Kelly MacKinnon is an Architect, Associate Professor of Architecture at Northumbria University and Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA). Her research explores how architectural education and participatory design enable people to influence places, institutions and futures. Working across educational, cultural and civic contexts, she investigates how design can support participation, agency and institutional change within the built environment, with a particular interest in creating opportunities for young people and underrepresented groups to shape the institutions, places and professions that affect their lives.

Kelly leads a programme of design research spanning two interconnected areas of inquiry. The first examines participation, educational experience and professional identity within architectural education, exploring how educational environments shape progression, belonging and future pathways within the profession. The second investigates how participatory design methodologies can support institutional learning and organisational change within cultural and civic institutions, enabling communities to play a more active role in shaping places, organisations and public life.

She is co-leading Females in Architectural Education (FIAE), a national longitudinal research platform representing over 60 schools of architecture across the UK and Ireland. Established to address longstanding gaps in sector-wide evidence, FIAE is developing a shared research infrastructure for understanding participation, educational experience, progression and career pathways within architecture. Through this work, Kelly is leading the development of a longitudinal research programme examining professional identity, educational trajectories and retention within the discipline. The initiative contributes to national discussions on the future of architectural education and informs dialogue with the Architects Registration Board, the Royal Institute of British Architects and the Standing Conference of Schools of Architecture. She regularly contributes invited keynote lectures, conference presentations and sector-wide discussions on architectural education, gender equity and participation.

Her research on participation and institutional change has been developed through collaborations with cultural organisations, local authorities and community partners. Working with organisations including BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, New Writing North, North East Museums and the British Council, she explores how participatory design can contribute to organisational learning, strategic development, youth engagement and the co-production of cultural and civic futures. Her work contributes to contemporary debates on participation, institutional change and the social role of design, generating insights that inform educational, cultural and civic practice.

Kelly has established a national profile in architectural education through leadership, external examining, validation and advisory roles. She has taught architecture at Northumbria University, Glasgow School of Art and the University of Strathclyde, and has served as External Examiner for architecture programmes at Birmingham City University, the University of Strathclyde and the University of Kent. She contributes to architectural education nationally through her role on the RIBA Validation Panel and advisory work with the Architects Registration Board. She has also led Northumbria University's Venice Biennale Fellowship Scheme, creating opportunities for students and graduates to engage with one of the world's most significant international architecture and cultural events.

Her research, teaching and engagement activities are united by a commitment to expanding participation in architecture and understanding how design can support more inclusive, democratic and socially responsive futures.