(Above image: Allison Smith attends the Interface + IIDA Converge Action Summit in 2023.)

Get to know a few IIDA members who are using their passion for interior design to make an impact within their communities and beyond. From advocating for the profession to championing sustainability, fostering inclusion, and building meaningful connections, these members are leading in ways that go beyond. Through IIDA, they have found opportunities to connect with fellow designers, share knowledge, find mentorship, and become stronger advocates for the profession. 

Meet Samantha Mitton, IIDA; Tiffanie Clegg, IIDA; Christine Peter, Ind. IIDA, CDF; Allison Smith, IIDA; Piper Snyder, IIDA; and Michelle Brizuela, Student IIDA. Their leadership, curiosity, creativity, and commitment to the design community demonstrate what it truly means to be an IIDA Superstar. 

Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity

Advocacy Superstars: Speaking Up for the Profession

Samantha Mitton, IIDA, RID, Director of Advocacy, IIDA Tennessee Chapter
Tiffanie Clegg, IIDA, VP of Advocacy IIDA Tennessee Chapter 
(Both are Associates at Hastings Architecture).

What strategies do you recommend for designers fighting deregulation in their state?

Samantha Mitton (SM): Honestly, the biggest thing I’ve seen work is speed. When Tennessee faced an attempt to deregulate interior design registration through SB2224, the design community didn’t wait around. We mobilized fast, and IIDA, ASID, and CIDQ worked together instead of everyone doing their own thing. The other piece is putting politics aside and talking to legislators like normal people. Many don’t realize that commercial interior design touches life safety and ensures spaces comply with accessibility requirements. Once they understand it’s tied to public safety, the conversation shifts. During the recent legislative session, we saw a lot of success with designers testifying or calling their representatives to explain why registration protects the public.

Tiffanie Clegg (TC): Get the word out to as many designers, reps, industry partners, friends and family as possible. It sounds simple, but it was our most effective tool to help overturn a deregulation effort in our state. The more people knew about it, the more people wanted to get involved, and that involvement often included conversations with legislators they knew or people they knew who had the ear of key decision makers in our state. It’s also crucial to give people the tools they need to have educated conversations — keeping our messaging consistent and concise. One-pagers with facts about the deregulation effort, the interior design profession as a whole, and stats with our states registration and CIDQ certification numbers gave our designers the tools they needed to confidently speak to why this would hurt our state from an economic and professional standpoint. 

What’s a common misconception you encounter about the interior design profession and how do you debunk it?

SM: The most common misconception I encounter is that interior design is what you see on HGTV: picking paint colors and accessories. We’re constantly defending the profession and explaining what the work actually involves. My approach is to lead with the technical side of the job, offering examples most people never realize are part of it. We coordinate with mechanical, plumbing, and electrical engineers on every project, and we’re responsible for ensuring that spaces are designed to comply with relevant building and accessibility codes. My advice to other designers is to advocate and educate at every opportunity. The more people understand that this profession touches the health, safety, and welfare of the people who use these spaces, the closer we get to a point where saying “I’m an interior designer” carries the weight it deserves, without an explanation needing to follow it.

TC: That all we do is pick finishes … which is what I consider and describe to friends, family, and new people I meet as the fun 5% of my job. Which leads me to ask whomever I’m speaking to what the fun 5% of their job is. Followed by what they actually do that people might not know about, the less glamorous side of their job. Not only does this spark conversation but it also gives me a platform to talk through the specifics of the interior design profession without feeling like I’m on my soapbox. Which I still will get on from time to time because I can’t help myself. We are also launching an “I am an Interior Designer. Period.” campaign in Tennessee soon that will hopefully grab people’s attention. The idea behind the campaign started at a CLC a couple years ago when [IIDA Senior Director of Advocacy] Marci [Merola] basically said being an interior designer was enough, that no additional explanation or excuse was needed beyond that, much like with our architect partners. One day we hope to tell someone we’re an interior designer when asked “what do you do for a living?” and have that response speak for itself. 

You are stuck on an island. You can pick just one food to eat forever. What would you choose?

SM: Sushi, for sure!

TC: Why is this the hardest question you’ve asked?! Chips and salsa. Which I guess is technically two foods but you can’t have one without the other, right?! 

EDI Superstar: Leading with Inclusion and Impact

Christine Peter, Ind. IIDA, CDF, Vice President of EDI in IIDA Southern California Chapter and Principal of Kaleidoscope Concept 

What makes a good leader? 

Christine Peter (CP): A good leader recognizes potential in others and inspires them to see beyond their own perceived limitations.

Best piece of advice you’ve ever received? 

CP: Never stop learning. Growth begins with the willingness to remain curious, challenge what you know, and continually expand your perspective.

One thing people might be surprised to learn about you? 

CP: I was adopted and raised by a British family in America, and later reunited with my biological family. An experience that profoundly shaped my perspective on family and connection.

Sustainability Superstar: Designing for a Better Future

Allison Smith, IIDA, Vice President and Sustainable Design Leader, HKS

What’s one small habit, ritual, or routine that makes you better at your work, or simply brightens your day?

Allison Smith (AS): Connecting with my colleagues, friends, and clients — whether over a cup of tea, a quick chat as I make my way around the office, or an intentional call — makes me better at work and brightens my day. Relationships matter. These conversations build trust and transparency and create a space to talk authentically about what is working, where we are struggling, and how we can move sustainable and regenerative design forward in practice.

What advice would you give a young designer trying to advocate for sustainability with the clients? 

AS: Creating spaces that support occupant health and well-being and are an efficient use of resources and simply good design — and good design is what our clients hire us to deliver. Sustainability shouldn’t be approached as an add-on. That said, there will be times when you need to advocate for doing something differently — whether that means addressing acoustics, specifying a healthier or lower impact material, or reusing furniture — and the value may not be immediately apparent to a client. In those moments, understand the problem you are solving and what the client values. The argument might be occupant comfort and well-being, the client’s sustainability commitments, operational or financial benefits, or research showing how the approach addresses a challenge they care about. Sometimes the sustainability benefit alone will resonate. Other times, our job as designers is to connect that benefit to the broader value it creates for the client.

One skill you think every designer needs today? 

AS: Every designer needs strong critical-thinking skills. We are surrounded by information, claims, trends, and greenwashing. Designers need to question what they hear, look beyond the headline, and understand how decisions connect. That means being able to zoom in and out — scrutinizing the details while also seeing the larger system — and considering an issue from multiple perspectives. In my work, whole-systems thinking is essential because a decision that solves one problem can easily create another.

Mentorship Superstar: Sharing Knowledge, Shaping Futures

Piper Snyder, IIDA, Interior Designer at Perkins&Will

How has IIDA membership supported or advanced your design career?

PS: My membership in IIDA has not only furthered my design affiliation, but taught me to be a strong leader. I was president of the IIDA Texas/Oklahoma Campus Chapter for Texas Tech University. In my role, I raised awareness of IIDA on campus, helping organize monthly member meetings, and I was able to get all of our campus leaders to the IIDA SHIFT Conference in February 2026. Being a member of IIDA has taught me how to foster connections.

If you could switch lives with someone for a day, who would it be? 

PS: I would switch with Ray Eames, because of the innovation and knowledge she helped pave for modern design. She also helped Charles Eames in the design of the Eames Lounge Chair, and that is one of my favorite pieces of furniture! 

Student Superstar: Designing the Future

Michelle Brizuela, Student IIDA, California State University, Long Beach

What’s a favorite IIDA program or experience that you’d recommend to new members?

Michelle Brizuela (MB): One IIDA program I would definitely recommend to students is the IIDA Student Mentoring Program. When I signed up, I hadn’t had much exposure to the industry, so this experience gave me my first real insight into what a day in the life of a professional interior designer looks like. I had the opportunity to shadow my mentor, Weina Li, for a full day at Taylor Design, where I was able to see firsthand what working in the profession is like. Weina also took the time to review my résumé and portfolio and shared helpful interview tips as I prepared to apply for internships. It was a valuable experience that helped me feel more prepared and confident as I began taking my first steps into the industry.

What is a design lesson you will never forget? 

MB: Every design decision should have a clear “why” behind it. I learned this while designing a transitional housing unit where every aspect of the project had to be guided by trauma-informed design principles and the needs of the occupants. It challenged me to think beyond aesthetics and consider how even the smallest design decisions could impact a person’s sense of comfort, safety, and well-being. This ranged from avoiding certain wood patterns whose knots could resemble insects and potentially be triggering, to larger decisions like creating a floor plan that promoted a sense of safety by minimizing situations where occupants would have their backs exposed. That experience taught me to be more intentional with my design choices and to always consider the people who will ultimately experience the space.

Share a work of art or culture that you can’t stop thinking about. Why?

MB: I constantly find myself thinking back to the Postmodern era and wishing we could bring more of that creative fearlessness into design today. I love how designers weren’t afraid to create pieces that were playful and even a little strange. There was a level of experimentation and funkiness that made design feel expressive and fun rather than overly serious. While I wouldn’t necessarily want to bring back Postmodernism exactly as it was, I would love to see that same willingness to take risks and care less about being judged make its way into contemporary design. I hope designers, myself included, continue to feel encouraged to push boundaries, experiment with unexpected ideas, and design with less fear of how their work might be perceived.

Read more Perspective: Design Superstars