Let's Hear From You
If you have ID alumni news to share contact Eric Wiedegreen.
ALUMNI NEWS
INTERIOR DESIGN ALUMNI EVENTS
A Tallahassee/North Central Florida Alumni Event was held in November, 2008. Refreshments were coordinated by Advisory Board member Marcia Thornberry. This event followed our CIDA accreditation site visit, and allowed participants the ability to see the vast student exhibition of work (multiple examples of every single project from every single class!) Area design practitioners were also invited.
A Tampa/St. Petersburg event was held in October, 2008 coordinated by alumna and Board member Judy Brett. The event was held at Restoration Hardware in Old Hyde Park, Tampa. Drinks and food were being sponsored by Herman Miller, Bierman Group, Work Place Resource and Marc Shores and Associates.
FSU Interior Design alumni from the Greater Atlanta area gathered at the office of Gensler Atlanta July, 2007 for cocktails and a chance to network and learn more about the current design program at FSU. Department Chair Eric Wiedegreen was joined by David Butler, Dean Sally McRorie, and (pictured above right) Fred Salancy from the FSU Foundation, alumnus and Gensler host Bobby Johnston, and the Interior Design Advisory Board Chair Sue Markham. Thanks to InterfaceFLOR for their support.
A Jacksonville Event was held September, 2007 at Florida Office Interiors, facilitated by alumna and Advisory Board member Julie Schulte. Drinks and food was sponsored by Knoll and DesignTex. A super turnout of 40 ID alums made for a great evening!
A Greater Orlando event (shown at left) was held in May, 2008 at Florida Business Interiors. Thanks to alumnus and Advisory Board member Grant Gribble for helping set up the event and to DesignTex, WilsonArt and Steelcase for their support. 35 Alumni from 1974 to 2008 got to meet and hear about our current program.
A Sarasota Alumni event was held July, 2008 organized by Board member Ron McCarty at the Ringling Museum of Art. Much thanks to our Advisory Board for helping with these events!
MARY JO WEALE FUND established
In 2005 Mary Jo Weale was conferred the honor of Professor Emerita by the Dean of the College of Visual Arts, Theatre and Dance, Sally McRorie. Dr. Weale is remembered by many alumni as our first Interior Design Department Chair. Among her many accomplishments she led the move in the early 1970s to bring the Interior Design Program out of home economics into our present college. In honor of this award and the achievements of this significant member of the faculty, a "Mary Jo Weale Fund for Excellence" was established with the FSU Foundation. To date nearly $20,000 has been donated, that will allow the department to support those projects and needs for students and faculty that lead to national prominence. Donations by check to this on-going fund can be made out to "FSU Foundation-Interior Design" and sent to the department at 225 William Johnston Bldg., FSU, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1231. For a listing of donors to date, click here.
A GIFT TO THE PROGRAM
Department Chair Eric Wiedegreen announced the gift of $100,000 to the Interior Design program from Judy Brett (BS 1973). The gift was in the form of a universal life policy with the ID program as beneficiary and was given in honor of Dr. Mary Jo Weale. This donation will allow the program to have funds needed in the future to seek continued excellence. Ms. Brett is a member of the FSU Interior Design Advisory Board.
Markham leads the ID Advisory Board
Sue Markham (BS 1975, MS 2002) is currently the chair our Interior Design Advisory Board. She has served as a member-at-large on the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) National Board and served as Chair of the National Nominating Committee. At the ASID Interiors 05 Conference she received a Presidential Citation for her work on the Member Services Delivery Task Force. Sue served as a judge for the Best of NEOCON 2005 awards in Chicago, and was the keynote speaker for the 2005 IDEC South Regional Conference. At the 2006 ASID National Conference Sue was inducted as a Fellow of ASID. This highest of the association's awards, was certainly well deserved.
Sofia Cabassa (BS 2009) writes from Guatemala that she has just gotten two part time jobs (despite a bad global economy!) " The job consists of helping design a hospital for kids with cancer. I truly love it and the interior architect I am working with is great and I know I will learn a lot. The second job involves designing the common areas and the model apartments for an assisted living building. I am very excited because this one is all on me,although that makes me super nervous! Thank you, for without all of you I wouldn´t have had this opportunity. I truly learned a lot and I loved it."
Sheena Wurm (BS 2005) was promoted to Associate at Baker Barrios Architects Inc., Orlando. She was been with the firm since 2006 as an Interior Designer. Her experience and abilities across the markets of hospitality, corporate, retail, restaurant, and healthcare made her a valuable member of the team. Recognized for its innovative and award-winning designs, Baker Barrios Architects Inc. is a leading architectural, interior design and planning firm and. serves clients throughout the United States.
Peter Overman (BS 2006) writes that he's living in Chicago and working at a mid-sized firm called Archideas. "We’ve had some really great projects, one of which was featured in the 2006 edition of Corporate Interiors. I’m really enjoying my job. Currently I am working on a 72,000 sf, 5 story office project in Seattle. In my short time here, I’ve been able to have a strong influence on the project and have worked on many conceptual renderings, SketchUp models, as well as typical drafting stuff like construction details and RCPs. It’s great to put so many skills to use in my job. Let the students know that FSU grads can get great jobs in the big city!” Peter will start a Masters of Architecture degree at the University of Illinois in Fall 2009.
Ashley McGrew (MS 2008) Despite a worsening economy, Ashely recently went to work at Government Services IPT, out of Lanham, MD on government contracts around the world. "Right now, I am working as a space planner specifically on the Department of Energy contract in SW DC. We are in charge of all of the DOE facilities and all of their renovations and building updates. Working in DC has been fun. Our building is located directly behind the Smithsonian castle so there is always a lot to do. When it's nice out we walk over to the mall and the museums for our lunch break. At the moment, Angelina Jolie is shooting a movie outside our building so we've been taking our lunch breaks when they're filming to try and get a peek of her and Brad Pitt :) Always something going on...! "
J. Emory Johnson (BS 1972) was recently honored by the College of Human Sciences at FSU with a bench dedicated in his honor, for his long-term leadership of their college Development Board. Emory has practiced design in Tallahassee for years and has been an avid supporter of design licensure. He continues to share his time in serving on our Interior Design Advisory Board and chairs the College of Visual Arts, Theatre & Dance Dean's Council. Thanks, Emory, for all your service to FSU and the profession!
Stepahnie Moss (BS 2008) started working with VOA Associates in the Orlando office. "I love my studio director, the people I work with, and the office. It is really a perfect fit for me and I am so excited about the work I am doing. We are currently working on a hotel in Dubai - thank goodness for Peter Munton and that metric hotel project!" She has also been accepted to SCAD for Spring 09, and has been granted a fellowship. She will tackle this through distance learning. " I am so excited about the opportunities that are presenting themselves and am looking forward to where the next couple of years will lead. Thanks to the faculty for all their support and guidance through the past few years!"
Susan Huey Oster (BS 1990) after studying lighting at FSU was selected for an IALD internship and shortly after graduation founded LIT Light ing Design, having workedfor more than a decade with some of the leading lighting designers in the country. LIT has been recognized in national and regional publications such as Record Lighting, Interior Design, Architectural Lighting and Architectural Digest. Several of LITs projects have won International Illumination Design Awards by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America, including the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, San Francisco Fashion Center and Hawaiian Electric Company/Honolulu.
Kelly Bruss (BS 2006) writes that after graduation she moved back to Orlando and began working for IKEA as an Interior Design Co-worker. "Not only have I been able to work on room designs for IKEA Orlando, but have also been able to participate in the build-ups for IKEA Sunrise and Tampa. Later this year I will be heading to the Elizabeth, NJ store to be a part of the remodel team. I'm really excited that I'm part of such a great company where my design skills can thrive, and that empowers people to create their own spaces affordably. Thanks so much to the FSU faculty for the solid foundation that has prepared me for a career I love."
Nezar Saleh Abdul-hafeez, Ph.D. (MS 2005) is now serving as an
Assistant Professor of Arts and Art Education and
Vice Dean of Community College at
Taibah University,
Saudi Arabia. "You cannot imagine how much I miss the Department and all my teachers!"
Lindsay Goeb (BS 2006) took a year off after graduation and then entered the master's program of architecture at FIU in Miami. "With a year and half left, I am definitely engulfed in the midst of projects galore. I am definitely learning a lot and am in a great learning environment and city. I am still using everything I learned in Interior Design and FIU professors were impressed with things I knew already from FSU. I plan on eventually finding a job after graduation in Tampa in the hospitality category and pursuing LEED certification."
Kimberly Marks (BS 1981) is now serving as NCIDQ's national President-Elec. She has been principal and owner of The Marks Design Group, Inc., an interior design firm providing commercial interiors and architecture since 1985. As a stable force in San Antonio through both good and bad economies, her firm has designed major commercial interiors projects in the diversified areas of corporate, healthcare, education, government, commercial real estate, retail, hospitality, banking and law. Kim is a nationally recognized speaker, having participated in panel discussions and speaking engagements across the US, including ASID National Conventions, and Regional NeoCon Trade Conferences. She has served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Texas, San Antonio where she continues to mentor students. Kim has developed an expertise in building codes through her volunteer involvement in the development of the International Building Codes. This effort led her to deliver building code workshops that emphasize codes specific to the interior designer's role in the design team. She is also a past President of her state coalition, the Texas Association for Interior Design. Kim is the author of the NCIDQ continuing education monograph Structures in Interior Design and previously served on the NCIDQ Board of Directors from 2006 through 2007. She is a Registered Interior Designer in the State of Texas.
Jennifer Luckey (BS 1994) moved to Atlanta right after graduation and worked for Nancy Braitwaite Interiors, doing high-end interiors. After 4 years she then went to work with Gandy Peace, also in Atlanta. During her 5 years there she had two projects published, in House Beautiful and Veranda. Now on her own, she also teaches a design class at the University of West Georgia. "I still refer to my notes from history classes!"
Nick Hernandez (BS 2008) writes that he is now with International Design Concepts in Miami. The firm specializes in high-end hotels, resorts and spas in the Carribean. "The hotel project I did for Studio IV was just so interesting to me that I decided to look into the hospitality field. We are now working on a Spa/Club community in St. Lucia. It's thrilling to show up to work every day; it's amazing, I love it!"
Teresa Finch (BS 1984) has been a representative of Wilsonart products for over 15 years, 9 years with the manufacturer. She calls on specifers in the Central Florida territory. She is a member of IIDA and ASID and most recently joined the FSU Interior Design Advisory Board.
Crysti Rife-Fafard, IIDA, LEED® AP, (BS 2001) is licensed by the Florida Board of Architecture & Interior Design, a professional member of IIDA, and has been with Harris Corporation (NYSE: HRS) since 2002. Employed as a Space Planner/Supervisor in the Facilities Management organization, she is responsible for budgeting and forecasting, AutoCAD layouts for renovations and/or new construction, program relocations, vendor contracts, product selection and specifications and overall interior design project execution for a variety of corporate spaces, including lobbies, auditoriums and executive suites. In total, she manages utilization and occupancy for approximately 1 million square feet of mixed-use space, which equates to roughly one-third of all Harris-owned or leased property in Brevard County. Working as part of a small team, she has traveled all over the country for seminars and events, such as NeoCon in Chicago, and production plant tours of industry leaders including STEELCASE, Herman Miller, and Tandus/C&A. As an active member of the Harris "Green Team", an internal focus group working to promote environmentally conscious renovations and sustainable products, she was featured in the 2007-2008 Harris Corporate Responsibility Report, A Trusted Neighbor. She and her husband, Steven, live in Rockledge, Florida and are the proud parents of three wonderful sons, Aubré, Ezra and Deacon.
Meredith (Green) Feeney (BS 2000)
After graduation Meredith worked for several years at the architecture firm of Cannon Design in Jacksonville, Florida. She became a licensed interior designer in 2003 and served on the IIDA Board of Directors in 2005-06. " In 2005, I got married and moved back to Tallahassee, where I started my own interior design business called Conundrum Design & Consulting, Inc. in January 2007. In December 2007, my daughter was born."
Michelle VanderDoes (BS 2006, MFA 2008) was recently hired by Epstein in Chicago. For over eight decades A. Epstein and Sons International, Inc. has provided companies worldwide with expertise in architecture, engineering, construction, interior design and graphic design. "I'm working as a sustainability analyst! Basically I'll be working on the different projects to make sure the design teams are keeping on track for a sustainable/LEED building, helping to determine sites, materials and other aspects. Plus I'll be acting as a consultant for clients who are interested in LEED certification and other aspects of sustainability. I'm extremely excited about this opportunity! Thank you ID faculty for everything! I am truly here because of your guidance."
Whitney Schaap (BS 2008) moved to Chicago and was offered a position with high-end residential design firm, Frank Ponterio Interior Design. "Right now I am working on a 30,000 square foot David Adler mansion with an original Frances Elkins interior. Most of the original pieces from the home were auctioned off, but a few remained intact. The new homeowners want us to recreate the original interior with a modern twist. I have been on an antique hunt looking for original pieces all over the US and Europe. This has been an unreal experience."
Michele O'Brien Rose (MFA 1995) is currently an Associate Professor in the Design Technology Department, teaching AutoCAD, at Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, CA. She has been with SMC since 1997. She has also developed and offered online AutoCAD continuing education courses for architects and engineers. Among her past experiences, Michele has worked for O’Brien Silvestri Construction in Tallahassee, FL, Ware & Malcomb Architects in Irvine, CA and Interior Space International/ Epstein in Los Angeles, CA and Chicago. She has also been a Consultant for IA Interior Architects, Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects, and Klawiter and Associates, Inc, all located in Los Angeles, CA. Michele currently lives in California with her husband, Les, who works for the CBS LA News Bureau, and their two wonderful sons, ages eight and six, who keep her busy with PTA, and extracurricular activities.
Michelle Price (BS 2008) has accepted a position at Design Group West in Naples, FL. DGW has numerous FSU grads. “I am so excited! They have a beautiful office and a very friendly staff!”
in.design, inc. is a full-service interior design firm founded in 2001 by FSU graduates Karen Hansen (BS 1996) and Laura (Thomas) Rachlin (BS 1997), pictured at left. The firm is located in Boca Raton, Florida and specializes in healthcare design, but also does a variety of design work including: corporate interiors, libraries, restaurants, boutique retail and educational facilities. Current projects include new hospital construction projects in both Denison, Texas (340,000 square feet) and Mount Pleasant, South Carolina (250,000 square feet) along with 100,000 square foot hospital expansion projects in Wellington, Florida and Las Vegas, Nevada; the firm also has various design and construction projects underway in their local South Florida market. Other FSU graduates currently working at in.design are designers Ronnie Belizaire (MS 2006) and Jenna Santamaria (BS 2007); both are involved in projects in South Florida, Texas and Nevada.
Tara Kosinsky (BS 2008) writes: "I am happy to say that I am now a Chicago resident! I got a job with The Childs/Dreyfus Group. They specialize in contract and model design. I want to thank you all at FSU for all your advice, encouragement, and knowledge. I would not be here today if it weren't for my mentors. I know there is alot to learn in the real world but I am ready and willing to soak it all in. I am excited about all the traveling and opportunities that come along with this job and with living in Chicago."
Melissa Wallace (BS 2008) is part of an increasing trend toward recent graduates quickly achieving LEED AP status. After her exposure to sustainability in the program and having taken the Sustainability elective, she writes: "I just wanted to let you know that I took the LEED-CI exam yesterday morning and passed!! I also wanted to say thank you to Dr. Lisa Waxman for helping me do that by introducing me to this part of design that has become so important to me."
Jennifer Williams (MS 2007) now works for Heitz Parsons Sadek, an international luxury hotel design firm in West Palm Beach. “We mainly do work in China, India, and Australia with some other Asian countries as well. So I am only using the metric system. We have another office in Beijing so I am actually working with people from China which can be interesting… especially with the language barrier.”
Iain Harnden, IIDA (BS 2001) After Competing in the 2000 Olympics on the Track and Field Team while taking classes in 2000 Iain interned with MLD Architects (formally Manausa Lewis and Dodson) and was offered a position in the firm. He received his license in 2004 and has worked on projects ranging from 60,000 sf office buildings to residential renovations. The firm has minor service contracts with many of the local user agencies including DMS, Leon County Schools, Florida State University and DOH. " I have moved my way up to Vice President of the firm and my family has grown to where I have now got two little daughters, born in ’05 and ’07 and a step son."
Brenna Lang (BS 2006) following graduation accepted a position with the Commercial Interiors group at HKS Architects, Inc. in Orlando, Florida. "With HKS’s Commercial Interiors, I have had the opportunity to work on corporate tenant spaces, multi-tenant housing, hospitality/entertainment (Walt Disney World), sporting facilities, and government projects. I strongly believe that the ID program at Florida State properly prepared me with more than the basics to enter the design community. Not a day passes that I don’t use the knowledge I gained in the program."
Erica R. Eggen (BS 2004) has since graduation spent her time working for The Decorators Unlimited in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. "In the three years that I've been there I've worked on projects in South Carolina and The Bahamas. The majority of our jobs are on Great Exuma in The Bahamas. I've done a partial install at The Four Seasons on Exuma but the majority of our work is in a development called Grand Isle Villas. I've been fortunate enough to experience some great opportunities both locally and abroad. Now, I'm focusing on my future with the NCIDQ. I sat for it in September and I'm eagerly awaiting my results."
Lauren Howell (BS 2007) is now in Chicago working with the architecture firm Zimmerman Weintraub Associates, located on Michigan Avenue. “I love the job, the workplace, and the office environment. The office is actually located in the Fine Arts Building, where Frank Lloyd Wright used to have an office. So during breaks, I'll sometimes go stand outside of his door and absorb the vibes. My desk in right in front of a big window looking out on Michigan Avenue and the lake. My position is half funded by Marriott, so I am a Marriott employee, and the other half is working on architecture and design projects that come into the ZWA office. The position with Marriott is reviewing and working on the development of new Marriott Fairfields. Thank you for all you did for me as a student and thereafter. I am constantly reminded of the superior education I received as a student at FSU. I often find myself to be better trained than designers with 2-3 more years of experience, and that is a testimonial to the fantastic professors at the FSU ID department and the passion they put into the classrooms.”
Claudia Blackwell (MA 2002) is now an instructor at the new Ai (Art Institute) of Jacksonville teaching the design curriculum..
Jorge Mateo (BFA 1993) is a principal of MDG Studio Inc. in Tallahassee. Before founding MDG in 2000, Mateo worked for Thompson, Ventullett, Stainback and Associates in Atlanta. His local projects include the Governor's Club Lounge, The Red Elephant Pizza and Grill and Sharkey's Coffee & Bistro, as well as historic renovation projects such as the Federal Historic Courthouse in downtown Tallahassee.
Lena McLane (MS 2002) has been working since graduation in the field of museum and exhibit design, as well as environmental graphic design with a firm in Tallahassee. Last fall she took the NCIDQ exam and PASSED all three sections! Congrats! She has projects all over the country - from Minnesota and Ohio to Florida and Louisiana, as well as on several islands in the Caribbean. Among her current projects is the National Museum for the Cayman Islands, where she is working together with an architect and historic preservation specialist from Jamaica on restoring the late 18th-19th-century building and integrating the museum exhibits with minimal intrusion into the structure and fabric of the original edifice. The projects (pictured above) are the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge in Ohio and the other is the National Environmental Center in the Turks and Caicos Islands. “I wanted to express my sincerest gratitude to all of the professors and faculty of the Department. I would like to consider my success to be a success of the Department as well. Thank you all very much!”
Anna Daugherty (BS 2006) writes that she can’t believe “It’s been a year and a half since I graduated from the wonderful Interior Design program at Florida State! I am working at a firm called The Argyle Group as an Assistant Designer in New York City for a year now. We are a design-build firm with a focus on sustainable design. I love it here! My office is located in SoHo among many amazing furniture and lighting showrooms. I have had the chance to draft out plans for an organization building orphanages in Kenya, work on my own projects, and pretty much everything in between. We are beginning to develop our own furniture line as well. Working in a small firm is great but lots of work. My bosses are constantly telling me how I am the glue that holds everything together- which I take as a great compliment. They are also supported (and paid!) my quest to become a LEED A P. Working on projects in the “real world” is so much different then working on studio projects. The difference being- BUDGETS! I wish I was back in Studio specifying ten $8,000 light fixtures without blinking an eye or thinking of how I had to sell the client on it. I must say- there have been fewer all-nighters to get projects done since making the transition from school to the “real world”. Let the students know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel!”
Alyssa Prohias (BS 2007) was working for RTKL in Miami, FL., but really wanted a full New York City experience! She is now working with Mancini Duffy in New York. “I've found a fabulous apartment in Chelsea... walking distance to my job in Union Square.... and am just thrilled to be pursuing a dream. It was very hard to leave my job in Miami, but reassuring to know that I had everyone’s support... and more importantly their respect. This also made me realize how much potential I have to make an impact in NYC. Thank you for preparing me for my career! I've realized that I truly love design and that I entered it with enough knowledge and confidence that I developed at FSU to be successful. Thank you all!”
Mollie Chalk (BS 2007) writes that she is working in high-end residential interior design with the Atlanta-based firm of Pineapple House. “I am so happy that I followed my passion for residential
design! We have projects all over the country, so on occasion we all fly to other locations for installations. I loved being a part of the FSU Interior Design program, and I owe the department a huge thanks because I got my dream job! And those history classes did pay off!”
Pineapple House is a great employer of FSU grads! Firm founder Stephen Pararo (BA 1974) was pleased to announce that Atlanta magazine, “Best Places to Work,” July, 2008 selected his firm as the 6th BEST PLACE to WORK in Atlanta. They also received the 2008 “Best of the Best, Residential” award, from the Georgia chapter of IIDA, for the third year in a row! Other FSU grads there are: Zach A. Azpeitia (BS 2002) whose work includes design and new construction projects in South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina and Canada. Zach's show house work earned him an ASID Georgia Design Excellence Award in both 2005 and 2006. In 2007, he received an ASID Georgia Design Excellence Award in the "Residence over 3,500 square feet" category; Leah Mannheimer Bailey (BS 1999), her work includes a multitude of private residences and high-rise homes across the United States. Leah received an 2006 Design Excellence Award from ASID for her work on a penthouse located on the west coast and a 2007 Design Excellence Award for a lake home on Big Win Island; and Cristi Harris (BS 2006) a project manage who exhibited her commanding management of a complex penthouse project in Manhattan in early 2007. She is involved with Atlanta projects as well as one in the Florida Panhandle.
Krupa Patel (MS 2007) is now working with Mulvanny G2 Architecture. She will be working on corporate mixed use projects.
Corey Ciampi Greer (BS 1994) is an Associate with over 12 years of experience in the New York corporate marketplace. Corey has been with SOM for over 8 years and has lead design teams on multiple projects. "I am currently working from the London office. I was transferred to London to work on the new headquarters for Qatar Petroleum which is the Qatari national gas company. We are designing a corporate campus for them which includes office space, a conference center, recreational facilities, medical center, stadium, training facilities and prayer facilities. The site is located north of Doha," she writes. "I have such fond memories of FSU and the program."
Michelle Jennings Wiebe (BS 1990), pictured above, announced her interior design firm Studio M Inc in Tampa, Florida has been chosen as the sponsored interior design firm for Signature Place in St. Petersburg, Florida. Joining her firm is alum Lesley Anne Carney (BS 2006).
Rachel Sawyer Clements (BS 2003) worked in Naples for three years as an award-winning residential designer for Design Group West, and relocated to Ocala in January. She is working at OEC Business Interiors. She writes that she is "interested in making contacts in the area (especially considering I’m trapped in “Gator Country”!!) so feel free to contact me (pinkpersimmon@hotmail.com)."She passed the NCIDQ (March 2007) and just received licensure.
Katrina Kostik (BS 2007) writes that after her first and only interview, after a month of waiting, she finally was made an offer. "I guess all of my worry and waiting had truly paid off. I am now working as a designer with Hirsch Bedner Associates in Atlanta, and love every second of my job. I started working on a hotel located in Macau, China, and am now working on the new Park Hyatt Hotel in Mexico City. It's amazing how challenging hospitality design can be! I love the office. There are a lot of young designers at the Atlanta office which I think helps keep fresh ideas coming in. Plus, I get the chance to make new friends and work with great people. Thanks FSU Interior Design Dept. for all you've done!"
Grant Preisser (MS 2002) emailed that he is now the Director of Design for the interiors group of Heery International, Atlanta, GA. He continues to teach as an adjunct professor at American InterContinental University in Buckhead, and, good news... just passed the NCIDQ!
Emily (Perkins) Ely (MS 2006) was recently married and is now working as an Interior Designer for Gilchrist Ross Crowe Architects in Tallahassee. "They do mostly institutional facilities such as FAMU Pharmacy, FSU's Johnston Building (the Suwannee Dining Hall), FSU's Landis Hall, etc. My FSU grad studio projects really helped, so thank you! I'm really happy here because they are very practical in terms of design and budget, which I think are some of my strong points."
Melody Prescott Osborne (BS 2003) continued her education after leaving FSU and graduated from Louisiana State University in Spring 2006 with her Master of Architecture degree. Since then, she's relocated to Tampa, Florida where she has been working full-time at a local architecture firm, and studying to become a licensed architect. "Please add my email address: melodyosborne@gmail.com. I welcome other FSU ID alumni to contact me for a networking contact in the Tampa Bay area. Go Noles!"
J’aime (Brock) Kent (MS 2004) is a Residential Designer with Carolina Design Group in Charlotte, NC. They design high-end custom homes in the Charlotte Region and throughout the Southeastern United States and were just awarded a Gold Metal for “Best in American Living” at the International Builders’ Show in Orlando. She is also an adjunct Interior Design Instructor at the Art Institute of Charlotte by night, teaching History of Interiors II, Professional Practice, and Residential Design.
Kelly Williamson (MS 2006) was recently informed that she has been awarded first prize for the EDRA38 Student Paper Award. As recipient of this award, she will receive: airfare allowance of up to $500, conference registration fee paid by EDRA, EDRA one-year membership, and even one banquet ticket. The purpose of the Environmental Research Association (EDRA) is the advancement and dissemination of environmental design research, thereby improving understanding of the interrelationships between people, their built and natural surroundings, and helping to create environments responsive to human needs. Congratulations Kelly!
Seka Roberts (BS 2001) of Rink Design Partnership, Inc., recently passed the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) exam. Seka is an active member of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) and currently serves as vice president of student affairs for IIDA Florida. As vice president of student affairs, Seka was responsible for Student Day ‘07, an event for design students and professionals. Students were invited to participate in a design competition, career path discussions, and one-on-one portfolio reviews. She joined Rink Design in the spring of 2006. Rink Design Partnership, Inc. is a full service architectural, interior design, and landscape design firm. The award winning firm offers a unique mix of diversified design professionals with experience in master planning, programming, conceptual design, interior design, construction drawings, specifications, and construction administration.
Lora Moore (BS 2006) has moved back home to >Maryland, where she is an Associate Lighting Designer with Palindrome Lighting Design. She just filmed a screen test and met with a producer for an HGTV lighting special. " I am going to be on TV! It will be very good exposure for the company. So you'll have to look for me on TV later in the year. I supposedly look a lot like the host of the show, so they are probably going to use me in a limited way so as to not confuse the audience. Maybe if I dye my hair another color I will get more TV time!"
Kathryn O'Neil (BS 2005) began with Robb & Stucky (www.RobbStucky.com) in Fort Myers directly after graduating but has now moved to the Tampa location. Katie holds the position of Design Assistant/ CAD Specialist. "I just wanted to say thank you for the state of the art program that landed me such a great position."
Laura Kenney (BS 2005) is now with Bliss Linens Fine Bedrooms in association with The Iron Bed, in Corona del Mar, CA. They are one of the leading luxury bedroom emporiums in Orange County. They also have retail stores in Plano, TX and Atlanta, GA. She is an Assistant Designer for Bliss Studio where she is currently working on sketches and specs for their wholesale bedding line. "All that graphics and technical work paid off! Thanks to all back in Tallahassee!"
Christopher Priest (BS 1985, MS 1988) is now the with the Art Institute Online. He has a background working in virtual classrooms and hosting web based seminars.
Shelly Joiner (BS 2005) originally went to work with Gensler - Atlanta. During her time with the firm she had the opportunity to work on a wide variety of workplace projects where she has gained experience drawing construction documents, preparing graphic presentations, and learning how to maintain and nurture the client relationship. She is now with DeKalb Office Environments as a furniture consultant for architects and designers in the Atlanta market. DKE is the single Steelcase dealer in the Atlanta area. “I was so blessed at Gensler - such wonderful people and truly an experience I will never forget. It has catapulted me into this next phase of my career. I now have the option of working from home, I get to entertain designers and architects on a weekly basis, go to NeoCon!, and have my hand in many various projects at various firms. I love it! I also work closely with our local Steelcase team. This new role has opened my eyes to the industry as a whole and also some specific practice areas I was previously not familiar with - healthcare and higher education.”
Joseph Hittinger (BS 1990), was recently featured in the Tallahassee Democrat in anticipation of his debut on HGTV as the host of "Double Take". When Hittinger graduated from FSU, he was ready to "take Manhattan." But after a year's stint designing rooms for boutique hotels - and “missing trees” - he moved to the slower pace and greener space of Washington, D.C. But he just got busier. While working full-time at the corporate design firm of Greenwell-Goetz with clients like Exxon and the AFL-CIO, Hittinger earned a master's degree in architecture from Catholic University. “It was there that I developed a lifelong commitment to the concept of sustainability.” For Hittinger, this means recycling, using biodegradable materials and designing with the environment in mind. Promoting this eco-friendly philosophy, he has written on the subject and lectured across the country. After moving to the West Coast and a screen test for a new HGTV show that would be called "Double Take," Hittinger was asked to host and offer his expert take on expensive rooms that could be recreated by other designers on a slim budget. “I was loud, funny, and just threw my personality at them,” he says . He got the job. On Friday nights and Saturday afternoons, he appears as a dapper talking head on the new half-hour show. His insightful decorating commentary assesses and critiques the success of budget buyers who seek to recreate the look of outrageously expensive rooms for less than $3,000. Check out the full newspaper article by clicking here. And check out our new alumnus host on "Double Take"!
Jacy Herendeen (BS 2001) made the cover of the May 2006 issue of Interiors & Sources magazine for an article entiotled "Young Professionals: The Future of Design". Quoted several times, Jacy is a senior designer in HOK's Atlanta office. You can check out a video of the I&S dialog on design (with our own Jacy!!) at the magazine link above.
Keri Ferguson (BS 2004) now works for ERICKSON ASSOCIATES, LLC in Naples, FL, that specializes in high-end residential. "I absolutely love my job, and am amazed at the opportunities and responsibilities that I have been given at such a young age. I am actually accompanying the firm’s biggest clients to Paris this October to visit the showrooms and markets! I would not be where I am without the help of the faculty at FSU." She will soon sit for the NCIDQ exam.
Anubhuti Bhatia (MS 2003 and a PhD from FSU Art Education 2006) is now a tenure-track assistant professor in the Interior Design program in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, California State University - Northridge.
Eric Jones (BS 1990) has been with Rooms To Go since its inception eleven years ago. Living in Lakekland, FL, Eric is a regional design manager overseeing twenty-five stores and ten designers and..."loving every minute of it!"
Giselle Newman Young (BS 1982) has been involved in design for 25 years beginning with an undergraduate design degree from FSU and a graduate degree in interior architecture from UNCG. She is one of two principals of Environments in Life, Inc an architectural and design firm in Nashville, TN. She has taught for six year at local colleges and continues to lecture on six of own research topics which are approved nationally for CEUs. She is in involved in not only IIDA nationally, but on local Medical Resource Boards, ACE mentoring programs and her college and high school membership committees. Giselle is NCIDQ certified and is licensed in six states.
Amy Boyce (BS 2006) took our sustainability elective in the Spring 2006 term. She now tells us that she just took the LEED AP exam and PASSED!! "I am officially the youngest AP in Atlanta!! The class was a great way to begin preparing for the exam." She works at MSTSD, a mid-sized commercial firm offering Master Planning, Architecture and Interior Design. "It is such a learning experience working so closely with other parts of the design profession. I am so proud to hold a degree from the FSU Interior Design Program. My knowledge is being put to good use!" FSU is helping keep Atlanta GREEN!
Maccarena Aguilera (BS 2006) reports good news right after graduation: "I flew up to Seattle a couple of weeks after graduation for interviews, and got a job offer on the spot and I'm loving it here! I am working for Christian Grevstad, Inc. We are a small firm that does mainly residential work. We work on VERY high end projects, and custom design a lot of the furniture we use. The company has done some amazing projects, and has won many awards for the work they have done. Our webpage is christiangrevstad.com. Thanks to all the faculty for everything they did for me!"
Marla Jaffe (BS 1978) is principal of Jaffe Design Associates in Coral Springs, Florida. With a full service design firm, Marla was a former Florida State Designer of the Year, and was a nominee by ASID,IIDA and DCOTA for high end residential and hospitality design. Her firm's work has been published in Florida Design Magazine, Designer's Resource, the New York Times and Haute Decor.
Erica Wich (MS 2006) has taken the position of Assistant Interior Designer with Lindy Thomas Interiors, Naples, FL. The firm focuses on high-end residential work. She will be assisting the lead designer on all projects as well as providing in-house CAD. Ms. Thomas is currently working on a 17,000 sq. ft. residence for an ambassador. "I am amazed and utterly excited to have the opportunity to do what I've always wanted," Erica wrote.
Ashley (Priest) Combs (BS 2002) is currently the head of the in-house design/project management department of Phillips Development & Realty in Tampa, FL. View aspects of the firm at www.phillipsdevelopment.com.
Brad Whitney (BS 1994, MFA 1998), was awarded “Best Paper Presentation: Member's Choice ” at the 2006 Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC) International Conference in Scottsdale, AZ. Brad ’s paper was entitled: “Immersion of the Senses: Installation and the Interior ”. He is currently an associate professor at Virginia Tech. Brad serves IDEC as the coordinator of the annual Design Competition and served as the moderator for the Creative Scholarship Session at the conference.
ID Alumni get "center-fold" spread in November '05 Alumni Newspaper
Stacey Kirby (BS 1994), Peter "Gage" Hartung (BS 1991), and Amy O'Keefe (MS 2003), left to right above, were prominantly featured in the November 2005 edition of the Florida State Times. These three outstanding alumni represent how graduates can build on an excellent education to find success in the design industry. In the articles, under "Designing Seminoles", all three credited strong Interior Design faculty as major influences in their lives. In the articles Dean Sally McRorie was quoted: "With a revised undergraduate curriculum, fast-growing graduate program and nine full-time faculty, the department of interior design provides remarkable academic and professional preparation for the best new designers in the field."
Karla Wilkinson Cavalier (BS 2004) has been working as an interior project designer since May 2004 in Atlanta, Georgia for Ai Group, a top 15 rated commercial interior design firm, specializing in hospitality. Since she started her career she has worked on the following projects; Grand Hyatt Atlanta (as designer), Ritz-Carlton Buckhead (as designer), Ritz-Carlton Atlanta (project designer/management), Hyatt Regency Reston Ballroom (project designer/management), and most recently the public spaces of the Hyatt Regency Reston (project designer). Also, she will be sitting for the NCIDQ in October. "For some really exciting news... my first project has been published in the most recent issue of Hotel Design magazine. I want to thank all of the FSU faculty for the excellent education and encouragement you have provided me. I would not be where I am today without your help and high expectations."
Dorry (Robuck) Christy (BS 1974) is presently working as an interior designer in Sebring, Florida. She has been a professional member of ASID since 1978. “I have had what I would call a successful career for 30 years working in interior design and have been so grateful for all of the opportunities this career has afforded me.” A true Seminole Family, her husband, Ed Christy, is an FSU graduate and their son Trey graduates in Spring 2006 (an English major.) Dorry was here in Tallahassee for the Mary Jo Weale Reception in October 05. “Thanks for keeping the Interior Design program at FSU top notch. I am always proud to tell people that my degree in design is from FSU. What a great job you are doing!!”
Deborah Griffin (BS 1972) was recently elected Director-at-Large to the ASID National Board. She is president of Griffin Design Group based in Franklin, TN, where she is also associate professor of interior design at O'More College of Design. She has served in a number of ASID leadership positions, notably and most recently as chair of the ASID Codes and Legislative Council, as well as the ASID Referral Service and Ethics committees, and the ASID Student Advisory Council. She was also president of the ASID Florida North Chapter. Thanks for being such a great supporter of our profession!
Fran Murphy (BA 1955) was just featured in Florida Design (Vol. 17 #1). The beautiful home of John and Marlene Boll of Key Largo, Florida evokes villas found along the lush Tuscan coast. Fran has been featured in Architectural Digest and other premier design publications. She is owner of Fran Murphy Interiors of Juno Beach. Kristy Mylott (BS 2007) has started work at Fran's firm. Kristy writes: "I'm learning a lot more about high end residential design and Fran's times at FSU! Thanks for a rewarding experience at Florida State."
Shou-Jung (SJ) Wei (MS 2006) wasted no time after graduation getting a great job! She has signed on with WATG (Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo) in Orlando. They are one of the world's leading hospitality, leisure and entertainment design firms. You may find out more about the company at www.watg.com.
Dana Hotchkiss (BS 1975) has just moved back to Tallahassee to be at least "temporarily" retired. While living in New York she designed and made furniture for sale at Bloomingdale's stores and wholesale to showrooms across the country. Welcome back to Florida!
Jen Shafe (BS 2005) is now employed with Pavlik Yacht Design, that is now separate from Pavlik Design Team in Ft. Lauderdale. "I can't believe I was able to find a job so soon, so I guess all the hard work I put in the ID Program really paid off. My teachers were great and all the incoming students are really lucky to have teachers who enjoy teaching and helping students understand what it is like in the real world!"
Nezar Abdul Hafeez (MS 2004) is now an assistant professor in the department of art education at Taibah University in Medina, Saudi Arabia. He also acts as the assistant director of the English Language Center at the university. He writes: “what is cool about the center is that all of the English teachers that we have are native speakers (Americans and British), which is good for me to continue practicing my English language!” Nezar also received his PhD from FSU in Art Education.
Tiffany Schaltenbrand (BS 2005) emails: “Thanks to all the great professors I had at Florida State who helped me really hone my skills. It was no trouble finding a job. I started at Harvard Jolly Architecture, Interior Design and Planning here in Tampa, Florida. I was fortunate to have been hired at one of the top 50 firms in the US! I am still active in ASID, have taken LEED training and plan on taking the test soon, working with Habitat for Humanity and am now a certified open water scuba diver. “ She now works for Cornerstone Design Center in south Florida and (importantly!) got engaged on Christmas Eve 2008.
John W. Lay (BS 1996) is the Vice President Design/Marketing for the Casablanca Design Group in Marietta, GA. The firm is a design/manufacture facility that focuses in the arena of restaurant design. You may find out more about the company at www.casablancadesign.com.
Amy Hill (BS 1996) emailed: "I can't believe it's almost been 10 years since I left FSU. I still think fondly of my time there, especially within the interior design department. I am still working at Visnick & Caulfield Associates in Boston, and have been with them for almost 7 years now, doing mostly corporate work. I recently started teaching as an adjunct professor at the New England School of Art & Design (a division of Suffolk University), which has given me so much more respect than I already had for my professors at FSU! They have asked me back for the spring semester, so I guess I did OK - although I must admit the first semester is a bit nerve-wracking!"
Benjamin Lynn (BS 2002) writes that since his visit last March, he has settled in San Antonio, Texas. Throughout the summer he worked with Kimberly Marks (another fellow alumni …BS 1981) as an intern at Marks Design Group drawing illustrations for a book she has written to serve as a study guide for the codes and structures portion of the NCIDQ. Through a friend he got an interview at Lake|Flato Architects (AIA firm of the year 2004) and started working there after Labor Day. “I'm working with a fantastic team on a really exciting project,” he said, “the master plan to transform a 100 year old former brewery into an urban rejuvenation - mixed use res/com/entertainment complex. I’ve already learned a ton and am very enthusiastic to be surrounded by so many like-minded individuals working to set a precedent for environmental responsibility in the design/building industry.”
Stacey (Steger) O'Keefe (BS 2005) is now living In Baton Rouge, La. and is working for Tipton Associates, architecture | planning | interiors, a commercial architectural firm. She is one of two interior designers on staff and works with about 10 architects. The majority of their work load is from universities all over the country. They work with Aramark in designing dining halls, restaurant areas, and conference areas. They also do other projects, such as banks, and private restaurant facilities. "I love my job and have been given great design freedom. It is wonderful being able to be accepted into the architecture world and I am looking forward to my future here."
Jillian Kaplan Tribble (MA 2005) is now a LEED Accredited Professional with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System® is a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. As a LEED AP Jillian will facilitate an integrated design and construction approach that includes multi-discipline green resources and tools. Results are reflected not only in project interiors, but also in site use, construction methods and materials, and systems design and results. Her graduate research focuses on areas of influence for Interior Designers in the LEED Building Certification process. She is teaching as an adjunct in Basic Design in the fall term.
Lisa (Moskowitz) Yaker (BS 1999) and her then fiancé relocated to Naples shortly after both graduated from FSU. After working for a prominent design firm and notable builder in Naples for just three years, Lisa opened Design Elements of Florida, Inc. The business has successfully grown into a thriving design firm specializing in children’s rooms and nursery décor, as well as a focus on architectural interior elements. Lisa will be featured this September ’05 in Gulfshore Business magazine as one of the 40 Under 40 successful business owners in southwest Florida under 40 years old. Lisa has also been featured in a regional newspaper for her design work and was published in Southwest Florida Parent & Child magazine for an article she wrote about decorating children’s rooms. Lisa and her husband Dany now live in Estero, Florida with their twin boys Ari & Noah.
John Turpin (BS 1989) was twice awarded “Best Paper Presentation” at Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC) Annual Conferences. John’s 2005 paper was entitled: “Dorothy Draper & the Moderns”. He is currently an associate professor and ID Program Coordinator at Washington State University. Aside from his research on design history ("My love of history started in Karen Myers’ class!"), John served as the 2008-2009 national President of IDEC.
Emily (Mattingly) Fraser (BS 2005) emails that "things have been a whirlwind for me these past few months but I’ve been loving every minute of it. After graduating in April, Jason (my husband) and I got married in May and moved straight to Atlanta after our honeymoon. I was able to get a job with a great interior design firm called Design Classique here in Buckhead, where we also live. I was hired here at Design Classique on the spot (they loved the dossier and said FSU has the best portfolio’s they’ve seen). Almost every single skill that FSU has taught me was being put to use within the first week! I never thought that I would enjoy working for a small firm as much as I do."
Erin Westmorland (MS 2004) writes that she moved down to Miami and is now working for contemporary designer Toby Zack. Check out their firm at www.tobyzackdesigns.com.
Grant Eric Gribble (BS 1984) is a partner in the firm Gribble Interior Group in Orlando. Grant's projects have been published in many local and national magazines and his awards include ASID Florida North Chapter Design Competitions, Aurora Awards sponsored by South Eastern Builders' Conference and the ASID Chapter Medalist Award. He is a Past President of ASID Florida North Chapter and currently serves as a National Spokesperson in the Residential Category. Grant is a member of our Interior Design Advisory Board.
Mary O’Brien (BS 2001) writes that she has been working with Design Group West, Naples, FL since graduation. The firm now has four FSU graduates of the ID program working there, and the company owner agrees that FSU grads are the most prepared for the job! Design Group West specializes in residential design (vacation homes – turn key and model homes), and some commercial design (clubhouses and resorts).
ID grad Pamela Moss (BS 2004) reports she has joined Perkins & Will in their Atlanta office. "I am so excited about my decision to join P&W. Everyone in the interiors department was very welcoming," Pam emailed. By her third day there, she was already working on a library in Cobb County.
Interior Design Project Manager Stacey Kirby (BS 1994), pictured above, has been named a partner at Seiber Design Inc. She previously had been an associate at the company. Founded in 1987 by architect Ed Seiber, the Atlanta-based firm specializes in custom restaurant, commercial and residential architecture, as well as interior design. Having worked on several commercial and residential projects at Seiber Design, Stacey’s projects include the restaurants Maverick in Charlottesville, VA; California Dreaming in Augusta and Duluth, GA; Cosi, Food 101, Garrison’s, Bridgetown Grill, and Spice, all in Atlanta. She also designed several private residences, including her own home in Buckhead, GA, and a new prototype for MetroPCS retail stores.
Hannah Mendoza (MFA 2004) is a full-time assistant professor at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), Savannah, GA. This seems to be a great fit between faculty and institution. She is currently serving as the IDEC E-Record editor.