SAVE THE DATE to spotlight leadership in the Chicago design community!

The IIDA Illinois 2026 Leaders Breakfast looks to connect the diverse group of professionals in our industry, celebrating design excellence through our Leadership Award of Excellence honoree and offer a motivational and thought-provoking keynote speaker. This year in keeping with the chapters’ dedication to celebrating more facets of the design community we will again highlight an up-and-coming IIDA member by honoring an Emerging Leader! Leaders Breakfast is our opportunity to put our chapter’s core values, Connect, Community, Advocate and Cultivate on center stage!

The IIDA Leaders Breakfast is an annual event series that celebrates design’s importance in the global marketplace by honoring the people who are both the legacy and future of design. This is made possible through the support of IIDA Headquarters, International Benefactor MillerKnoll, and Media Partner Interior Design.

EVENT TICKETS:

RISE AND SHINE | $6,500 | (1) AVAILABLE

• Full Table of 10 at Event
• Welcome Reception Coffee Sponsor with Signage 
• Preferred Table Placement
• Company Logo in Event Digital Itinerary
• Company Logo in On-Screen Presentation 
• Company Name on Table Card
• (10) Signed Vinyls from the Keynote Speaker

MORNING BLOOM | $5,000.00 | (2) AVAILABLE

• Full Table of 10 at Event
• Event Floral Centerpiece Sponsor with Signage (Arrangements donated post event)
• Preferred Table Placement
• Company Logo in Event Digital Itinerary
• Company Logo in On-Screen Presentation 
• Company Name on Table Card

FULL TABLE | $3,300

• Full Table of 10 at Event
• Premium Table Placement at Event
• Company Name on Table Card

HALF TABLE | $1,700

• Half Table of 5 at Event
• Strategic Seating Assignments with Other Half Table Groups
• Company Name on Table Card

INDIVIDUAL IIDA MEMBER TICKET | $275

• Seating with IIDA Members, Industry Peers, and Colleagues

INDIVIDUAL NON-MEMBER TICKET | $350

STUDENT SPONSOR | $150

• Provide an upcoming industry IIDA student with an opportunity to attend, network, and learn from Industry Leaders
• Promotional Company Logo Recognition in On-screen presentation

Leadership Award of Excellence Honoree:

Lamar Johnson
LJC Design & Engineering, President and CEO

Johnson’s impact on Chicago is deep and broad. He launched Gensler’s Chicago office, building it into a respected practice of over 250 employees as Managing Principal. After 32 years at Gensler, he founded the Lamar Johnson Collaborative in 2017 (now LJC Design & Engineering), quickly earning recognition for talent and design quality. His collaborative approach prioritizes people, community, and the profession, drawing visionary clients and partners. Committed to workforce diversity, Johnson actively promotes women and people of color within both firms, supporting programs like ACE Mentor Chicago, NOMA, United Way’s Board Leadership Institute, and AIA Chicago. Beyond work, he serves on boards for Marwen, Adler Planetarium, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, and World Business Chicago to help address the city's challenges.

Emerging Leader Honoree:

Chelsea Jackson-Greene
Associate Interior Designer III, Perkins & Will

At Perkins & Will, Greene works across Corporate Interiors, Higher Education and Science & Technology practices to bring strategic design solutions to her projects. Greene is the Co-Lead of the Chicago studio’s Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion team, serves as Secretary of the Illinois Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects, and is a National Advisory Board Member of Insightful Collaborative. Prior to joining Perkins & Will, Greene worked in historic preservation, commercial development, and hospitality design within Georgia and South Carolina. She previously served as Vice-Chairwoman for the Savannah Historic Preservation Commission. Greene obtained her BFA in Interior Design from Savannah College of Art and Design in 2017, minoring in Architectural History and Design for Sustainability. She holds a Certificate from New England College in Creative Placemaking and is a WELL AP and LEED Green Associate.

Keynote Speaker:

Sekou Andrews
SekouWorld, Inc., CEO, Award-Winning Entrepreneur, Grammy-nominated spoken word poet

Sekou Andrews is one of the most successful spoken word poets in the world. On any given day, this artist can be found keynoting at a Fortune 500 company, inspiring thousands at a concert, or performing for Barack Obama in Oprah’s backyard. Sekou has dedicated his career to pioneering a mainstream industry for spoken word. He has built a 7-figure company on poetry, has had his work featured on dozens of major TV networks, has innovated a new category of public speaking called “poetic voice,” and has garnered prestigious awards in advertising, theater, business, poetry, and music, including a GRAMMY nomination for “Best Spoken Word Album”. Sekou’s vanguard career is driven by his mission to not only inspire the world, but to teach people how to be inspiring themselves.