Executive Board
Derek Jayson Rusch, President
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Derek Jayson Rusch founded Insightful Collaborative in 2019, leveraging his over two decades of experience in the Commercial Interiors industry to establish this innovative initiative. The company is committed to amplifying diverse voices across industries, with a specific focus on the commercial real estate sector. Insightful Collaborative aims to highlight narratives that celebrate and support underrepresented groups, including Women, People of Color, and the LGBTQIA+ community.
Under Derek’s strategic leadership, Insightful Collaborative integrates these rich perspectives into the broader industry discourse, emphasizing the diverse and vibrant experiences that members of these communities bring. The initiative illuminates their challenges, triumphs, and significant contributions to various aspects of society. This mission aligns with Derek’s reputation for strong client relationship-building skills and his talent for pioneering innovative projects.
In addition to his work with Insightful Collaborative, Derek serves as Vice President of Signature Events for the IIDA SW Chapter and as an Executive Board Member for SMCDT. Through these diverse roles, he continues to channel his creativity and extensive industry knowledge to engage, inspire, and foster a more inclusive and collaborative business environment.
In his current capacity with Infinium Walls, Derek Jayson Rusch plays a pivotal role in establishing national distribution channels in major markets and cultivating valuable relationships with both existing and prospective clients. Through these endeavors, he continues to shape the industry’s future.
Steph Smothers, Vice President
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Steph generates and leads Sterling Bay’s creative vision through a national portfolio of corporate workplace, residential, hospitality-focused, and branded environments. She also manages the firm’s external consultants and interior design teams. Prior to joining Sterling Bay, Steph worked as a Senior Interior Designer for a boutique Chicago design practice. She holds a BFA in Interior Design from Iowa State University and is NCIDQ licensed. Steph is a committee member of Insightful Collaborative, a council that promotes and provides mentorship for women, people of color, and LGBTQIA+ in the design and CRE community. She also serves as a member of Sterling Bay’s Inclusion Council, IIDA’s Chicago Chapter, and Professional Women in Construction Chicago Chapter, and volunteers for Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids.
Mel Chotiner, Secretary
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Mel is an interior designer with more than 22 years of experience delivering creative solutions, nurturing client relationships, and leading collaborative teams through the design process. Her expertise spans corporate offices, branding, and repositioning projects. With her strong technical skills and knowledge, as well as project management experience, her teams enjoy her leadership as an energetic and highly efficient collaborator.
Danielle Flanscha, Director of Operations
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Coming Soon
Board of Directors
Cynthia Sarria, Marketing Director
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Cynthia Sarria is a designer passionate about leveraging the influence of design to actualize environments centered around equity through a sustainable lens.
In her current role as Sr. Interior Design Professional at the HOK Miami studio, she approaches her work holistically, mindfully combining strategy, programming, and planning to execute concepts that encompass human centric design principles throughout the entirety of a project.
She kick-started her Interior Design career by obtaining a B.F.A. from the Robert Busch School of Design, Kean University. Her drive to foster relationships within the design community has led her to hold chapter board positions with IIDA as well as to her role as an adjunct professor with her alma mater, bringing her professional experience full circle. Over the last decade she has been fortunate enough to work on various project typologies including corporate workplace, retail, hospitality, justice, and science + technology.
Interior design and architecture serve as the conduit between the environment and the human experience. Cynthia believes that as experts in the industry, designers play a huge role in how the public interacts with a space, and therefore, with one another.
Creating spaces that foster authentic connections, promote wellness, and navigate the ever-evolving technological landscape leads not only to a successful project, but also leaves a lasting impression on people. Every project presents designers with the opportunity to change the lives of up to millions of people. It is our duty to meet that opportunity with consciousness and awareness from a technical perspective as well as – and just as importantly – from a social perspective.
Libby Gillen , Sponsorship Director
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Libby Gillen’s early love of fine arts led her to pursue an interior design degree from Syracuse University. She began her career as a designer at John Hancock headquarters, and then served in several top firms between Boston and Chicago. Moving to the manufacturing side with Tarkett, she spent 13 years as an account executive in both Chicago and Austin, before being appointed vice president of architecture and design.
Currently, Libby’s new position of Vice President, Design for Momentum Textiles and Wallcovering, uses her design, marketing, and networking skills to connect and consult with the Giants of the commercial architectural and Design community. She drives business development strategy for the sales representatives in providing the best textile and wallcovering solutions for commercial clients. As a member of professional organizations such as IIDA, NOMA and Dignity in Design, Libby’s values and beliefs drive her pursuit of continuing education and service to the industry.
Dr. Ana Persad, Resource Director
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Dr. Ana Persad, DBA, EMBA, is a dynamic leader with expertise spanning global leadership, construction management, and diversity advocacy. An International #1 bestselling author, she brings over 15 years of experience in residential and commercial construction, successfully completing projects exceeding $500M across various industries. Dr. Ana is deeply committed to mentoring, coaching, and fostering equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace. She serves as a board member and Director of Business Management for the Humanitarian Mission of Guyana and actively supports numerous organizations, including Feeding South Florida and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Through her multifaceted roles, Dr. Anacontinues to empower individuals and communities to reach their fullest potential.
Director of City Events
Chelsea Jackson Greene, Chicago
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Chelsea Jackson Greene, NCIDQ, NOMA, WELL AP, LEED GA
Chelsea Jackson-Greene is an Interior Designer II at Perkins&Will Chicago. She is the newly elected Co-Chair of Perkins&Will Chicago’s JEDI Council, a new member of I-NOMA and APA-IL and is actively involved with Creative Placemaking Communities. Prior to joining Perkins&Will, Chelsea worked as an Interior Designer at LS3P Associates as well GMShay Architects in Savannah, Georgia. Chelsea is an alumnus of Savannah College of Art & Design with a background in Interior Design, Design for Sustainability and Architectural History.
Anthony Alecseenko, Chicago
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Coming Soon
Maria VanDeman, Miami
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Maria VanDeman, NCIDQ, Ind. IIDA, is an accomplished interior designer, design strategist, sales leader, writer, and passionate advocate for equity in the workplace. With over 16 years of experience in the commercial design industry, she serves as the Director of Design Strategy at OFS, where she focuses on design and sales strategy to create environments that support people and inspire connection.
Maria is the host of the Imagine a Place Podcast and a columnist for Office Insight magazine, where she explores powerful stories from across the design industry and the intersection of design, workplace culture, and the human experience.
A graduate of Purdue University with a degree in Interior Design, Maria’s early career included roles at global architecture and design firms before evolving into strategic sales and thought leadership. Her children’s book, Design Your World, was created to raise awareness of the design profession and inspire future creatives.
In 2022, Maria was honored with the HiP Leadership Award from Interior Design Magazine for her commitment to mentorship and social impact. Maria approaches every conversation as an opportunity for impact—bringing empathy, clarity, and purpose whether face to face, on stage, in print, or behind the mic.
Rodrigo Buelvas, Miami
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Established in 2006 by industrial designer Rodrigo Buelvas, his namesake Studio Rodrigo Buelvas focuses on multidisciplinary design practice. Based in Miami since 2020, the studio now encompasses a holistic team of detail-oriented designers. The studio has a pull toward human-centered design and believes in making a difference by collaborating with other disciplines.
Studio Rodrigo Buelvas works in the intersection of architecture, interior design, creative direction, furniture, and objects, creating projects with intriguing narratives and perspectives. The studio approaches projects by mixing methods of creativity research within our design realm.
The design process is detailed and explores ideas that ensure results that not only look and feel good but are timeless and educated. The studio is mindful of the design intervention process and offers a high level of expertise with a holistic view, ensuring high-quality results during the design implementation proc