Author Archives: Jenna Mogstad

Student Member Spotlight: Shan Peterson

Name: Shan Peterson
Position/Title: 5th Year Undergraduate Student at the University of Oregon
Member of IIDA Since: 2021

Why are you a member of IIDA?
I joined IIDA as a student to network with professionals and learn more about the industry. It has served as an invaluable tool in learning how to challenge myself as a designer and communicate with others in the profession as an undergraduate. IIDA has served as a source of inspiration for gaining insight from successful industry professionals. 

 What is your favorite IIDA event?
My favorite is the Student Symposium. It bridges the gap between what we learn in school and how it applies in the workplace. The information shared was beneficial in understanding how to present myself and get a job. 

 What are you currently working on?
I am currently working on my capstone project, Universal Learning. I chose to design an elementary school for students with disabilities in order to promote inclusion in a child’s early years. This project has pushed me to think about design from a variety of user perspectives, understanding that what may be a hindrance to one may be an opportunity for another. 

What is your personal mantra?
Don’t fake it until you make it. Fake it until you become it.

What gets you excited about design?
People. Design, to me, is about the people who will use the space. Understanding the community and user groups motivates me to work harder because what I do has a real impact on their lives. I’m constantly wondering how the decisions I’m making now will affect people’s lives in the future.

Sponsor Spotlight: J+J Flooring

Company Name: J&J Flooring
Your Name: LaDonna Hale
Local Rep’s Position/Years: 1 year
IIDA member since: 2022

J&J is privately held and owned by Mr. Robert E. Shaw who owned his former company, bearing his name, which became the first carpet manufacturer to break into the Fortune 500. He guided the company to further growth as CEO until his retirement in 2006. In 2008, during the teeth of the recession, Mr. Shaw had a vision for a new flooring company. Mr. Shaw’s vision was so compelling that he left retirement and invested in what he called ‘disruptive methods’ – innovative technology that changed the way carpet had ‘always been done’. Knowing that he was taking a risk, yet believing it would pay off, in 2009 he founded Engineered Floors, LLC, and acquired J+J Flooring in 2016. J&J Flooring manufacturers Modular Carpet, Broadloom Carpet and our innovative Kinetex hybrid flooring product and have a full LVT line. Our facilities encompass 11,000,000 SQ. FT.

What is your favorite IIDA event and why?
Next Breakfast. I love the panel of speakers and the thought provoking conversation.

What is your favorite product/service offered by your company and why?
Kinetex because it’s Carbon Neutral and manufactured with 27 water bottles per tile. It is also NSF/ANSI-140 Platinum certified (the industry-leading standard for sustainability) and has a Red List Free DECLARE label.

What aspect of your company are you most proud of and why?
J&J is privately held which gives us the ability to make quick pivots when needed as well as our Kinetex Flooring with it’s healthy environmental footprint.

What value do you see in being an IIDA Oregon Chapter Annual Sponsor?
The ability to help support a community that supports our products by including us in projects with innovative design.

What impact do you see the IIDA Oregon Chapter having on the A&D community in Oregon?
A positive impact of support, strong leadership and fun.

What is your personal mantra?
Live in your Joyful Ascent

On a typical Saturday where can we find you?
Somewhere outside with my dog, husband and often times hanging with our 4 Grandbabies.

Featured Blog Post: A Special Thank You!

March 27th, 2023
McKenna Hall, IIDA, NCIDQ
Director of Social Justice | IIDA Oregon Chapter
Client Business Manager | Steelcase

A special thank you, for a special event! 

On March 2nd, the IIDA Oregon Chapter hosted the 2023 Next Breakfast. We were honored to have Tejara Brown, Dr. Steven Nakana & Rebecca Alexander as the panelist speakers; hosted and moderated by Cheryl Durst (CEO of IIDA & Hon. FIIDA Executive VP). This group of four intelligent, strong and unique individuals shared in open conversations around the topics of diversity, equity and inclusion within design. To say they were inspiring and thought provoking would be an understatement. 

Cheryl started by saying, “Inclusivity is the bedrock of design — that is why we call this universal design”. During the conversation the group spoke about “working with people closest to the problem.” They shared how we shouldn’t assume different needs and experiences of others. Instead, we should work directly with people to truly understand the problems so we can then design solutions to solve them. Don’t forget, when we work with people, we should pay them as consultants because they are sharing their expertise and their experiences, which are incredibly valuable. 

Diversity is imperative to our world, which means we must create spaces that are diverse, size inclusive, gender inclusive and universal for all.

The planning committee did an excellent job taking into respect and working with women-owned, minority-owned and/or BIPOC-owned businesses to bring this event to life. From the delicious catering by KitchenKilla, hosting at EcoTrust and the beautiful photography by Kai Hayashi, it was all so thoughtfully and intentionally done.

Thank you to all who attended; we hope you left learning something new and inspired to make an impact in your life, in your work and in our community. 

A big thank you to our sponsors who helped make this happen. Last, but certainly not least, a very special thank you to our 4 amazing speakers — you are making the world a better place. As Cheryl said to wrap it all up– “Change places, change minds and change hearts.”

Sincerely,
McKenna