Author Archives: Brittany McClain

Meet the 2025 Member IMPACT Award Winners

Introducing IIDA Oregon’s Member IMPACT Awards!

We heard your feedback and brought back our member awards for 2025. These awards honor our members who have made a positive impact on our community and profession. Nominations come directly from you, our chapter members, and the awardees are recognized at the annual Design Excellence Awards event.

Join us in congratulating our 2025 Member IMPACT award winners! These inspiring leaders who embody the heart of our mission—to elevate interior design and the people who shape it:

Alison Hake

It is an honor to recognize Alison Hake, IIDA, whose work and leadership so beautifully embody the mission of our organization—to connect our design community, amplify our impact, and elevate our profession. As an Interior Designer with the University of Oregon’s Design Services team, Alison’s influence reaches far beyond the spaces she designs. She manages a wide range of campus projects—from classrooms and labs to offices and collaborative environments—all united by a deep commitment to inclusion, accessibility, and belonging. Every space she touches reflects her belief that great design serves people first.

Alison is a natural leader who leads through empathy, collaboration, and quiet strength. She has a gift for bringing diverse voices together—architects, administrators, contractors—and creating trust and shared purpose. Within her team, she models how design can be both rigorous and compassionate, inspiring those around her to see their work as part of something bigger. Beyond her role at the University, Alison is a dedicated mentor and advocate, supporting emerging designers and championing the value of design in our broader community.

Her presence—steady, thoughtful, and inclusive—has strengthened the fabric of Oregon’s design community. Alison’s work reminds us that impact isn’t always loud; sometimes it’s found in the quiet leadership that transforms teams, spaces, and lives.


Casey Martin

In just five years at George Fox University, Casey Martin, IIDA, has transformed what it means to teach, mentor, and champion the next generation of designers. As Assistant Professor of Interior Design, Casey has elevated the program’s visibility, rigor, and connection to Oregon’s design community—ultimately leading George Fox to be named IIDA’s 2024 Campus Center of the Year. Her leadership is grounded in purpose and community, bridging the gap between academia and practice in ways that tangibly prepare students for professional success.

Through her signature initiative, The STUDIO, Casey empowers students to work directly with real clients—designing spaces that serve the community while learning the human impact of design. And her dedication goes far beyond the classroom. Casey personally ensures her students experience the energy of Oregon’s design community—often renting a van herself to drive 15 or more students to IIDA events, from the Student Charette to the Design Excellence Awards tonight.

Casey’s energy, compassion, and authenticity have inspired a generation of emerging designers and strengthened the connection between education and professional practice in Oregon. She is shaping not only her students—but the very future of interior design in our state.

 


Jake Wesolowski

Jake’s IIDA story is anything but conventional—and that’s exactly what makes it so remarkable. Though not a designer by training, Jake found his way into Oregon’s design community through his career as an accountant in the architecture and interiors world—and through his deep support for his wife’s work in interior design. What began as a supportive gesture quickly grew into something transformative. Jake discovered his own sense of purpose and belonging within IIDA, and ultimately stepped into the role of Vice President of Finance—a position that would leave a lasting mark on the chapter.

With vision and heart, Jake redefined what financial leadership looks like in a creative organization. He didn’t just balance the books; he built systems for sustainable growth, taught others the power of financial literacy, and helped ensure that IIDA Oregon’s advocacy efforts are supported by long-term financial strategy. His work has strengthened the chapter’s foundation—creating new revenue streams and empowering future leaders to see money as a tool for impact, not a barrier.

Now serving as a Chapter Advisor, Jake continues to mentor others and champion the inclusive, community-driven spirit that defines IIDA Oregon. His story is a testament to how anyone—regardless of title or background—can make a profound difference. Jake’s leadership reminds us that when we bring diverse perspectives together, we build a stronger, more resilient design community for all.


See all of our past member award winners HERE!

Meet the 2025 Design Excellence Awards Jurors

After a national search, IIDA Oregon is proud to welcome three esteemed jurors who represent creativity, leadership, and design excellence on a national scale:

Claudia Lofton, IIDA, RID, LEED Green AssociateSenior Associate & Director of Interior Design, HASTINGS Architecture (Nashville, TN)

As Director of Interior Design at HASTINGS, Claudia Lofton brings award-winning experience crafting spaces that balance creativity, intent, and client vision. Guided by a “service first” philosophy, she has shaped the firm’s success through work with clients such as AEG Presents, William Morris Entertainment, Warner Music Nashville, Warner Chappell Music, and United Talent Agency.

Claudia believes design has the power to transform lives, enhancing health, creativity, and connection in the spaces where people spend most of their time. Her approach integrates biophilic principles, sustainable materials, and health-focused outcomes, demonstrated in her leadership on two of Tennessee’s first WELL-certified projects.

An advocate and mentor, Claudia has served as VP of Advocacy and President of IIDA Tennessee. Outside the studio, she enjoys Nashville’s food scene, traveling, and spending time with her husband, son Oliver, and their rescue chihuahua, Phyllis.

Derek Chen, CID, Assoc. IIDA, Fitwel Amb, LSSYBProject Manager, LPA (Irvine, CA)

Derek is a Southern California–based Designer and Project Manager with over 15 years of experience guiding projects from concept through completion. His career spans boutique studios and global firms, and he now works at an award-winning architecture and design firm recognized as a leader in sustainability. Passionate about creating environments that balance functionality with design integrity, he brings a detail-driven, client-focused approach to every project.

Beyond practice, Derek has served on IIDA Southern California boards, most recently as Co-VP of Student Affairs on the Executive Board. He is also an Adjunct Professor at a local community college, where he enjoys mentoring and giving back to the next generation of designers. Guided by the belief that design has the power to impact and change lives, he brings purpose and conviction to both his professional practice and his community involvement.

Stacey Crumbaker, IIDA, Assoc. AIA, ALEPAssociate Principal, Mahlum Architects (Seattle, WA)

Fueled by curiosity and a deep commitment to equity, Stacey Crumbaker, IIDA, Assoc. AIA, ALEP uses design as a tool to foster belonging and reflect community values. As an Associate Principal at Mahlum Architects, she leads transformative work in educational environments across the Pacific Northwest. She is a passionate advocate for the interior design profession, advancing regulatory recognition, leadership pathways, and interdisciplinary collaboration to strengthen and elevate the field. Bridging research, policy, and practice, her work shapes inclusive, learner-centric environments and positions design as a force for civic impact.


Don’t have your ticket yet? Snag one to join us October 21, 2025 as we celebrate innovation, excellence, and community at the premier design event of the year. This event will sell out, don’t wait! Get your tickets here!

2025 IIDA Oregon Letter from the Chapter President

Hello,

And welcome to a RADIANT new board year for IIDA! I’m Sondra Jakubowski, your new IIDA Oregon Chapter President for 2025–2026 (and sometimes cruise director for this ship!). I’m excited to help usher this team into a new year with the goal of supporting our incredible community in building great content, events, and programs that make an impact on you — our interior design professionals, emerging professionals, industry members, educators, and students.

For those who joined us at our sold-out Annual Celebration, you know we showed up in style — sequins, glitter, and plenty of gold. But more than attire, RADIANT represents the bright future we’re stepping into together.

Here’s what I’m most excited about in the year ahead:

  1. Our Team: 32 inspiring, dynamic members from across Oregon — the biggest board we’ve ever had! We even have representation from Bend and Eugene.
  2. Our Advocacy Efforts: We’re preparing for round two of our bill to recognize Commercial Interior Design in Oregon during the 2026 session. We’re collaborating with AIA, ASID, CIDQ, and IIDA HQ — and we’ll need your help too. Stay tuned!
  3. Our Mission: This year, we’ve refined our mission statement to reflect our values more inclusively and to position advocacy at the center of what we do. (See below for the latest and greatest )
  4. Updated Annual Sponsorship Package: We’re refining our approach to better align sponsor dollars with what you value — ensuring your support shows up clearly at our events and through our communications.
  5. Our Events & Resources: We’re tailoring events to support networking, education, and career growth — plus launching a new website and refreshed graphics in 2026 to make information and advocacy updates more accessible. Check out our full list of events here.

All of this is no small feat. After all, we’re all volunteers, balancing this work alongside our professional lives. Did I also mention I’m a mom of two incredible kids? It’s a lot, but it’s achievable when it’s done as a team.

Speaking of our team, this summer our board gathered and reflected on the values that define us. The most frequently mentioned? Community, Connection, Growth, and Teamwork. Building on those, we drafted our refreshed mission statement:

IIDA Oregon Chapter – Updated Mission Statement
Connecting our design community • Amplifying our impact • Elevating the profession

The IIDA Oregon Chapter strengthens the interior design community by fostering connection, cultivating belonging, and advancing professional recognition and career growth. We champion the vital role of interior design in shaping the built environment and its positive impact on the health, safety, and well-being of individuals and communities.

Community is truly part of our DNA. To build on this, I want to share a quick personal story. 

When I was working as a commercial interior designer (let’s say several years ago so I don’t feel too old ), I landed at a firm where I was the only interiors person alongside 40+ architects. Although the team worked well together, I often felt isolated. There was no one to bounce ideas off, no mentor to turn to, and no female leaders to look up to. I felt very alone.

Eventually, I made the difficult decision to leave the A+D side and transition into an industry role — and that’s when I reengaged with IIDA. I started showing up and volunteering again. Almost immediately, I realized that the community I had been craving — the people to ask questions, the leadership to look up to — had been there all along.

For me, IDA became a space for community, not competition. A place to connect, to belong, and to lift each other up. It offers the team, support, and leadership development we don’t always get when we need it most in our careers — and in life. That’s the path of belonging and connection we’re committed to continuing for all of you.

I want to end with a couple well-deserved thank-yous!

  • To our current IIDA OR chapter board: thank you for your commitment to improving and impacting this community. You inspire me daily with your incredible talent and big hearts.
  • To my team at PacificWRO and MillerKnoll: thank you for your support and for being fierce advocates for both the profession and IIDA.
  • And last, but certainly not least, to my family: I could not do this without the support of my amazing husband, Tim Jakubowski, and our rockstar girls, Mara and Ada — for whom I do all of this work.

And thank YOU for being part of this incredible community. We look forward to a year of connection, amplification, and elevation — together!

Sincerely,
Sondra Jakubowski
Chapter President 2025/2026