World, meet Marta.  She’s our Human Resources Manager in New York, by title, but in practice, she is so much more.  As she describes it, her role in a nutshell entails helping make sure we find, hire, support, develop and care for an office of wonderfully talented people.  Emphasize that latter part about the wonderfully talented people, because that’s Marta. Born and raised a New Englander, Marta is a blueberry-pie-making-diva, artist and nature lover with a zest for life.   In her words, everyone should “Make time for what feeds your heart and awakens your sense of wonder.”  Words to live by for sure. Here’s more from her interview. 

Q: What made you choose HOK?
First and foremost I chose HOK for the people (intelligent. creative. kind), the organization (innovative. entrepreneurial. socially responsible) and because HOK has exemplified a long standing commitment to the advancement of sustainable practices in the world of design and the built environment. 

Q: Who or what inspires you?
The overarching inspiration in my life is nature.  One can amass a lifetime of transferable wisdom by simply paying attention during a walk in the woods or enjoying a simple city garden.  Looking at ecology means learning from beautifully complex, rich, honest systems that rely on one another to make it all happen.  In that vein of thinking I am inspired by E.O. Wilson, Janine Benyus (go HOK and Biomimicry Guild!), Mary Oliver and Thoreau (who brought it all home when I was young and impressionable)!  On a slightly less “macro” level, I am forever inspired by the arts and have a deep interest in social responsibility, cultural theory and sustainable social practices.

Q:  You are an important part of making the NYC office work. What is your favorite part of your role?
One of the things I love most about my job is that I have the opportunity to support creative people in the development of career paths they are passionate about.  As a visual artist (away from my desk), I know how much time, energy and sincerity gets put into the creative process.  It’s important to foster a balanced, enthusiastic work culture that supports and nurtures ideas and creative problem solving.  If we are successful in encouraging and sustaining innovative, creative thinking, it means we open the floodgates for inspired, elegant design.

Q:  You love the outdoors, how do you feed your hobbies with such a busy schedule? 
I spend many weekends getting out of the city for hiking and walks in nature.  Some weekends might entail traversing a steep incline in the White, Green, Taconic or Catskill mountains, while others I may just enjoy a walk through a more local state park and a dunk in the river.  When I take vacations, I try to include as much outdoor adventure and exploration as possible.  Last spring I spent a week hiking and camping in Death Valley during the wildflower bloom, and this Christmas will be visiting my brother in the Bavarian Alps to enjoy winter hiking, snowshoeing, sledding and skiing.

Q:  Do you have any quirks or hidden talents that we can share?
I’m a visual artist.  I studied drawing and painting, as well as photography and installation art.  Some of my favorites artists include, Ann Hamilton, Walton Ford, Lucien Freud, Rachel Whitread, Joan Mitchell, Agnes Martin and Francesca Woodman to name a few.  Out of college I continued my art studies at the School for the Museum of Fine Arts (while working at MIT) and in addition to drawing, played around with super 8 film making and experimental non-silver photo processes.  For a spell I taught photography at a private school North of Boston, and when I came to NY volunteered as a photo teacher at the “The Point” – an afterschool program offered by the International Center of Photography in Hunts Point, The Bronx.  I’ve studied with a few painters in NY, and have tried to stay active in the “studio”.  Fun fact?  When I was in high school I worked with a small conservation team to research and relocate an endangered species of freshwater mussels (I was a part of a watershed conservation group).  I also make a mean blueberry pie.

For more inspirational stories of the Women Across HOK, click here.