SAVE THE DATE to spotlight leadership in the San Francisco design community!

The IIDA Northern California Leaders Breakfast looks to connect the diverse group of professionals in our industry, celebrating design by honoring the recipients of the 2026 Leadership Award of Excellence and the 2026 Emerging Leader. Leaders Breakfast is our opportunity to put our chapter’s core values, Connect, Community, Advocate, Cultivate and Aspire on center stage!

The keynote presentation - Confessions of a Part-Time Optimist: The Future of Joy, Design and the Human Experience discuss that happiness and joy are much more than fleeting emotions—they are the essential components to a healthy, fulfilling, and well-lived life. The dual effects of happiness and joy run deep and influence nearly every system in our bodies. How do we cultivate both? And how do we shape work and foster environments where we can thrive, create and flourish in joy?? Join IIDA CEO, Cheryl Durst, as she highlights joy as a strategy, joy as an aesthetic, joy as resistance and wellness, and intentionally designing for joy-- in both life and work.

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.

Keynote Speaker:

Cheryl S. Durst, Hon. FIIDA
Executive Vice President and CEO, IIDA

As the Executive Vice President and CEO of the International Interior Design Association, Cheryl is committed to achieving broad recognition for the value of design and its significant role in society. Under her leadership, IIDA sets an agenda that leads the industry in creating community, advancing advocacy, and continuing work toward equity and belonging. She is a member of the International WELL Building Institute Governance Council and a Trustee for Chicago's Museum of Contemporary Art. Cheryl was the first recipient of the Interior Design magazine Hall of Fame Leadership Award and is the first Black woman to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. She is one of the honorees among the Eames Institute's 2026 Curious 100 and a member of Newcity's 2026 Design 50. She is also featured as a changemaker in the “Imagine Your Impact” exhibition at the Obama Presidential Center. Cheryl is an avid reader, traveler, and conversationalist, and finds joy in books, words, and a well-packed carry-on bag.

Leadership Award of Excellence Honoree: 

Lisa Bottom
Former Principal, Bottom-Duvivier

Lisa Bottom is a recognized leader in workplace design with more than 45 years of experience shaping corporate environments across industries and around the world. Trained in industrial design and commercial interior design, she brings a problem-solving approach to workplace strategy, combining design thinking with a deep understanding of how people and organizations use space. Bottom has held senior leadership roles at Gensler, AECOM, and DIALOG, and was a founding principal of Bottom/Duvivier. Her portfolio includes workplaces and campuses for Airbnb, Roblox, Microsoft, Novartis, Sony, Zynga, Deloitte, and leading professional services firms. She has also led civic and institutional projects, including the PJKK Federal Building and Courthouse in Honolulu and the Blum Center for Developing Economies at UC Berkeley.

Known for design excellence, business leadership, and service, Lisa has built multidisciplinary teams, launched practices, and mentored emerging professionals. Her work has earned numerous design awards, along with recognition as one of the Bay Area’s Most Influential Women in Business. Bottom is also deeply committed to professional and civic leadership through IIDA, CREW, CoreNet, CHIEF, and other organizations.

Emerging Leader Honoree:

Shelby Burnett
Account Executive, Shaw Contract

Shelby Burnett is a Commercial Account Executive with Shaw Contract, former Gensler designer, and educator whose career spans design, mentorship, and industry leadership. Drawing on her background in workplace design, she combines her expertise with a passion for storytelling, helping architects and designers bring their visions to life through meaningful partnerships and innovative solutions. Beyond her day-to-day work, Burnett is committed to elevating the profession. 

She has served as a professor at San José State University, mentored emerging designers, and cultivated a following by sharing an authentic look at the industry through her lens of creativity, design optimism, and what she affectionately calls “romanticizing rep life.” At the core of her work is a simple belief: great design is ultimately about people, and the strongest partnerships are built on curiosity, trust, creativity, and authenticity. When she’s not working, you can find her escaping to the coast, hunting for antiques and inspiring spaces, exploring a new creative hobby, or adventuring around San Francisco with her pup, Nash.

Event Tickets:

RISE & SHINE SPONSOR | $11,500 (SOLD OUT)

• VIP Seating
• 2 Full Tables (20 seats total)

MIMOSA SPONSOR | $7,500

• Premium Seating
• 1 Full Table (10 seats total)
• Mimosas beverage sponsor

 LOCAL SPONSOR | $4,750

• Premium Seating
• 1 Full Table (10 seats total)

FULL TABLE | $3,500

• 1 Full Table (10 seats total)

HALF TABLE | $2,000

• 1 Half Table (5 seats total)

STUDENT SPONSOR | $150

• Cover the cost for a student to attend the event

INDIVIDUAL IIDA MEMBER TICKET | $250

• Open Area Seating (1 seat)

INDIVIDUAL NON-MEMBER TICKET | $300

• Open Area Seating (1 seat)