Cates Kijak

Cates is a Principal on the Industra team at Bespoke. Based in Asheville, NC, she joined the firm in 2026. Prior to Bespoke, she worked at Kimmel & Associates as the West Coast Mechanical Market Leader, where she supported clients in hiring talent across their Engineering & Leadership Teams.

Cates has also held senior roles in Executive search at Charles Aris and helped establish the Talent function at Nabis to support their rapid growth.

Cates earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from Flager College where she was a member of the WFCF college radio staff and active in the First Coast Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

In her spare time, Cates enjoys exploring the mountains and beaches across the Carolinas with her dog Charlie, checking out live music and restaurants in Asheville with friends and family, and is an avid CrossFitter.