on Sep 27, 2024

Remembering Kate Coburn

It is with great sadness that we share the news that HR&A Partner Kate Coburn passed away last week.

 

During her 14-year tenure at HR&A, Kate helped elevate our brand as one of the most trusted advisors in the industry, provided strategic guidance to countless clients about how to better serve their communities, and shaped a supportive company culture by bringing a sense of care to every interaction with her colleagues. With her deep commitment to mentorship and teaching, Kate’s legacy lives on in the many lives and careers she helped shape and support across HR&A and our extended community.

 

“HR&A wouldn’t be the place it is today without Kate’s contributions,” said CEO Jeff Hébert, “Kate created new pathways for women in the real estate industry, and she brought others along with her by mentoring the next generation and inspiring excellence in all she did. She was known for the passion she brought to her work as she helped shape consequential projects from New York City to Birmingham. Her characteristic spirit and zeal will be sorely missed by her colleagues and clients.”

 

Kate was a fearless trailblazer in our industry for over 30 years. Prior to HR&A, she was a leader at AECOM, Economics Research Associates (ERA), Cushman & Wakefield, and Rockefeller Center. Her legacy revitalizing downtowns and creating vibrant places is on display across cities in Alabama, California, Louisiana, New York, Texas and beyond. She also inspired and guided generations of real estate leaders across organizations such as Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW), New York Women Executives in Real Estate (WX), Public-Private Real Estate Professionals (P/PREP), and the Young Men’s/Women’s Real Estate Association.

 

To honor Kate’s legacy and her commitment to mentorship, HR&A is creating the “Kate Coburn Internship for Emerging Women in Real Estate” to help emerging professionals launch their real estate careers. Since the news of her passing, we have heard countless stories about Kate’s impact on the careers of so many across the HR&A extended network, and we can think of no better way to keep her spirit alive and continue her work supporting the next generation of real estate leaders and changemakers.

 

Kate leaves behind a loving family and expansive network of friends, collaborators, and colleagues. HR&A and Kate’s family recommend contributing to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation if you are interested in donating in Kate’s honor.