[R]Evolution of Interior Design: Demonstrating its Power and Value

Tom launched Gensler’s Hospitality practice in the late 1990s with the celebrated renovation of the Beverly Hills Hotel. He has since expanded the practice to an international scale, leading complex mixed-use, entertainment, master planning, and hotel projects worldwide. He has a comprehensive understanding of complex lifestyle projects and an ability to deliver outstanding guest experiences. His recent work includes the 18-million-square-foot CityCenter development on the Las Vegas Strip; the award-winning Shore Hotel (a LEED®-certified luxury oceanfront resort) in Santa Monica; and the Westin Denver International Airport (the first LEED® Platinum major U.S. airport hotel). Other notable projects include Metropolis (a mixed-use development consisting of a hotel, residences, office, and retail) in the heart of downtown Los Angeles and the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills. Tom is a Registered Architect and earned a Bachelor of Science in Architecture at the University of Southern California. 

With over 25 years of experience, Kerrie is Creative Director for Kerrie Kelly Studio, an award-winning California based interior design firm.  She is also an author, contributor, product designer, and multi-media consultant, helping national brands reach the interior design market. Her work elevates everyday design, bridging the gap between design principles and life well lived. Kerrie has received national recognition for her expertise in interior design. Kerrie is a National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) Board Member; Fellow, Design Luminary Award recipient and Past-Chair to the National Board for American Society of Interior Designers (ASID); Houzz Advisory Board Member; and Zillow Interior Design National Spokesperson. Kerrie’s work has been featured in The New York Times, Bloomberg, Forbes, The Globe and Mail, USA Today and The Wall Street Journal.

David leads Perkins Eastman’s fast-growing higher education practice with colleges and universities across the world. His clients include institutions from New York to California, and globally, from Asia to the Middle East. Rooted in Perkins Eastman's "Human by Design" philosophy, David and his team know the power of design to transform, enrich, and tackle the most pressing challenges. Over 2020, they have embarked upon a wide-array of design research efforts focused on COVID and post-COVID questions. These efforts include interviews with dozens of university leaders on their rapidly evolving approaches to student engagement, health and safety, technology, facilities, and finances. The post-COVID research focuses on how people are reacting to and learning from the pervasive experience of remote learning. Both streams of research speak to people’s enduring desire to come together in-person in high-quality, thoughtful spaces.  

With 37 years of experience, Kay is a recognized expert on workplace design and strategy issues and an award-winning designer. Kay is Global Co-Director of HOK’s WorkPlace team and sits on HOK’s Board of Directors. In 2020 she was named ASID’s Designer of Distinction. She has been selected from her field of peers to provide Congressional Subject Matter Expert Testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives on  “Federal Real Estate Post-COVID-19: A View from The Private Sector.” Kay currently serves on the AVIXA Board of Directors; ASID’s Foundation Research Taskforce; George Washington University Advisory Council; the IWBI Mind Advisory Team and the Advisory Boards for I+S and WorkDesign magazines. She was recently names ASID’s Designer of Distinction for 2020 and was in 2021 was selected from her field of peers to provide Congressional Subject Matter Expert Testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives on  “Federal Real Estate Post-COVID-19: A View from The Private Sector.”

Amy’s creative career for the past 35 years has taken her along a journey filled with rich imagination and multifaceted practical applications in research and design theory. With a focus on wellness design, she has dedicated her career to the design of innovative healing spaces and works on providing healthy buildings and interiors on every project. Amy works with clients in an integrated process, weaving together the disciplines of research, planning, product design, architecture, and interior design, satisfying complex project requirements while maximizing design opportunities. Her portfolio includes a wide variety of clients from corporate and commercial to healthcare and education, both domestic and international. 

With more than a decade of experience as an editor and writer, Katie Kervin brings a passion for storytelling and a keen editorial eye. Having worked for magazines, in marketing and PR at an architectural firm, and as a marketing/communications consultant, she is well-versed in the realms of hospitality design and architecture. Katie was managing editor of Hospitality Design magazine from 2014-2017 and has recently returned as senior managing editor of both Boutique Design and Hospitality Design magazines. She holds a BA in English and a master’s degree in writing from Portland State University.