Utilizing the power of the people that work with you, and the people you choose to work for can in fact help you increase your sales and profitability by addressing the diversity, equity, and inclusion of your core business groups. Want to learn more? This is a chapter meeting you won’t want to miss.

This meeting provides a rare opportunity to hear from two kitchen and bath designers who collectively have more than 45 years of experience implementing diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in small and large businesses to executives, leaders and direct service employees. Their accessible style of delivery, with time for discussion and questions will provide:

• Clarification of commonly used terms - diversity, equity and inclusion;
• The benefits and unintended consequences of the business case for DEI; and
• Tangible actions to consider to better serve a broader group of customers and clients.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:

SHARON J. WASHINGTON, Ph.D, CKBD

Sharon J. Washington, PhD, CKBD is the Owner and Designer of Eclexis Designs, LLC. Serving clients in the Bay Area since 2015, Sharon loves finding solutions to space challenges and believes that the process of design and redesign should be an enjoyable collaborative experience. Sharon has served on the Council of Northern California Chapter as the Programs Chair and is bringing her deep knowledge of higher education to her current role as the Student Design Symposium Chair.

In addition to her thriving design business, Sharon continues to consult in higher education and has nearly four decades of professional experience in non-profit and higher education leadership, K-12 education, not-for-profit boards, the arts and now design. Throughout her career she has engaged in work that contributes to a greater understanding of individuals and groups and the ways in which work and learning communities can foster greater equity, inclusion, and opportunity.

www.eclexisdesign.com

www.sharonjwashington.com

NUREED SAEED, Associate ASID

Nureed Saeed is the award-winning founder of NU Interiors, a bi-coastal holistic design practice specializing in modern, unexpected interiors that invite a rich mix of materials, ideas and global inspiration. With an extensive background in the fashion industry, Nureed translates that wealth of experience into her own high-low design language that embraces both aspirational and attainable elements. Committed to expanding design equity beyond the luxury market, Nureed is an ardent believer in the love- and purpose-filled home.

Nureed’s work has been featured in Apartment Therapy, Better Homes & Gardens, Millburn-Short Hills magazine, Design NJ, and Lux Pad’s top 15 Interior Designers in New Jersey, amongst other design publications.

Recently named a the KBB Person of the Year, a 2023 ASID Ones to Watch Winner and a 2022 Innovator by Kitchen & Bath Design News for her work in inclusion and equity, Nureed holds a Certificate in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion from Cornell University’s ILR School and is a leader and passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion in the design industry. Nureed currently serves at the President of the National Kitchen and Bath Association, Northern California Chapter.

www.nuinteriors.net/about