IIDA Leaders Breakfast (Leaders) is an annual international event series hosted by eight local IIDA chapters with the support of IIDA Headquarters, international benefactor MillerKnoll, and media partner Interior Design.

Leaders events celebrate design’s importance in the global marketplace by honoring the people who are both the legacy and future of design. Each event features a renowned keynote speaker who enlightens, provokes, and encourages new ideas, and a celebration recognizing one local Award of Excellence Honoree who has made significant contributions to the design industry.

About the Leaders Breakfast Award of Excellence

A Leaders Breakfast History

2024 Leaders Breakfast Series

Chicago | December 6, 2024

As CEO and Co-Founder of Corporate Concepts, Cusack has transformed the company from its humble beginnings into one of the largest furniture dealerships in the Midwest, renowned for its commitment to service and client success. An entrepreneur at heart, Cusack leads by example, embodying the integrity, work ethic, and attention to detail that define Corporate Concepts. Throughout her 40+ years with the company, Cusack has achieved numerous milestones, including high-profile corporate headquarters projects and navigating the firm through various economic and industry challenges. Her belief in the industry’s potential to positively impact communities is evident through her long tenure on the DIFFA board. Cusack has also been a shining example for women in leadership, inspiring and mentoring others through her generosity, dedication, and vision.

Austin Johnston is an entrepreneur whose early experiences ignited a passion-led career into themed entertainment design and build. He has founded and still maintains: AKJOHNSTON, a celebrated brand agency for experiential activations; IMMERSED, a new venture for theme park and permanent design and build for diverse commercial spaces; and ModDim, an accessible product line of modular theatrical backdrops. Founded in 2008 without partners, investment or financing, the collective “AKJOHNSTON Group” has evolved from a technical production company to become an award-winning turnkey firm offering a limitless range of design, production and management capabilities.

Housed in over 86,000 square feet they offer our clients local service with international reach. AKJOHNSTON's creative teams strategize, develop and design impactful campaigns. They're production teams transform those bold visions into reality, developing logistical roadmaps and methods to execute the impossible! They're fabrication department builds world-class experiences from the ground up. This group is at the intersection of where stories are told through sensory experiences, and Austin, with his team, are leading the industry!

Jamie Cavalier has been a longtime member of the IIDA Illinois Chapter and served as the VP of Sponsorship from 2018-2020 before serving an executive term as Illinois Chapter board President. During her time as President-Elect/President, she also assisted in supporting the Illinois advocacy efforts to move interior design legislation forward. She worked with CIDQ, ASID and IIDA at state hearings with the Illinois Dept. of Financial & Professional Regulation, on lobbying efforts in Springfield, and negotiation discussions with AIA to amend the Registered Interior Designers Act in Illinois to allow stamp and seal privileges.

The legislation passed in June of 2022. In addition to contributions with IIDA, Cavalier has also been a volunteer designer with Designs 4 Dignity on projects over the last ten years, including most recently wrapping up design for a new office for a women’s domestic violence support organization earlier this summer. She’s passionate about both making the design profession better for future generations and giving back to the community when possible.

Los Angeles | November 8, 2024

Vickie Kropenske has served as the Director of Hope Street Margolis Family Center at Dignity Health - California Hospital Medical Center (CHMC) since its inception in 1992. Hope Street serves as an essential community resource and access point for early childhood, literacy, mental health, and social services for vulnerable children and families living in downtown and south Los Angeles. Hope Street has been internationally recognized for its innovative work in providing a comprehensive continuum of birth-to-college supports that advances health equity by improving long-term family outcomes. Kropenske received her BA in Sociology from Hunter College, her BS in Nursing from Cornell University, and her MSN in Community Health Nursing from California State University, Los Angeles. She serves as a faculty member with the UCLA Center for Healthier Children and Families.

Vijay Gupta is the founder and Artistic Director of Street Symphony, a nationally recognized pioneer in creating musical experiences for people in reentry from homelessness, addiction and incarceration. Since 2011 Street Symphony’s communities of artists have presented thousands of musical workshops, performances and lessons in Los Angeles shelters, clinics, county jails, state hospitals and prisons – delivering the music of classical, choral, Jazz, Reggae, Mariachi and West African drumming traditions to communities beyond the concert hall. Gupta believes that the transformation brought on by music is a “two-way symphony”: a pathway to mutual healing. Gupta is a celebrated violinist, curator and music director, performing for over 20 years. A dynamic recording artist, Gupta’s critically acclaimed discography includes an array of chamber music and solo works. He was named to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2024 and he is the author of a forthcoming memoir on the intersection of loss, hope, and music.

Dallas | September 27, 2024

Kris Walsh is a celebrated interior designer whose work has gained widespread attention and publication. Walsh launched her career at Gensler NYC, followed by a dynamic stint at Gensler L.A. She later relocated to Austin, Texas, where she joined Page Southerland Page as a senior designer. Now Interior Design Director at Page, Walsh has refined her collaborative design approach, discovering the joy in working with diverse design teams and clients. This passion for collaboration has led her teams to win numerous awards and garner significant recognition. Her career is defined by a commitment to nurturing and working alongside exceptional designers. Among her most recently acclaimed projects are the public spaces of Indeed Tower in Austin, Texas, and the PGA of America Headquarters in Frisco, Texas. With an eye on the future, Kris remains excited about continuing to work with talented teams and exceptional clients, confident that the best is yet to come.

Sarah Williams Goldhagen, PhD. and former Harvard professor, is a leading voice in the emerging movement in neuroaesthetics and architectural design. Her Welcome to Your World: How the Built Environment Shapes Our Lives, which won a Nautilus Book Award in 2017 for its contribution to social and environmental justice, has made her a sought-after speaker. Goldhagen lectures frequently and publishes widely about the effects of architecture, landscape, and urban design on human health, cognition, and wellbeing. The New Republic’s architecture critic for nearly a decade, Goldhagen’s criticism has appeared in the New York Times, Art in America and dozens of other publications. She sits on the boards of the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture, the Centre for Conscious Design, and on the Intentional Spaces Advisory Committee of the Johns Hopkins International Arts + Mind Lab. She recently released her first film, What Design Can Do (co-written and produced with Sarah Robinson), which has won five film festival awards.

San Francisco | September 13, 2024

Brian Graham is the founder and creative director of Graham Design, a studio specializing in contemporary furniture and products for the workplace and healthcare markets. With over 30 years of experience in design and architecture, Graham's work has garnered multiple awards and recognition from prestigious organizations and his mission is to create products that are functional, beautiful, and sustainable, enhancing the quality of life for people. Graham is an advocate and advisor for the design industry, he actively engages with the larger design community to champion a deeper understanding of the significance of design in contemporary culture. Of growing importance to Graham is building opportunities for a more diverse and representative design community. To this end, he serves on the board of Industrial Design Outreach, a 501(c)(3) non-profit with a mission to foster curiosity, promote creativity, and build self-confidence in youth from diverse communities through high school design education.

Vijay Gupta is the founder and Artistic Director of Street Symphony, a nationally recognized pioneer in creating musical experiences for people in reentry from homelessness, addiction and incarceration. Since 2011 Street Symphony’s communities of artists have presented thousands of musical workshops, performances and lessons in Los Angeles shelters, clinics, county jails, state hospitals and prisons – delivering the music of classical, choral, Jazz, Reggae, Mariachi and West African drumming traditions to communities beyond the concert hall. Gupta believes that the transformation brought on by music is a “two-way symphony”: a pathway to mutual healing. Gupta is a celebrated violinist, curator and music director, performing for over 20 years. A dynamic recording artist, Gupta’s critically acclaimed discography includes an array of chamber music and solo works. He was named to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2024 and he is the author of a forthcoming memoir on the intersection of loss, hope, and music.

Houston | August 16, 2024

Lauri Goodman Lampson is a business visionary who challenges founders and executives to rethink their approach to work and place. She is the mastermind behind the firm’s innovative business model and integrated approach to consulting, design, and brand services. Goodman frames business challenges as optimistic calls to action. Complacency is her nemesis, and she motivates organizations to move forward faster. She believes the wave of changes in technology, health and wellness, and the marketplace are undeniable. Organizations must restructure their fundamental approach to how they communicate their purpose, how they gather, and how they work. Watch honoree video here

Dr. Kelli Harding is an expert in human health and wellbeing. She’s celebrated for her ability to make complex medical and public health research meaningful to a broad audience. She helps individuals and organizations apply the science of kindness and connection to help them thrive. Dr. Harding's work as a doctor – seeing patients, doing research, and serving in national leadership roles – led her to write The Rabbit Effect: Live Longer, Happier, and Healthier with the Groundbreaking Science of Kindness. Dr. Harding has spent much of her career in the emergency room at New York-Presbyterian Hospital as an attending physician seeing patients who come in with both medical and behavioral symptoms. As part of her mission to educate the general public about important health topics she’s appeared on Today, Good Morning America, NPR, The New York Times, Medscape, Oprah.com, and US News & World Report.

Atlanta | July 19, 2024

Karen S. Freeman is an HOK principal and practice leader of the Atlanta healthcare studio and serves on HOK’s firmwide healthcare leadership team. With over 25 years of planning and design experience, she has delivered more than 4 million square feet of healthcare space in her career and has special expertise in and a passion for children’s health design. In January of 2024, Freeman was promoted to a firmwide role to lead HOK’s new pediatric center of expertise. In this new role, Freeman will expand HOK’s work with leading children’s health providers designing tailored solutions for the specific needs of environments to support pediatric patients and their families. In addition to her work at HOK, Freeman is president of Women in Healthcare, a national nonprofit that empowers and supports the mentorship and growth of women in healthcare leadership roles. She is a founding member of Women in Healthcare’s Georgia Chapter, where she served previously as president. During her tenure, Freeman and the Women in Healthcare Georgia Board of Directors were recognized as the organization’s chapter of the year.

Dr. Kati Peditto is not just a voice in the design psychology field; she's a trailblazer with a unique story. As a woman living with autism and ADHD, her personal experiences deeply inform about the transformative power of evidence-based design for mental health and wellbeing. Her transition from academia to the architecture and design industry has been marked by groundbreaking insights and contributions. Her work, which resonates globally, has been showcased in prestigious platforms. Dr. Peditto’ s journey is a testament to how neurodiversity can shape and enhance our understanding of the spaces we inhabit.

New York | May 9, 2024

Greenwald loves what he does, he brings heart and dedication to everything he takes on and this passion radiates as he leads CannonDesign’s New York City interior design practice. With a 30+ year career, he’s honed the power of design thinking and its ability to improve the human experience. He approaches design with an open mind and meticulous craft, ensuring teamwork is always at the heart of his projects. Schooled in industrial design, he has a rare ability to translate bold, audacious vision into tangible solutions that enhance and enrich life. Greenwald's design portfolio encompasses diverse sectors, from higher education to healthcare and workplace design. Beyond his professional achievements, Greenwald is an active figure in IIDA. He served as president of the IIDA NY Chapter in 2008, co-chaired its Futurists Forum (formerly Facilities Forum) and most recently co-chaired its Business Leadership Training program with Pace University's Lubin School of Business. Reflecting on his involvement with IIDA, Greenwald expresses gratitude for the energy and creativity of his colleagues, who continually inspire him.

Cassi Chandler is an innovator, strategist, investigator, and leader who has broken barriers, led diverse teams, and built cultures of motivational leadership and inclusivity. In a career that has included many “firsts”, she served as the FBI’s first African American female special agent assistant director as well as the Bureau’s first female national spokesperson and director of public and community affairs. The founder, president, and CEO of Vigeo Alliance – a leadership and talent risk management partner helping organizations elevate their cultures of belonging. Chandler draws from her personal experiences leading diverse teams as a change agent in a broad range of fields to facilitate honest conversations on what can be achieved when organizations go “all in” on diversity.

The Leadership Award of Excellence

Presentation of the Leadership Award of Excellence is the signature activity at every Leaders event. This award recognizes an honoree, typically a member of the local design community, for their exemplary leadership within the profession of commercial interior design and architecture or a non-practitioner for outstanding contributions to the profession. Honorees are presented with the iconic Eames stool, customized in Leaders Breakfast red, to commemorate their achievements.

Honorees are selected for their achievements recognized by IIDA that have advanced the interior design profession, have a history of conscientious and ethical behavior with colleagues, clients, and others in business interactions, and have been recognized within their local professional design community. Honorees have a strong connection to IIDA and reinforce the Association’s significance in the design community.

History

Launched in New York in 1989 by Jeannie Bochette of Steelcase, the IIDA Leaders Breakfast series began as a single event. The goal was to introduce IIDA to the business world as a leading association of commercial interior design and to inform IIDA members about the major issues affecting them and the industry. The event established a forum where members and their clients could participate and network with their peers.

Since expanding to Toronto with the help of the Interior Designers of Canada (IDC) in 2007, and through the support of international benefactor MillerKnoll and media partner Interior Design, Leaders Breakfast has become an annual international event series that celebrates design's importance in the global marketplace.