WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) is pleased to announce its newly-elected 2016 Board of Directors. Sandy Gordon, FASID, MFA, LEED AP, principal, Sandy Gordon Interiors, will be Chair; and Charrisse Johnston, ASID, LEED AP BD+C, Associate AIA, principal, Steinberg Architects will be Chair Elect. They will be joined by four new at-large board members: Sarah W. Colandro, ASID, NCIDQ, LEED AP ID+C, director of interior design, Fawley Bryant;Melanie Murata, Allied ASID, NEWH, LEED Green Associate, project designer, Gensler;Denise Rush, ASID, director of undergraduate interior architecture, Boston Architectural College; and Teresa Sowell, FASID, senior manager, Raytheon. Eddy Schmitt, senior vice president Americas, Steelcase will be the new industry partner representative.

The term for the 2016 ASID Board of Directors begins on October 1, 2015. The current board will continue to serve until that date.

The full, 11-member volunteer board is comprised of three officers (chair, chair-elect and past chair), along with seven at-large directors and one industry partner representative. For the 2016 board, the current Chair, Stephanie Clemons, Ph.D, FASID, FIDEC, will shift to Past-Chair. In addition, the 2016 board will include three at-large board members who will serve the second year of their two-year board terms: Susan Morgan, ASID, CAPS, LEED AP; Jo Rabaut, ASID; and Becki Wiechman, ASID, LEED AP.

"Each of our Board members bring a broad and deep understanding of the design profession and industry," said Randy Fiser, ASID CEO. "Their insights and strategic guidance will continue to propel ASID in to the future as the voice of the profession."

Board of Directors

Chair
Sandy Gordon, MFA, FASID, LEED AP
Sandy Gordon is principal of Sandy Gordon Interiors based in Madison, WI. Sandy brings nearly three decades of award-winning experience in retail, residential and commercial design, and has taught design at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In addition to prior service on the ASID Board of Directors, Gordon has served as chair of the ASID Student Advisory Council, as a member of the ASID Chapter Support Team, as faculty for the ASID REGREEN educational program, and as an NCIDQ Exam reviewer. She is the creator of "Impact of Sustainability in Designing the Retail Experience," a video based on her design research.

Chair-Elect
Charrisse Johnston, ASID, LEED AP BD+C, Associate AIA
Charrisse Johnston is a principal and the firm-wide interior design practice leader at Steinberg Architects, with offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, CA; and Shanghai, China. Johnston was previously senior associate and studio operations leader at Gensler where she managed and designed K‐12, higher education, and workplace projects. Before that, as vice president of corporate planning at Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, she oversaw the company's consolidated financial and strategic planning efforts. She is a past National ASID Board member, SAC member, EPAC member and student chapter president.

Directors-at-Large

Sarah W. Colandro, ASID, NCIDQ, LEED AP ID+C
Sarah Colandro is the director of interior design at the architecture and interior design firm Fawley Bryant in Sarasota, FL, where she focuses on multiple practice areas. Colandro previously worked with Ellerbe Becket, The Hillier Group and The ADP Group. She is a past Florida West Chapter president and a member of the ASID Legislative Advisory Council.

Teresa Sowell, FASID
Teresa Sowell is a senior manager at a large aerospace and defense firm in Tucson, AZ, and is responsible for strategy and portfolio planning for six million square feet across six countries. Sowell leads key strategic initiatives across the enterprise related to workplace design and real estate utilization. Her team has proven that interior design workplace initiatives can result in a competitive business advantage. She is a past National Board member, Arizona South chapter president, CST member and Foundation Board of Trustees member.

Denise Rush, ASID
Denise Rush is the director of undergraduate interior architecture at Boston Architectural College in Boston. Rush has a multi‐focused practice which includes commercial and residential design, and has been an adjunct faculty member of Columbia College in Chicago; Harrington College of Design; and the Illinois Institute of Art. She has design practice leadership experience at Perkins + Will; SmithGroup; and the University of Illinois. She has been active with the ASID Illinois and New England Chapters.

Melanie Murata, Allied ASID, NEWH, LEED Green Associate
Melanie Murata is currently a project designer at Gensler in Newport Beach and Los Angeles, and her culturally-rich background enables her to provide a worldly and innovative approach to teams and projects. Murata is passionate about hospitality, retail, brand strategy, and design's power to enhance communities and impact people's lives. She is a LEED Green Associate, and is currently pursuing NCIDQ certification and LEED AP BD+C accreditation.

Industry Partner

Eddy Schmitt
Eddy Schmitt is the senior vice president, Americas for Steelcase. In this role, Eddy is responsible for yearly sales of $2.2 billion, accounting for more than 70% of the company's global business. Prior to taking the Americas helm, Schmitt served Steelcase for five years as directeur général, France, and for three years as vice president of International Product Design, Engineering and Marketing. He is based in Grand Rapids, MI.