KHultivating Success at Kimley-Horn
Kimley-Horn launched a pilot session of KHultivate, a professional development program developed for Black/African American analysts within their first two years at Kimley-Horn that focused on the development of interpersonal and technical skills, relationships, and community. The purpose of the program was to help increase retention and better integrate Black/African American employees to the firm.
<h2>Kicking Off KHultivate</h2>
In early October, 24 analysts from across the country joined together for KHultivate’s in-person kickoff in Fort Worth, Texas. Over the span of two days, participants took part in sessions on topics such as self-awareness, quality assurance, consulting skills, and career ownership—taught by leaders in the firm. Connecting with their class, the 24 analysts participated in team-building activities and heard from panels of employees at different stages of their careers who provided helpful advice.
Pioneering the Program
The driving force behind the KHultivate program was a team of employees from the firm’s Black Kimley-Horn Network (BKN) employee resource group. This team included the firm’s Chairman, Barry Barber, and Mike Sanders, a Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Specialist at Kimley-Horn with a passion for providing opportunities for all people to flourish. After spending more than eight years serving clients as an engineer in roadway design, Mike pivoted roles and joined the firm’s D&I team—and immediately hit the ground running with plans for KHultivate.
A dedicated team of employees across the country joined in to assist with logistics, create a curriculum, develop and finalize content, and teach classes—turning this dream into a reality after months of planning and preparation.
Empowering the Leaders of Tomorrow
After an inspiring and impactful kickoff, KHultivate participants joined virtual follow-up meetings, including a Black Shareholder Roundtable and technical mentorship groups, as well as sessions that cover topics like AI tools and DiSC communication styles.
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