MINUTE MENTORING + INSPIRE INITIATIVE

 Amalia Restrepo is an architect and illustrator from Colombia. She pursued a bachelor's degree in architecture but later discovered her true passion was in art and illustration. After completing a master's degree in fine art from SCAD, she worked as a freelance illustrator, primarily doing editorial work for books. Amalia's work often blends her architectural and artistic backgrounds, such as illustrating wallpapers for spaces like hospitals and ice cream shops. She credits her high school art teacher as a key influence who encouraged her to pursue illustration, and she continues to be inspired by various people and experiences throughout her career. 

 Jerome Gomez's journey from studying finance, which he disliked, to finding his passion in the housing industry and interior design. He joined the army for 3.5 years, which allowed him to travel, and then pursued interior design, working in various cities like Miami and New York. He eventually returned to Austin and went back to graduate school, realizing that the tech industry was a better fit for him. The video highlights the important role of his mentors, Ruth Beals and Ricardo Navaro, in shaping his career path and providing guidance. 

 Kirsten Steno, an interior designer from Denmark, shares her journey of finding purpose in her work by combining interior design with coaching. She discovered the connection between people's personal values, needs, and their home design choices. Steno became a mentor, training designers and architects on how to incorporate coaching techniques to create homes that nurture and empower their clients. She emphasizes the importance of authenticity, finding one's unique voice, and using design to build resilience in a world that is becoming increasingly insecure. 

 Maryam Karimi, a professor of interior design at Yorkville University in Canada, who discusses the influential mentors in her life, particularly her PhD supervisor who was an artist, architect, and philosopher. Karimi was inspired by how her supervisor was able to create narratives at the intersection of various disciplines and turn them into material reality through architectural design. She now aims to help her students use a similar process to build their own personal narratives and apply their thinking into material reality. 

 Milagros Zingoni is the director of the School of Interior Architecture at the University of Tennessee and an associate professor. She has been in academia for 19 years, teaching in architecture and interior design, and has been involved in design builds with participatory design and community engagement, especially with underserved populations. She has had several mentors who have influenced her academic and professional journey, including professors in education, former bosses, and colleagues in architecture and interior design. 

 Aviva Stanoff discusses the importance of mentorship in her career. She emphasizes that mentors helped her see her potential and opened up opportunities they didn't know existed. Aviva also shares the importance of leveraging one's history, culture, and inspiration to create a unique and impactful brand or product. While she doesn't consider herself a mentor, she acknowledges that she informally shares  her learnings with others when the opportunity arises. 

 Miranda Anderson is an associate clinical professor at the University of Idaho, where she has been teaching for around 18 years. Prior to teaching, she had 8 years of experience in architectural and interior design work in the Pacific Northwest. She was recruited to teach at the University of Idaho by a former professor, and she has since embraced the role of a mentor to her students, helping them with their educational and career goals. 

 Dr. Rula Awwad Rafferty, a faculty member in the Interior Architecture and Design program at the University of Idaho. She discusses her academic background, the mentoring program she experienced as a new faculty member, and the importance of mentorship throughout her career. She highlights the valuable lessons she learned from her various mentors, including the power of humility, inquisitiveness, and collaboration in addressing complex interdisciplinary topics. Dr. Rafferty also shares her own experiences as a mentor, emphasizing the joy of supporting and celebrating the successes of her colleagues and students. 

 Rebecca Moore, an assistant professor of interior design at Belmont University, discusses the importance of mentorship in her career. She highlights the impact of her own mentors, such as Sam McKee and a previous college president, who have provided her with valuable advice and guidance. Moore emphasizes the significance of building trusting relationships with students, ensuring they receive honest feedback, and designing for all people, regardless of their socioeconomic status 

 Peter Aylsworth is an architect and interior design professor at Belmont University in Nashville. He discusses the influential mentors and role models who have guided his career, including a strict professor who taught him the value of making things, and a female architect who instilled in him the philosophy that architecture is a framework for the art of living, facilitating and expressing human connection. 

 Kelly Gore is the current department chair at Belmont University's interior design program. In the video, she discusses her extensive experience in the interior design field, including her work in commercial interior design, healthcare, education, and retail environments. The video also explores her mentorship experiences, where she emphasizes the value of observing and learning from her mentor, who guided her through a more apprenticeship-style approach to teaching and learning. 

 Roberto Ventura is the chair and associate professor of interior design at Virginia Commonwealth University, where he has been teaching for 21 years. He discusses his experience with mentorship, highlighting that he has had multiple mentors who have influenced him in various ways, including philosophical, teaching, and professional mentors. Ventura also considers himself a mentor by default as a faculty member, as he believes they have a responsibility to provide honest guidance and be role models for their students. 

 Steve Webber is an associate professor at Florida State University, teaching in the field of interior design. He has been with the university since 2012, after practicing in Michigan around Detroit. Webber is passionate about interior design education and is the president-elect of the Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC). He values mentoring relationships, both as a mentor and as a mentee, and believes that educators have a responsibility to prepare the next generation of designers, whether as educators or practitioners. 

 Stephanie Sickler, an associate professor at Florida State University who teaches in the foundations and materials program. She owns a fabric shop that specializes in residential soft goods fabrication. Stephanie discusses her experience with mentorship, particularly how her graduate school mentor, Joe Pavy, introduced her to the Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC), which has been a valuable community for her throughout her career. She also shares how she has become a mentor to her graduate students and other educators within the IDEC organization. 

 Brian Orthel, an associate professor of design and director of the inter design program at Indiana University Bloomington. Orthel discusses the importance of mentoring in his academic career, highlighting how senior faculty members have played a crucial role in guiding and supporting him throughout his journey. He emphasizes the significance of building a strong community and collaborating with colleagues to collectively improve and grow. 

 Tania Branquinho, an assistant chair and adjunct faculty member at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. She discusses her experience in both industry and academia, highlighting the importance of mentorship and peer relationships in her professional and academic journey. As an assistant chair, she advises both graduate and undergraduate students, guiding them through curriculum, research, and career planning. She also continues to mentor faculty members, providing feedback and support to facilitate their research. 

 Rene Kink fell in love with drawing and painting from a young age, and she considers those "little stars in the sky" as her early mentors. Rene's mentors during her graduate school years were particularly important, as that's when she became an educator and went into practice.  Rene sees mentorship as a two-way relationship, where both the mentor and the mentee learn from each other and deepen their connection by sharing experiences and perspectives.  

 Courtney Fowler, the IDEC marketing manager, who discusses the importance of mentorship and how she aims to be a mentor to others. She shares her experience of having a mentor who provided her with leadership opportunities and encouraged her to utilize her strengths, such as writing and communication. Courtney also explains how she enjoys being part of writing groups where she provides positive feedback to participants, helping them recognize and embrace their strengths. 

 Alex Morales, the executive director of IDEC, discussing his experiences with mentorship. He shares how a formal mentoring program through the American Society of Association Executives helped him during a challenging time in his career, and how he later became a mentor to someone else, following a similar approach. Morales emphasizes the value of mentorship in providing guidance, perspective, and support for career development.