Meet the new officers for 2023-2024. The Ballot was sent to voting members on November 1, 2022. These candidates have been chosen by voting members to represent IDEC in the following positions.
The President-Elect serves as the Chief Executive Assistant of IDEC, and in the absence or disability of the President, performs the duties and exercises the power of the President.
Election: Elected by the membership
Term: 1 year (1 year as President-Elect, followed by 1 year as President, followed by 1 year as Past President)
Steven Webber
Florida State University
Steven Webber is an Associate Professor at FSU in the IA&D Department. He holds an M.Arch and B.S. Interior Architecture from Lawrence Technological University. With 12 years in practice, his areas of instruction include design studios, construction systems, and construction documents at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Research areas include emotional intelligence, empathy, systemizing, design process and pedagogy, and trends in practice. His book, Interior Design Fundamentals, is published by Fairchild. He also serves on the IDEC board of directors as the director of teaching.
The Secretary/Treasurer oversees the areas of correspondence and finance.
Election: Elected by the membership; occurring in even-numbered years
Term: 2 years (May serve for two consecutive terms for a total of 4 years)
Sandra Reicis
Villa Maria College
Sandra Reicis began working at Villa Maria College in 2002 where she was successfully promoted to professor in 2016. She holds a Master of Architecture degree from SUNY at Buffalo and a Bachelor of Arts from York University in Canada. She has been actively engaged in IDEC serving as East Regional Chair, abstract reviewer, and most recently 2019 East Regional Conference Host. Sandra also volunteers as a board member to New York Eleven Plus.
There is one Regional Chair for each region of IDEC who guides and directs the business of the region and reports activities of the region to the Board of Directors. Regional Chairs are elected biannually from the professional members of the region. The Regional Chairs serve staggered two-year terms with the election of the East, Midwest, and Southwest Chairs occurring in even-numbered years and the election of the South and Pacific West Regional Chairs occurring in odd-numbered years. Regional Chairs who move out of their region during their term of office are replaced. The President, with the approval of the Board, appoints a new Regional Chair for the remainder of the term.
Election: Elected by the members of the Region
Term: 2 years; May be re-elected for 2 terms for a total of 4 years.
Laura Cole
Colorado State University
Laura Cole, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Interior Architecture & Design at Colorado State University where she teaches undergraduate interior design studios focused on human factors and sustainable design. Before conducting graduate studies, Laura worked as a professional designer for the world-class architectural firm Perkins+Will in the Chicago office. There, she worked on numerous LEED for commercial interiors projects and began her journey toward a deeper understanding of green buildings. Her current research focuses on the social dimensions of green buildings, with a focus on how sustainable design can be environmentally educational for the public.
The Director of the Service Collaborative serves as the visioning entity on matters of IDEC service and works with the Service Collaborative Coordinators and the Service Collaborative to direct those visions.
The Director-At-Large for Service also liaises on behalf of the IDEC Board with the Network Chairs and the Awards Chair on all matters related to service.
Election: Elected by the membership; occurring in even-numbered years
Term: 2 years (May serve for two consecutive terms for a total of 4 years)
Communication
Dana Vaux
University of Nebraska Kearney
Dana E. Vaux, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Interior Design at the University of Nebraska Kearney where she teaches design studios, building codes, lighting and systems, and design research methods. Her interdisciplinary scholarship focuses on the connections between cultural-historical meanings and place and design pedagogy. She co-authored the text Research Methods for Interior Design, and a forthcoming book, Practical Ethics in Architecture and Interior Design Practice. She has published in the Journal of Interior Design on the topic of community design and historical place meaning as well as in the International Journal of Technology and Human Interaction and the International Journal of Technology in Education.
Sarah E. Wilhoit, Ph.D., M.S., B.A., ASID, IDEC, NCIDQ® No. 022374
Harding University
Dr. Wilhoit is a professional member of IDEC and continues to serve as the Southwest Regional Council Grants and Awards Committee Regional Rep. She has also served on the Creative Scholarship and Abstract Review Committee, as a student competition reviewer, and has received an IDEC Award of Excellence and Service award as a reviewer. Additionally, she has engaged in the IDEC National Conference as a presenter and panel member and served as a coordinator and host of the Southwest Regional conference. Sarah has also served the American Society of Interior Designers as the Professional Development Director, President-Elect, and President; as well as the South Central Chapter Harding University Student Chapter advisor and a judge for the San Antonio ASID Pinnacle of Design awards. She currently serves as a CIDA site visitor and reviewer.
Cotter Christian
Parsons School of Design
Cotter Christian is currently serving as the Associate Dean for the School of Constructed Environments and is an Assistant Professor of Interior Design at Parsons School of Design. He was previously the Director of the BFA Interior Design program at Parsons. Cotter holds an MFA in Studio Art from Georgia State University, an MA in Interior Design from the Savannah College of Art and Design, and a Bachelor’s in Theatre from Marymount Manhattan College in NYC. Before entering academia, he worked at the Atlanta office of Perkins+Will as an interior project designer on corporate, academic, and institutional projects. As a member of the Interior Design Educators Council, he has served on the East regional conference planning committee, the 2022 annual conference planning committee, and the Board Nominating Committee. His current research is situated within the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, exploring relationships among contemplative practices, mindfulness, and design education. In particular, examining how contemplative pedagogy can encourage the creativity and interdisciplinary collaboration necessary to address critical social and environmental justice issues.
