This story is part of our March 2026 issue. To read the print version, click here.
Kimberly Follett
Managing Director and Market Leader, CBRE
Growing up in San Luis Obispo as one of three girls, a triplet, Kimberly Follett might easily have followed her family to Cal Poly. Instead, she chose to attend college in Sacramento, carving out a different path that would eventually lead her to oversee brokerage teams across Northern California and Nevada as managing director and market leader at CBRE.
She enrolled at Sacramento State and initially studied interior design, but partway through the program, she realized it wasn’t really for her. Classes were difficult to access, and progress felt uncertain. When she walked into the business department and learned how easily she could change majors, she did.
That pivot was shaped by a strong sense of independence early on. “I didn’t really have a safety net in family or wealth, so I knew I had to get a job and take care of myself,” Follett says.
She selected a concentration in real estate and land use and was introduced to the industry through an internship at Wachovia Securities, working downtown. From there, she joined CBRE’s research team, a common entry point into commercial real estate, and has remained with the firm since then. This spring marks nearly 20 years at the company.
Over the past two decades, Follett has worked her way through office leasing, tenant representation and management. For more than a decade, she focused exclusively on office product, following CBRE’s philosophy that brokers build credibility through specialization. Each deal reflected a different mix of tenant needs, investor goals and market conditions.
Today, Follett is a managing director and market leader at CBRE, overseeing brokerage teams across its Sacramento, Roseville, Reno and Central Valley offices. Her role includes managing the advisory side of the firm’s commercial real estate business and supporting salespeople involved in leasing and transactions that shape how companies operate and how cities function. She works closely with brokers on business planning, development, forecasting and pipeline reporting, and supports teams across multiple service lines.
Follett describes herself as a connector. “I’m always thinking about how to help solve the problem,” she says. “Sometimes that means introducing someone to the right person. Sometimes it’s helping them see a different path.”
She credits early encouragement from mentors with shaping her approach to leadership. Mark Fujiwara, who supervised her during her internship, helped her recognize her own value early in her career. Later, Dave Brennan, her predecessor in the regional manager role, made sure she was included in important conversations. “He pushed me to do things I didn’t always want to do,” she says. “But it gave me the reps.”
“I’m always thinking about how to help solve the problem. Sometimes that means introducing someone to the right person. Sometimes it’s helping them see a different path.”
In her current role, Follett focuses on developing early talent, strengthening market coverage and helping brokers respond to shifts in how companies use space. She works closely with teams on business planning and forecasting while identifying gaps in coverage across the region. She recently completed her presidency with the Association of Commercial Real Estate and continues to stay involved in industry initiatives.
Outside of work, much of Follett’s time is shaped by her husband, Patrick, and two children, Chase, 9, and Kira, 7, whose sports schedules fill much of the family calendar. They enjoy traveling when possible, often planning weekend trips or visiting other cities to attend professional sporting events. At home, the household includes a 3-year-old goldendoodle named Harry, a 13-year-old Maltese schnauzer mix named Chuck and a fish named Norris Junior.
When asked about her goals, Follett points to how emerging tools like artificial intelligence may support decision-making in a relationship-driven business. “Understanding what those are and making sure that we are deploying those tools in a responsible way, but also at the time that we should be, so we’re not losing ground.” She also emphasizes building stronger coverage across the region and continuing to invest in talent development, with a focus on helping teams adapt to a changing market while maintaining the relationships that drive the business.
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View the list of honorees from 2015 through 2026.
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