"Accountability and responsible practice. As a professional the health, safety and welfare of my clients and their counterparts is in my hands. To be distinguished and identified as someone who holds these issues in the highest regard is of utmost importance. Not for myself, or for other designers, but for the public".

"For me, Interior Design Legislation is about raising the bar of excellence in our profession.  I am proud to be on the IDCW Board to ensure that Interior Designers within our state will be able to practice and protect the health, safety and welfare for many generations to come!  The road to success may not always be easy, but I welcome the challenges and enjoy the accomplishments we are making along the way."

"I’m involved with IDCW because action expresses priorities. I realized that if I wanted my profession to evolve that I couldn’t just rely on other people to get it there, I had to actively participate. Our community is a creative and intelligent group that has the drive and ability to elevate our profession to better reflect our depth of experience, qualifications and capabilities. In my eyes, a worthy priority if there ever was one."  

"I’m so happy to have been given the opportunity to pursue a career in interior design.  I’ve had the opportunity to work on many wonderful projects, which have introduced me to so many talented individuals.  The industry has come a long way in the twenty years that I’ve been practicing, but I know it can go farther: legislation is a tool that will elevate the profession and protect the general public. When I look back in another twenty years, I’m confident that the best "project" I’ll ever have is fighting for interior design legislation." 

Interior design is a “real” career path. The interior design profession is not just about the selection of furniture, colors, or fabrics; you can adversely affect the health, safety, & welfare of the public within a space. The interiors of a building would not be functional or safe without good design, regardless of the color chosen. Interior Design affects everyone and yet there are no minimum standards within our state to ensure the consumer is hiring someone qualified. Washington State recognizes the importance of the interior design profession and offers strong educational foundation through our state schools. Legislation is already in place for over half of the United States, yet why not in our state. Legislation will provide recognition for the qualified Interior Design through education, examination, and experience, ultimately allowing the consumer a choice.

Interior Design is an amazing profession. I am constantly in awe of the many facets Interior Design plays within the built environment and how the decisions we make as designers effect the general public on a daily basis. Being held responsible for our practice and the true scope of work that we are qualified to produce will heighten the profession while protecting the life, health and safety of the public. I am excited to be a part of the coalition that uses legislation as a vehicle to promote the excellence of the Interior Design profession.

I volunteer my time with IDCW because I am inspired by the collective voice. It is rewarding, on many different levels, to be a part of an organization that strives to raise the standards of our profession. We are working together to educate and be educated by the community and the legislative process. Our profession has a history and together we are helping set standards of excellence for the future.

Interior designers are artist, who embody creativity and imagination. Our profession also needs to be disciplined, organized and skilled. We combine our knowledge with aesthetic vision, to develop design solutions that are safe, functional, attractive and meet the needs of the people using the space.

Dawn has spent over 16 years in the design industry: first as a commercial interior designer in several major A&D firms across the country, and currently as the owner of her own business, as an independent sales representative. Dawn brings her wide ranging experience and her passion for mentorship to all endeavors, and strives to be a resource to the design community. She is also a past president of IIDA Northern Pacific Chapter. “I am excited to be taking on this position because I believe that an interior designer should be able to legally practice what they’ve been trained to do. I’d like to see Washington join other states in giving qualified interior designers the right to stamp and sign their own drawings for their portion of work within the built environment. The only way to get there is for all the organizations to work together as a unified voice.”

I have been 'designing' since I was 10 years old. Although I started with rearranging my bedroom and doodling floor plans, realizing that I could learn the knowledge and gain the experience to inform on the built environment as a professional was really the start of my life as an Interior Designer. Were it not for an accredited degree program, dedicated working designers as my mentors and the groundwork of past professionals before me I would have missed the opportunity to follow my innate passion and talent. Considering we spend 90% of our time indoors, the impact of a poorly designed space and importance of a properly designed space is ever present in our profession. Supporting other emerging designers and their passion for design and moving our profession forward for future generations is what powers my passion for IDCW!