JUNE NEWSLETTER

PRESIDENT'S

UPDATE

Happy Summer Everyone!

The summer market season is in full swing. I will be waving the IFDA flag at the Atlanta Gift and Home Market, the newly relocated Casual Market (for outdoor products) and the summer session of the Las Vegas Market. Others of our members have attended the Luxury Home Design Summit, Portugal Home Week and IMM Cologne in Germany. To say IFDA is everywhere is not an overstatement.

As you read through this issue of Network Now you’ll see other ways our members are engaging with one another, with their communities and with our industries. And, I look forward to catching up with you again very soon.

Stay cool, happy and creative!

Dawn Brinson, FIFDA

IFDA President

NOTABLE

PASSINGS

Daphne Iris Bloomberg, FIFDA

June 22, 2023

Past President of

Washington, DC Chapter

Sarah Boyer Jenkins, FIFDA

May 1, 2023

Past President of

Washington, DC Chapter

L to R Christi Barbour, Christi Spangle

NEW ENGLAND CHAPTER

On Thursday May 18, 2023, the IFDA New England Chapter held a panel discussion "Where Minds Meet & Information Matters: The Importance of Collaboration in Architectural Projects". This was held at Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams showroom on Berkeley St in Boston at 6:00 PM. Vivian Robins (Vivian Robins Design) Moderated a skilled panel including Leslie Saul (Leslie Saul & Associates), Stephanie Pavlides (Pavlides Studio), and Anthony Frausto (Morehouse MacDonald and Associates). A healthy mix of Architects, Builders, Interior Designers and other trades showed up to listen and participate in the discussion. Many thanks to Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams for hosting and our main sponsor Cosmos Painting.

Leslie Saul (Leslie Saul _ Associates), Stephanie Pavlides (Pavlides Studio), and Anthony Frausto (Morehouse MacDonald and Associates)

Lori Yacovone (Minotti DDC), David Sutton

(Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams), Michelle Southworth (MWI Fibershield)

Michela Pearcea and Izabellea Yabe (Leblanc Design)

Vivian Robins (Vivian Robins Design) Moderator

Corey Nuffer (Kevin Cradock Builders), Betty Moore (Architect + Design Magazine), Vivian Robins (Vivian Robins Desin - moderator)

Craig Tevolitz (Platemark Design), Vani Sayeed

(Vani Sayeed Studios), Larissa Cook (FBN Construction- past IFDA president), Jon Moss (Installations Plus)

John Trifone (Minotti, VP Events), Leslie Saul (Leslie Saul _ Associates), Stephanie Pavlides (Pavlides Studio), and Anthony Frausto (Morehouse MacDo, Kyle Tripp (President IFDA NE)

NEW YORK CHAPTER

SU HILTY, FIFDA, STILL WALKS THE WALK

Su Hilty, FIFDA was recently honored with the Bert Tonkin Gift of Giving Award, from the Gift for Life, the Gift and Home Industries sole charitable organization.

"Su has been instrumental in growing both participation and fundraising for AIDS Walk New York," said Cole Daugherty, Gift for Life chair. "We are delighted to recognize Su not only for her passionate contribution to AIDS Walk New York, but also for the significant impact she has made on our industry.”

A former IFDA NY Chapter President and a very active board member for years, Su recently retired to Sarasota, Florida to be near her family as she battles with her own personal challenge — PSP, Progressive Supra Nuclear Palsy.

Su did not walk in NYC this year but “tracked miles virtually” on Sunday, May 21, 2023, the date of the annual AIDS Walk New York. Su cares very much about this cause, as she has lost too many friends and former colleagues to the disease and has wonderful friends who are still with us who rely upon this support. Some of them never thought they'd make it this long!

Want to send a personal shout out? Su would love to hear from you at hiltybrady@aol.com or by phone or text at (917) 375-0161.

Su Hilty, shown here decked out for the 2018 AIDSWalk New York. This year Su’s friends helped

her raise $3,703 for the cause. 

PHILADELPHIA CHAPTER

WALLQUEST TOUR

We had the great opportunity to tour the Wallquest Wayne and Wallquest King of Prussia Factories with 20 quests in attendance. We are so grateful to Jacky Quinn for organizing this event for our members. It was definitely a wonderful and unique experience to be a part of!

SUSHI NIGHT AT FERGUSON'S KING OF PRUSSIA

We joined together at Ferguson Showroom and had local representative from Mr. Steam for a Sushi and Sake Night. Guests will be treated to an exclusive sneak peak at the latest trends and innovations from Mr. Steam, followed by a hands-on Sushi Experience with Chef Yong Kim and premier mixologist Aaron Gordon of 13th St. Cocktails.

RICHMOND CHAPTER

APRIL 20

The IFDA Richmond Chapter was delighted to have Sherwin Williams give us an exclusive preview of their 2023 color-mix. We had a great time networking and socializing while discussing innovative color trends.

Rachel Parrish (IFDA board member), Bettina Pamplona (IFDA board member),

Dustin Ashman ( Presenter with Sherwin Williams )

JUNE 15

We had a great turnout at yesterday’s IFDA Richmond event, where Benjamin Moore provided the newest color samples to our designers. It was a great evening of good food, networking and education.

Paul Lamborn ( IFDA president), Jill Erwin,

Brooks Martin

Princess M. Roman (IFDA Board Member)

with Jill Erwin.

Left to right- Robin, Jen, Bettina (IFDA board Member), Vivi

EDUCATION

FOUNDATION

IFDA'S EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES

DESIGN STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS FOR 2023

~ Students Committed to Enhancing the Quality of Life and

Diversity and Cultural Awareness Through Interior Design ~

The Educational Foundation (EF) of IFDA is pleased to announce its design student scholarship winners for 2023. This year the nine scholarship winners received a total of $19,000. The judging was conducted by a subset of the EF’s Board of Trustees.

“Congratulations to all the winners! We are very pleased to present the scholarships to them,” said Karen Dzendolet, Chairman of the Board of the Educational Foundation of IFDA. “Students represent our future, and these scholarships confirm our belief in supporting them and enhancing public awareness of design through educational and philanthropic programs.”

Earline Feldman, FIFDA, Director of Scholarships & Grants, echoed the sentiment. “True to our mission, we awarded nine scholarships to the most deserving students. The judges were challenged to select the winners as there were applications from all over the U.S.”

Applicants must be currently enrolled and scholarships are paid to the school for the 2023 fall semester tuition. The nine scholarship winners share a passion for creating interior environments that are healthy, sustainable and enhance the quality of life, while also serving diverse populations and drawing upon many cultures. They are as follows:

Alexandra Kasson of Miami University in Columbus, Ohio, won the IFDA Leaders Commemorative Scholarship for $1,500 open to full-time undergraduate students. Alexandra is a rising senior Interior Design major and Sustainability minor, graduating in May 2024. She is Vice President of the Miami University IIDA Chapter and is a member of Alpha Rho Chi. She loves staying active and doing anything outdoors. Alexandra studied abroad in London last summer and will be interning for Disney this summer.

The Part-Time Student Scholarship for $1,500 open to undergraduate students was awarded to Tameka Hamilton of Seminole State College in Sanford, Fla. Tameka was born and raised by a single parent (an 18-year-old Bahamian immigrant with only a tenth-grade education) and that has been Tameka’s motivation to continue to use education to flourish and give back. Currently, as an Assistant Principal, Tameka has had 17 wonderful years of fostering and cultivating the minds of our youth. It has always been Tameka’s dream to pursue a degree in Interior Design. One of her goals is to buy and flip homes in low socioeconomic communities and run after-school youth centers. The educator within her wants to be educated on all aspects of the architectural and financial aspects of design. At 39- years-old Tameka stated, “I’m not the average college student seeking a bachelor’s degree but I’m mature enough to say that I don’t want any more regrets because ‘A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams.’”

Isabel Dingus, a student at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va., was the winner of the IFDA Student Member Scholarship for $2,000 open to full-time undergraduate IFDA student members. “My double major in Interior Design and Anthropology, with a focus on ancient design, reflects my lifelong curiosity on how the built environment shapes and influences human culture,” said Isabel. Her goal is to integrate her knowledge from both interior design and anthropology, establishing a small firm that draws inspiration from this research and infuses it into the design process. By doing so, she aims to create and preserve spaces that are thoughtfully tailored to the unique needs and expressions of diverse human cultures.

The Vercille Voss IFDA Graduate Student Scholarship for $2,000 open to full- or part-time graduate students went to Farzane Omidi, a PhD student in the Interior and Environmental Design Program at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. Her background is in architecture, and she holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in this field. Her focus in the PhD program is on healthcare projects, which she feels aligns with the current needs in the U.S. Her research interests encompass healthcare design, evidence-based design and sustainability. With more than 10 years of experience, Farzane has worked for design firms where she has been involved in the design of various building types. Her expertise lies in architecture and interior design, with a particular emphasis on design development.

Penia Bernstein of the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, R.I., won the Ruth Clark Furniture Design Scholarship for $4,000 open to full- or part-time undergraduate or graduate students with a course emphasis on furniture design. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from the University of Pennsylvania, where she concentrated in Photography and exhibited work in nine juried exhibitions. Her work was published in “RES: A Journal of Undergraduate Research,” President's Award Issue. After graduating, she apprenticed with a woodturner and studied at Penland and the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship. She also held a residency in a woodshop in Arvada, Colo., and interned for a designer in Wheat Ridge, Colo. Recently, she started designing and building commissioned custom pieces. In the fall of 2023, she will matriculate in Rhode Island School of Design’s two-year MFA program in furniture design. “My designs are influenced by more than my educational background,” advised Bernstein. “I’m an avid rock climber. There’s an aesthetic relevance to my passion for climbing tied to my work as a designer. The opportunity to engage with nature in such a personal and intimate way informs and inspires my approach to design.”

Zariah Fowler, a senior at Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, Mich., studying Interior Design, was awarded the Tricia LeVangie Green/Sustainable Design Scholarship for $1,500 for full- or part-time undergraduate students. She is an active member of IIDA and an honor roll student. Outside of her studies, she is a first-time mother, construction assistant and former NBA dancer and captain. After graduation, Zariah plans to continue her education through LTU and obtain a master’s in   Architecture. She has a strong passion for her community, as well as sustainability and human-centered design. Zariah believes that all individuals, including the unhoused, veterans and those in low-income communities, are entitled to interacting with spaces that are intentional and well-designed.

Sarah Clark of Savannah College of Art & Design in Savannah, Ga, was named the winner of the Barbara Beckmann Textile Design Scholarship for $3,000. The scholarship is open to full- or part-time undergraduate and graduate students with course emphasis on textile design. Sarah Clark is a Fibers student at the college. Her love for tangible crafts and creation sparked her interest in the textile field. Combining her passion for handiwork with digital media is what drew her to specialize in print and pattern development. She aims to create work that layers different mediums, techniques and textures in order to form elegant compositions that are unique to her personal style.

The IFDA Philadelphia Scholarship for Interior Design for $2,500 was awarded to James Dzwil, a fourth-year student in the Interior Architecture and Design Program at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Fla. The scholarship is open to two-, three- or four-year interior design or related program students. James intends on focusing on kitchen and bath design as he advances through school and the field. His biggest accomplishment to date is attaining the rank of Eagle Scout before relocating to Florida from Rhode Island.

Linh Ha, an undergraduate at Endicott College in Beverly, Mass., studying Interior Architecture, won the Window Fashion Certified Professionals Fast Track Scholarship for $1,000 (one full registration for the webinar series) that is open to undergraduates in a two- or three-year interior design or related program. In an effort to promote diversity and cultural awareness, Linh has sought to learn more about different cultures and how they could heighten design to build communities. With a strong passion for culture, she aims to use architecture to strengthen human connections. Outside of interior architecture, Linh's interests also include fashion and thrifting. She hopes to incorporate the bold and unique elements of fashion into architecture. 

NEW

MEMBERS

CAROLINAS

Professional

Cindy Hodnett

Bridge Tower Media

Winston-Salem, NC

FLORIDA

Professional

Stacy Canino

Fresh House Interiors

Alpharetta, GA

ILLINOIS

Professional

Robin Schwadron

R Titus Designs

Oak Park, IL

NEW ENGLAND

Professional

Jen Dulac

Jen Dulac Interor

Design, LLC

Mablehead, MA

Dee Elms

Elms Interior Design

Boston, MA

Kathryn Hufton

Kathryn Hufton Design

Wellesley, MA

Tara Pavia

Kenneth Vona & Son Construction

Natick, MA

Associate

Maude Gorman

Boscorp Design and Build

Boston,MA

NEW YORK

Associate

Jamila Sidki

JSW Interiors

New York, NY

PHILADELPHIA

Professional

Alison Barnak

Kay Lighting & Design

King of Prussia, PA

Pamela Kofsky

Elegant Interior

Designs, LLC

Ambler, PA

MaryAnn Miceri

Suburban Philly KW Realty

Exton, PA

Gillian Smith

Gillian Smith Designs

Romansville, PA

Susie Valerio

SLS Interiors

Rosemont, PA

RICHMOND

Professional

Kwan Wongvian

Coastal Contracting

Glen Allen, VA

UPCOMING

EVENTS

July 16-22, 2023

Atlanta Market

AmericasMart

Atlanta, GA

July 30-August 2, 2023

Las Vegas Market

World Market Center Las Vegas

Las Vegas, NV

INDUSTRY PARTNERS

DIAMOND

GOLD

SILVER