Ryan Ben has worked at the International Interior Design Association since 2011. He has become adept at event management, panel moderation, program creation, and crafting resources designed to enhance the membership experience. In addition, Ryan is an actor, writer, facilitator, and performer with over a decade of improvisation experience. Ryan believes we each have a powerful story to tell and enjoys helping designers share their story with other members of the IIDA community. Ryan is also a triathlon and endurance sport enthusiast and became a new dad in 2020. 

Melissa Cook has always had a passion for people. From volunteering in her community to majoring in Communication and Non-Profit Management at Auburn University, she has always been drawn to finding new ways to connect with others. In this digital day and age, one of the most important ways we can stay engaged and create community is through social media. In her first year at IIDA, she increased IIDA’s social media following by 50.8% and engagement by 58.9% using a mixture of strategy, storytelling, and emphasis on brand recognition.

An exceptional communicator, innovator, and visionary leader, Cheryl S. Durst has spurred progress, driven change, and encouraged the expansion of the interior design industry. As the Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of IIDA, Cheryl is committed to achieving broad recognition for the value of design and its significant role in society through both functionality and engagement in every day work spaces and the built environment.

Susan Fireside comes to IIDA with over twenty years of experience in communication design, with a focus on the relationship between design and brand. She calls herself a creative pragmatistic, balancing out the craft of design along with the strategy. Working for museums, cultural institutions and other design practices, she’s a visual storyteller that understands It takes a lot of hard work to make something simple.

Beth has over 35 years of experience leading teams in innovation and service. A recognized practice leader in the field of design, she is sought by end-users, design professionals and academics for her practice, research, education and public service. Beth’s work encompasses almost every type of commercial and institutional project, giving her the leadership experience to collaborate with and lead large teams. Her focus on the total integration of the client’s vision and goals throughout the design and building process is integral for projects of large magnitude and technical complexity.

Erica leads projects and provides overall administration for the interior practice in all seven offices nationwide. With over 21 years of experience, graduating from Purdue University, Erica has extensive experience in interior design on higher education campuses from student housing to academic facilities, private and public healthcare and additional expert knowledge on the interior design fundamentals and standards for countless industries with experience across the country. She excels in consulting with clients to help move their vision and goals to reality all the way from conception through installation.

A self-driven and creative marketing executive with over 20 years experience in strategic promotions, brand strategy, digital marketing, and content development. Roni has helped multiple small businesses and Fortune 500 companies attract, retain, and engage their target customer through authentic storytelling and proprietary brand activations. Her passion for new experiences, education, and children has been fostered by studies at University of Chicago, Old Dominion University, and Hampton University.

Starting with Fairchild Publications (Publishers of W and Women's Wear Daily among other titles), Sharon spent her career's first 15 plus years and left as the Vice President and Director of HR, overseeing all global HR functions for this major fashion publisher. Moving to Reed Business Information in 2000, Sharon handled HR in New York for 26 media titles including Interior Design, Publisher's Weekly and Variety magazines. She has also overseen the HR function for Forbes.com, Playboy as well as another stint at Interior Design and Luxe magazines.

Meena is an inspiring, award winning designer who has transformed her client’s companies, strengthening their corporate cultures through experiential design. She considers space and form at many scales while understanding the importance of interior environments that are human-centric. Since joining Perkins+Will in 2005, Meena has focused on integrating both architectural and interior design to create solutions that cross boundaries, encourage emotional connections with space, and prioritize health, wellness and human energy.

Deborah Nemeth, IIDA, RID, LEED AP BD+C is an Associate and the Interior Design Discipline Leader at SmithGroup in Chicago. She is passionate about creating environments that are aesthetically pleasing, strategic, and purposeful. She is a versatile designer, team leader and business developer with a portfolio of clients including workplace, higher education and health care organizations. Deborah provides her clients with design solutions tailored to their unique culture and business goals.

Monae Redmond comes to IIDA with over a decade of experience serving the 15,000-member community of the Chicago Association of REALTORS®, where she made it her mission to provide premier customer service to members, students, volunteers, and staff. She is a 2019 Association Forum and USAE Forty Under 40 award recipient, and also a part of the Association Forum Emerging Leaders Class of 2019. A licensed Illinois Managing Broker, Redmond has an MBA with a concentration in Real Estate and possesses extensive knowledge of the commercial real estate industry.