Advancing the Profession of Commercial Interior Design

As I write my first letter to the Chapter, I am filled with a sense of great excitement to begin my term as President of IIDA Northern California.  Over the past year, I’ve met Chapter leaders across the country, which has underscored our collective ability to make a difference both locally and nationally. The strength of our Chapter community is incredible, and it is an honor to continue the work of our 2024 theme, Design for Dignity, while launching our 2025 theme, Design for Empowerment.  

Throughout my term we’re going to make sure that we keep these themes at the heart of all our initiatives and events. Design for Dignity harnesses our belief that the strength of our society can be measured by the way we treat our most vulnerable populations. We seek to provide the comfort, care, and resources necessary for the dignity and equal access of everyone.

Design for Empowerment emphasizes giving people the tools they need to thrive by encouraging people and communities to exercise autonomy and self-determination while enabling them to achieve goals previously unattainable. Our mission this year will be to significantly improve the quality of our lives and the lives of others.

In pursuit of these goals here are a few things I’m particularly fired up about:

1. Diversifying Membership: Let’s make our IIDA family even more vibrant and inclusive. Whether you’ve been in the industry for years or are just starting out, there’s a place for you here. Our broad membership base will enrich our collective expertise and strengthen our ability to address complex challenges.
2. Advocating for Equal Permitting Rights and Pay Equity: It is crucial that we continue to advocate for fair and equal permitting rights for Interior Design, and we’ll champion pay transparency because Interior Designers deserve to be paid fairly for the significant contributions that they make to our communities.
3. Enhancing Professional Development Resources: We’re cooking up some exciting educational resources to keep you at the top of your game. From things like leadership workshops to members only resources, we’re here to help you take it to the next level.

As we work towards these objectives, I encourage each of you to actively engage and contribute insights, ideas, and passion. Your presence and input are what make this community so special, so please don’t hesitate to reach out and get involved. I promise that you’ll get more out of it than you put in! We cannot do this work without the amazing support we receive from our patrons and event sponsors. You are integral to our Chapter’s success, and we know you’ll find value in connecting your organization to IIDA.

Thank you!