2018 Honoree
Kris Kirchner | K2J Inc
Kris Kirchner, IIDA, ASID, is now in her twentieth year as the principal of K2J Inc. Her experience ranges from the development of master standards programs to the innovative design of facilities for women, children, and medical suites.
After graduating from Iowa State University, Kirchner began her career in healthcare design at HDR, Inc. In 1998, Kirchner founded K2J, Inc., to allow her the opportunity to focus her passion for healthcare design on the Atlanta market with a core group of creative designers. She built the company on the philosophy that a designer must take a detail-oriented, proactive role to challenge the client toward innovative design solutions, tailored to their unique needs.
2017 Honoree
Liset Robinson | Savannah College of Art and Design
Liset Robinson, IIDA, AIA, IDEC, LEED AP, SEED has been teaching interior design for over 25 years. She graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in architecture and is a registered interior designer and registered architect in the state of Georgia. She is currently a professor and serves as the associate chair of interior design at the Savannah College of Art and Design - Atlanta, where she has worked for 11 years. From 2009–2010, Robinson served as president of the Georgia Chapter of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA). She is currently the executive director of Sustainable Design Collaborative Atlanta, a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting those who cannot afford design services. In 2007, Robinson was selected by Design Intelligence as one of the Interior Design Educators of the Year. In 2012, she was awarded the inaugural IIDA Educator of the Year Award. Robinson has two daughters who are also designers and has been happily married to Douglas, a structural engineer with Walter P Moore, for over 30 years.
2016 Honoree
Deirdre Sullivan | idea|span
Deirdre O’Sullivan, IIDA, LEED AP, is the President of Idea | Span, where she brings her insight, energy, and imagination to clients and teammates to creatively capitalize on what is possible. She is well-recognized in the Atlanta real estate and construction community as a team player and knowledgeable resource.
O’ Sullivan has worked in partnership with some of United States’ most recognized organizations such as Novelis, Internap, InComm, The North Highland Company, Turner Construction, AdvancEd, General Motors, Coca-Cola Enterprises, The Home Depot, Porsche Cars of North America, Citicorp, and Turner B. Since 2004, projects she has led have been recognized with design excellence Awards by the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) and the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID).
O’Sullivan graduated from University of Georgia Lamar Dodd School of Art with a bachelor’s in interior design. She holds NCIDQ certification as an interior designer and is a professional member of IIDA and a licensed interior designer in the state of Georgia.
2015 Honoree
Stephen Swicegood | Gensler
Stephen Swicegood, IIDA, FAIA, NCARB, LEED AP, is the Managing Director of the Gensler Atlanta office. A graduate of the Auburn University College of Architecture, Design and Construction, he is a 40-year veteran of the architecture and design profession. In 2004, he completed a three-year term on the AIA National Board of Directors. He currently serves on the CoreNet Atlanta Board of Directors and chairs the chapter’s programs committee.
As Managing Diirector of Gensler Atlanta since 2004, Swicegood has grown the office to over 80 staff. In 2012, Gensler Atlanta was ranked second by revenue volume among Atlanta interior design firms. Current and recent clients include The Coca-Cola Company, 22squared, GE Energy, The Home Depot, Invesco, King & Spalding, Philips Electronics, SunTrust Bank, and Turner Broadcasting.
Described by one client as “a trailblazer who has redefined workplace design,” his thinking on workplace strategy and design has been featured in international publications such as Chief Executive, Financial Times, Architectural Record, Interiors, and Interior Design. He was elevated to the AIA College of Fellows in 2003 for his pioneering work connecting workplace design to business strategy.
2014 Honoree
Steve Clem | tvsdesign
2013 Honoree
Margo Jones | Savannah College of Art and Design
2019 Honoree
Stephanie Kirkpatrick | Niles Bolton Associates
Stephanie Kirkpatrick, IIDA, ASID, offers more than two decades of experience in strategic planning and design consulting as well as administration and management. She brings a varied perspective, having been an NBA client, the head of real estate for a private university, and a consultant, acting as project manager and designer for a number of large corporate ventures. Kirkpatrick is NCIDQ certified and a member of the Commercial Real Estate Women, ASID, and IIDA, where she served as president of the Georgia chapter.