November 19th, 2025
Sarah Jacoby Founder & Principal, Sarah Jacoby Architect
Since founding her architecture firm in 2014, Sarah Jacoby has led a diverse range of projects—from new constructions and renovations to historic brownstones and contemporary apartments—each reflecting her clients’ evolving needs and visions. Before launching SJA, she honed her expertise at renowned firms including Adjaye Associates, SOM, and Rogers Marvel, contributing to residential, commercial, and public projects across New York City and the U.S.
Sarah earned her undergraduate degree magna cum laude in History and Science from Harvard College and a Master of Architecture from Harvard’s Graduate School of Design, where she received the Alpha Rho Chi Medal for leadership and professional promise. She is a licensed architect in New York, California, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, NCARB-certified, LEED accredited, and proud to lead a certified Women Business Enterprise (WBE) in New York City.
https://www.sarahjacobyarchitect.com/
The Value of Being Done: Challenging Perfectionism in Architecture
As an architect working closely with homeowners on residential renovations, Sarah has learned that there's a profound rigor in simply completing a project; thoughtfully, responsibly, and well. Her experiences challenge the profession's fixation on perfection and reveal the value of "done" as a form of care, judgment, and craft. In this talk, Sarah shares how her work has reshaped her understanding of excellence, and invites a conversation about how architecture might better honor the intelligence of finishing.
Hilary Kroll Partner, INC Architecture & Design
Hilary Kroll joined INC Architecture and Design in 2006. She is a LEED AP and a licensed architect in New York State. She received a Master's Degree in Architecture from the University of Cincinnati and also studied in Copenhagen, Denmark, where she developed a passion for the sequential experience of spaces. In her role at INC, Hilary enjoys designing all things great and small; she is particularly interested in projects that encompass the total design of the interior and the exterior.
She has been the Project Manager and Project Architect at INC for many projects that range from residential design, including multifamily condominiums and private residences of all types, to hospitality design, including hotels, restaurants, spas, fitness centers, conference centers, and amenity spaces.
https://inc.nyc/collection/all
Building a Career and a Path to Partnership
Hilary shares her journey from early roles in her firm to becoming a partner, reflecting on how project management, business leadership, and the scale and complexity of the design projects she participated in shaped her growth. She weaves in the realities of balancing career advancement with personal life, and how those experiences inform her commitment to supporting the next generation. Her story offers a candid look at what it means to lead and to be a role model for women in the industry.