Planning for Your Firm's Future - And Yours!

Caleb Anderson is the co-founder of the innovative, multi-disciplinary interior design firm Drake/Anderson. Lauded for his layered approach to interiors and the effortless skill with which he juxtaposes a variety of historic periods from the design continuum, Anderson’s work consistently results in sophisticated interiors that are luxurious, refined and always have a touch of the unexpected. Anderson and the New York-based firm that he leads with business partner Jamie Drake, have achieved the highest awards and accolades in the industry, including the prestigious Elle Decor A-List, the Architectural Digest AD100 list, Interior Design magazine’s Hall of Fame, House Beautiful’ s Master Class and many more. In 2022, Caleb founded Well-Designed, an industry initiative and organization that seeks to educate and support the design community through wellness based events, workshops and retreats.  Caleb’s vision with Well-Designed is to be a catalyst of change within the culture of the design industry, where creative brilliance co-exists with wellness, and authentic connection fosters an industry of support, compassion, and unity.

Doreen Hunter received her degree of interior design from Central Michigan University with a minor in Business Management. She is the principal of Hdesigns Group LLC, a full-service Interior Design Service in Detroit Michigan. Ms. Hunter is a competent and enthusiastic project manager with a proven ability to plan, design, and implement projects within budget and time parameters. She possesses many years of extensive experience as an interior designer, with a proven ability to coordinate and supervise the activities of professional, skilled trades and labor staffs. She is a confident and responsible decision maker, with a reputation for producing a quality, finished product. She is an active member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) Michigan Chapter, where she currently serves as the first African American in the role of President for the 2022-2023 membership year.

Krista Ninivaggi, Principal and Interior Design Leader of Woods Bagot New York, has more than twenty years of experience tailoring interiors for projects worldwide. In 2014, Ninivaggi founded her eponymous firm K&CO in lower Manhattan. The boutique firm focused on commercial interiors, with particular attention paid to hospitality, multifamily residential, and workplace interiors. Today, she continues her expertise in these typologies at Woods Bagot, serving as a visual thought leader for a range of forward-thinking clients. She and her team specialize in bespoke interiors that work in concert with the surrounding architecture and infuse abstract conceptual ideas into programming, material selection, and furniture design. Whether in new or existing structures, the team strives to create immersive environments that satisfy the senses, layering tactical and visual experiences for richer and more diverse spaces. Ninivaggi is the recipient of multiple awards, and in 2013 was named “Young Gun” by Curbed and was Contract magazine's 2014 “Designer of the Year.” She is the Co-Chair of RISD Alumni Association’s Mentorship Committee, and previously served on Contract magazine’s Editorial Advisory Board, the New York School of Interior Design’s Undergraduate Program Advisory Board, and the Advisory Board for The American Society of Interior Designers. Ninivaggi has held teaching positions at Parsons School of Design at The New School and Columbia University’s GSAPP, in addition to serving as a guest lecturer at numerous architectural and interior design institutions. She has also juried a diverse array of international awards. Ninivaggi is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design.

Maria Martin, ASID, TX RID, founder of Design Appy, is an interior designer and artist with 20-plus years of experience in Austin, TX, who is passionate about using design-driven technology and content to improve client communication. Martin considers standing in the client's shoes when looking at the traditional design process. She realized that clients want the design experience of a rendering without the delays between appointments, and there is no tool available to effectively accomplish this. As a result, Martin created a digital sketching software called Design Appy. Design Appy allows designers to generate scale tile drawings and elevations for bathrooms and kitchens in just a few minutes. She was recognized as an ASID Ones to Watch Scholar in 2019 for the work on this innovative program. Martin is also a recipient of the Kitchen and Bath Design News Innovator award 2021. Martin hosts a weekly podcast, Designer Discussions, for home design professionals focusing on the impact of behavioral economics applied to the interior design industry through PR, PR marketing and client interactions.