HKS Designer Rachael Rome Named Among BD+C’s 40 Under 40 Winners 2025

HKS, Inc. is celebrating Rachael Rome, who has been named among Building Design+Construction’s (BD+C) 40 Under 40 winners for 2025 — an annual recognition spotlighting emerging leaders driving transformation in architecture, engineering, and construction.

The BD+C 40 Under 40 program honors professionals under the age of 40 who demonstrate exceptional leadership, creativity, and impact within the built environment. Rome’s inclusion reflects her forward-thinking approach to healthcare architecture and her commitment to shaping environments that promote wellbeing and resilience.

Operational Details

Over her six-year tenure at HKS, Rome has delivered more than 60 health projects — representing over $1.2 billion in constructed or ongoing work. Her achievements extend beyond project delivery, including the development of a Modular/Prefab Knowledge Repository and leadership in establishing a Behavioral Health Subject Matter Expert network that advances design innovation across the firm.

Quote

“From high-acuity psychiatric hospitals in Texas to community-based wellness campuses in Greece, this work has reshaped how I see architecture’s role in healing.”
— Rachael Rome, HKS, Inc.

Strategic Significance

Rome’s recognition reinforces HKS’s leadership in healthcare design and its dedication to evidence-based, human-centered innovation. Her influence spans from large-scale psychiatric hospitals in the United States to community wellness campuses abroad — highlighting architecture’s expanding role in holistic care and mental health advocacy.