The Emerging Professional Advisory Council (EPAC) welcomes you to discover who we are, what we do and why we exist. Come meet our members and get acquainted!
The Emerging Professionals Advisory Council (EPAC) works to pursue strategies to engage recent graduates and new designers in Society programs, encourage career advancement and promote the accomplishments and contributions of ASID emerging professionals within the interior design industry.
The ASID headquarters staff liaison is Katie Johnson. To reach a member of the EPAC, please submit your inquiry to epac@asid.org.
To view a video introducing the EPAC and to hear about their backgrounds before they were designers click here!
Read more on EPAC Mission, Goals and Projects
Matthew DeGeeter, ASID, LEED AP, ID C, EPAC Chair
I Advise:
Colorado
Illinois
Indiana
Minnesota
Missouri
EastMissouri
West/Kansas
Nebraska/Iowa
Wisconsin
Matt is a design thinker who incorporates his graphic design, branding and marketing skills into his work and his writing, DeGeeter specializes in the healthcare market sector in the Washington, D.C., office of Perkins Will. DeGeeter is active with ASID at the national level and with the Washington Metro Chapter, as former co-chair of the Student Affairs Committee. DeGeeter blogs for HealthCare Design magazine as well as his own blog, and has written online pieces for Contract. DeGeeter represented ASID as part of the Healthcare Design 2010 planning committee and was featured as part of ASID's Thought Leader project.
Amanda Jesse, Allied Member ASID
I Advise:
Carolinas
Oklahoma
Michigan
NY Metro
NY Upstate/Canada
Ohio North
Ohio South/KY
Tennessee
Amanda is a residential designer at Bella Mancini Design in New York. She graduated with a bachelor's in ballet performance from Indiana University and danced for four years with Cincinnati Ballet, where she also co-founded Beyond Ballet, a career transition fund for retiring dancers. In 2009, Jesse earned her master's in interior design from Pratt Institute, and for her final project led the team that designed the exhibition honoring George Nakashima at the 2009 Architectural Digest Home Design Show.
Charrisse Johnston, ASID, LEED AP, Assoc. AIA
I Advise:
Alaska
AZ North
AZ South
CA Los Angeles
CA San Diego
Hawaii
Intermountain
Oregon
Charrisse is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and Columbia Business School, with degrees in behavioral sciences, and management and marketing. Johnston was a Wall Street strategic planning executive before turning to interior design. She joined Gensler in 2006 after earning her interior design credentials at UCLA Extension. An associate at Gensler's Los Angeles office, Johnston designs corporate offices and educational facilities, and leads licensure, internship, educational and community service initiatives. Johnston's service to ASID includes a former seat on the Board of Directors.
Pedro Lima, ASID, CID, Assoc. AIA, NEWH
I Advise:
CA Central/Nevada
CA North
CA Orange County
CA Palm Springs/Inland
CA Pasadena
CA Peninsula
New Mexico
Washington
Pedro has more than 10 years of industry experience. A recent ASID New York Metro Chapter President, Lima has worked with IDLNY (Interior Design Legislation for New York) and is currently a full-time faculty member at the Art Institute of New York City, where he helped develop curriculum and revisions for nine courses, including Space Planning, Interior Design Process, Portfolio Presentation, and Residential Design and Documentation. Lima has also served as a guest lecturer at Parsons, and is currently an adjunct faculty member for Westwood College Online and Art Institute of Pittsburgh online.
Elizabeth Oshana, Allied Member ASID, EDAC
I Advise:
Alabama
Florida North
Florida South
Florida West Coast
Georgia
South Central
Texas
Texas Gulf Coast
Elizabeth studied interior design at Cornell University's Department of Design and Environmental Analysis. In 2005, she earned her master's for her contribution to the Interior Archetypes Research and Teaching Project (http://intypes.cornell.edu/). Upon graduation, Oshana joined the design firm CAMA Inc., and for the past four years has immersed herself in evidence-based healthcare design. Recent work includes the MCGHealth Cancer Center, the El Paso Children's Hospital, and the healing arts program for the Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale-New Haven.
Kia Weatherspoon, Allied Member ASID
I Advise:
Connecticut
Maryland
New England
New Jersey
PA East
PA West
Virginia
Washington Metro
Kia received her BFA from Moore College of Art & Design in Philadelphia. Distinguishing herself as an emerging leader in the arts, Weatherspoon was selected to represent the class of 2010 on the Board of Managers at her alma mater. Currently in the Washington, D.C., metro area, she is assistant project manager for Carlyn and Company. Weatherspoon's active involvement with ASID includes serving as Student Representative to the Board for the Pennsylvania East chapter and member of the Professional Development committee for the Washington Metro Chapter.