Kelly Holton (‘07 Graphic Design)
When fans walk through a kelp forest-inspired tunnel at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena or gather at Kansas City’s upcoming FIFA Fan Festival, they are stepping into stories designed by Kelly Holton (‘07 Graphic Design).
For Holton, the core of graphic design has always been storytelling. Today, she uses experiential design to shape how people move through spaces, connect with communities, and become part of a larger narrative.
As a Senior Principal, Brand Activation Director, and Kansas City Office Director at Populous, Holton blends human psychology, local culture, and immersive environments to create some of the most memorable sports and entertainment venues in the world.
Designing for the Future: Climate Pledge Arena
One of Holton's most notable career achievements is her work on the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, famously the first net-zero carbon arena in the world. Built underneath the historic Paul Thiry-designed roof from the 1962 World’s Fair, the venue required a delicate balance of historic preservation and bold, future-facing innovation.
Holton and her team brought the environmental mission to life by bringing nature indoors. They designed a 250-foot-long subterranean living wall featuring 38 plant species, completely immersing fans in the local ecosystem. They also crafted immersive stairwell environments for fans exiting the arena, with one designed to feel like walking through an underwater kelp forest and another mirroring a Pacific Northwest forest. These elements ensure fans leave with a powerful reminder of the venue's sustainability mission.
“It was inspiring to be a part of this project and see a venue like that go beyond all standards of sustainability.” Holton says. “It has a lot of really rich stories that people remember, and we bring that story to the forefront of the fan experience. Fans engage with the meaning and the power of the venue and are reminded of the mission.”
This seamless blend of sustainability and storytelling ultimately cemented the arena as a transformative space for everyone who walks through its doors.
Holton traces much of that approach back to her education at the Kansas City Art Institute, where she developed the strategic design thinking that helped her evolve from a 2D-focused student into an experiential design leader.
Growing up in St. Louis with a deep passion for art, Holton was looking for a program that offered a fine arts environment with a career-focused trajectory. The graphic design department’s intimate studio culture and the school's tight-knit community provided exactly that.
For Holton, the greatest takeaway from the Graphic Design program was its thought-driven approach. Rather than simply focusing on aesthetics or trends, KCAI taught her how to think strategically as a designer.
She credits faculty members including Jonathon Kemnitzer, tyler galloway, Paul Diamond, Brockett Horne, and Kelly Salchow for shaping her approach to design. Holton especially recalls how faculty encouraged students to think critically about systems, strategy, and communication alongside aesthetics.
“It was about how you develop the ‘reason why’ for everything you do,” Holton says.
Holton did not initially envision a career designing large-scale sports and entertainment venues. Her path evolved through a growing interest in how people emotionally connect to physical spaces and shared experiences.
After graduating in 2007, Kelly initially focused on non-profit clients to make a tangible community impact. She worked in museum exhibit design for civil rights and cultural institutions, learning how to structure a narrative journey through physical environments.
Today, Holton leads experiential branding projects that amplify the identity and culture of a place through physical experience. She also serves as the Kansas City Office Director and sits on the Americas Regional Board at Populous, helping shape the broader direction of the firm.
“Our venues sell experiences,” Holton notes. “For us as designers to be inspired and create really unique experiences, it's about digging deeply into consumerism, real curiosity, and behavioral observations. Fans do so many unique things and create traditions on their own. You have to let those thrive.”
Balancing consumer data with a genuine curiosity about human behavior, she helps create spaces where fans can see their own passion reflected in the architecture.
"Fans do so many unique things and create traditions on their own. You have to let those thrive."
Welcoming the World: KC 2026
Building on her success of crafting unforgettable, large-scale fan experiences in Seattle, Holton is now turning her visionary eye toward her own backyard for one of the biggest sporting events in the world. After living in Kansas City for over two decades, Kelly considers herself a "super fan" of the city. “I've been inspired by the Royals or Chief parades, celebrating together has so much power. Being part of something bigger than yourself, experiencing it together, it’s a celebration of people and culture.”
Now, she gets to help design how Kansas City welcomes the globe for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Kelly is heavily involved in designing the FIFA Fan Festival at the National WWI Museum and Memorial. Free and open to the public, the festival will feature watch parties, concerts, and entertainment, acting as a massive, inclusive celebration of KC’s signature charm and hospitality. Additionally, she is working on KC House, a hospitality hub in the Plaza designed to showcase Kansas City's business, innovation, and creativity to international visitors in a more intimate setting.
“This is an opportunity for people of the region to be a part of FIFA regardless of whether they're attending a match.” Holton says.
Recently named a 2026 Women Executives-Kansas City (WeKC) honoree by Ingram’s magazine, Holton is highly aware of the changing landscape of sports architecture. Inspired by the explosive growth of women's sports, like the KC Current's historic purpose-built stadium, she takes her role as a female executive seriously, striving to mentor and develop the next generation of women leaders in the practice.
“It helps when you see other women executives at the table, you see a reflection of yourself and how you join that table yourself,” Holton stated. “I think it's really inspiring and really motivating.”
For the next generation of KCAI students hoping to carve out their own paths, Holton’s advice is to stay curious and keep an open mind.
“Follow your passions,” Holton says. “I chose my path based on my interests, and I never expected it would lead me here. People understand when you’re genuinely invested in creativity, curiosity, and quality.”