Western New York.

Kelly’s voice resonates not only through her built work, but also in print and on stage. She is a contributing writer for Buffalo Spree magazine, where her regular features celebrate architectural history and local design. She has also delivered dozens of lectures and keynotes across the country on public architecture, design equity, and the legacy of women in architecture.

As Kari Winter, Executive Director of the University at Buffalo Gender Institute, eloquently stated, “Kelly has been instrumental in connecting the Institute for Research and Education on Women and Gender to the worlds of architecture and design locally, statewide, nationally, and internationally”​.

Through every project and platform, Kelly Hayes McAlonie exemplifies the architect as advocate, educator, and changemaker. Her legacy is one of inspiration—bridging communities, advancing justice, and setting new standards for design in the public realm.