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Kathy Shaloo Berg holds a double distinction of being the first woman to be named by ZGF Architects as a partner in its Portland office, and just the second woman to be named to such a position in the entire 500-person firm.

It was her ability to lead both within the firm and on outside projects that helped her reach a leadership position, according to her colleagues. On projects, she has built a reputation for being able to assemble a strong project team, and then lead members fearlessly through to a successful project.

Within ZGF, she works to encourage and inspire her co-workers to reach for excellence. She runs quarterly meetings to keep the 200 employees in ZGF’s Portland office in touch with the firm’s marketing efforts and partner updates, and to keep them in the loop about projects taking place in Portland. She recently led a firm-wide effort to create formal vision and mission statements. Her efforts with the firm’s young professionals group have included coordinating mock design challenges and creating a video challenge.

Her dedication to excellence in the industry extends outside the office. She served on the board of the Architecture Foundation of Oregon for five years, beginning in 2007. She actively speaks at industry conferences such as the 2014 Living Future Conference.

With an eye toward encouraging the next generation of architects, she has served as an instructor for the ACE Mentor program, teaching architects how to work with students interested in pursuing careers in the building industry. She also recently agreed to serve as a lecturer for a University of Oregon architecture professional practice class.