A Year to Remember: Reflecting on My Journey as President of the ASID Illinois Chapter
The past year has been an incredible journey for me as I had the honor of serving as the President of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) Illinois Chapter. Becoming the President of the ASID Illinois Chapter had been a long-held goal of mine. It felt like a distant dream when I first joined the chapter as a student 10 years ago, and I never thought I'd get here. Through determination, hard work, and the unwavering support of my friends, family, mentors, and the chapter, I achieved this milestone—a testament to the power of setting goals and pursuing them with dedication.
I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the people, who supported and trusted me this past year, and all the years leading up to it. I am forever grateful to the members, chapter staff, volunteers, committee members, and board of directors. Without their dedication and hard work, none of our achievements would have been possible. It has been truly inspiring to witness the passion and commitment our community brings to the field of interior design— and together we have achieved remarkable milestones.
Throughout my presidency, we organized a series of unforgettable events that showcased the vibrancy and creativity of the interior design industry. Some of the highlights included:
PRACTICE RIGHTS: We celebrated the historic passing of the practice rights for Interior Designers with IIDA at Marshall’s Landing last fall. Registered interior designers are now able to obtain a seal to stamp their own plans for permitting. I’ve got mine!
HOLIDAY PARTY: Our annual holiday party in partnership with Modern Luxury was an incredible success with over $4500 of luggage, toys, supplies, and in-kind donations made to foster children in need.
IMPRINT: Our annual student event, IMPRINT, had record-breaking attendance, with students and emerging professionals traveling from around the state to learn about the importance of networking and communication.
NCIDQ: Our NCIDQ Study Group in partnership with IIDA Illinois, was a magnificent success this year and continues to grow. I started this group in 2019 with 6 participants. This group now has over 40 designers showing up to the kick-off meeting each testing season.
NETWORKING: We held an inaugural Realtor, Builder, Designer Cocktail Party at Cadogan Tate. This event brought together key players in the real estate and construction industries, fostering collaboration and strengthening our professional bonds.
NEW OFFICE: We held our official office opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for our new showroom space on the 14th floor of the Mart during Neocon.
BOAT CRUISE: Our annual boat cruise was a remarkable evening of networking, inspiration, and camaraderie. It allowed us to connect with fellow professionals while enjoying the scenic beauty of our city.
BOOTCAMP: We kicked off a brand-new educational event- Business Bootcamp, an all-day business development workshop led by industry experts, hosted at the new Worklife Meetings.
GIVING BACK: Philanthropy has always been a passion of mine and it is something I wanted to get our Chapter involved in during my time as President. This year, we partnered with Designs for Dignity to provide our services to a local shelter for women and children who are survivors of domestic violence. I’d like to extend a huge thank you to our dedicated committee for taking on this project and improving the quality of life for these families in need.
TRADE SHOW: We had our annual Industry Partner Trade show at Workshop 4200, a maker space, showcasing our vendors and tradespeople.
CELEBRATION: We celebrated the 20th Anniversary of Celebration of Design at City Hall Events with a sit-down dinner and honored all the award winners.
