Presenters
Julia Calabrese
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Julia Calabrese, NCIDQ, ASID is an Associate Senior Strategist with Corgan in Dallas and sits with Hugo, the Research and Innovation team where they integrate enterprise strategy with human-centric design to drive measurable value for clients. Julia’s approach blends rigorous ethnographic research, data-driven insights, and narrative design to shape future-forward environments that enhance well-being, performance, and brand cohesion. Her extensive portfolio spans 2.5 million+ square feet of workplace design in 11+ countries. As Chair-Elect of ASID’s Practitioners Committee and a 2022 ASID “Ones to Watch” Scholar, she is a recognized leader advancing the future of design. Julia holds a BFA in Interior Design and certifications in change management (PROSCI) and creative leadership (IDEO University). She is currently expanding her research into the links between the built environment, cognitive health, and the brain economy — driving innovation at the intersection of design, science, and human experience.
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John Casillas
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John Casillas is a Customer Learning Manager with Kichler Lighting (part of Coleto Brands, which now includes Progress Lighting). He oversees education resources and training for lighting décor, including residential, builder, and landscape lighting. John leverages his ALA certification to guide clients and professional audiences, affirming his professional training in lighting. As a design specialist for Williams-Sonoma, he can showcase his keen eye for creating comfortable yet stylish, livable spaces. John is passionate about sharing industry knowledge through learning with fellow designers, builders, and showroom associates, helping them stay informed, inspired, and successful in their craft.
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Fred Cawyer
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Fred D. Cawyer, AIA, NCARB, RID, RAS, APA is owner of ARS, plcc, a licensed architect and interior designer within the State of Texas, and is a licensed Registered Accessibility Specialist (RAS) #86 through the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) - Architectural Barriers Division. Fred has successfully coordinated over 10,000 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) – Title III; Fair Housing Act (FHA); and, Texas Accessibility Standards (TAS) plan reviews and/or on-site inspections of privately and publicly funded accessibility related construction projects. The firm also provides United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) consulting regarding accessibility design ramifications on multi-family housing projects per the Fair Housing Act (FHA) throughout the United States as CAC – Cawyer & Associates Consulting, LLC (HUB / WBE).
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Matthew Collins
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Matthew Collins, ASID Industry Partner Representative brings a wealth of technical and practical information to the table with over 15 years in the Kitchen and Bath industry. With expertise in kitchen cabinetry, natural stone, and ceramic tile, he can cover a wide breadth of industry applications and viewpoints. He prefers to bring a light-hearted attitude to dense topics and keeps things interesting. Currently, he is a Senior Regional Manager for Ann Sacks Tile & Stone. He has bachelor’s degrees in management and marketing and a master’s degree in Luxury brand management.
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Maudie Edwards
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Maudie Edwards, ASID Affiliate is a Project Developer at CG&S Design-Build. She has been part of the Austin home building scene for almost 20 years, and throughout that time, she has worn a lot of hats—from design and new home construction to working on the vendor side of things. These experiences have given her a well-rounded perspective and a real appreciation for every piece of the process. In her current role, she gets to bring all of that together—helping clients shape their vision and watching it come to life is still one of her favorite parts of the job. She genuinely loves connecting people, solving problems, and coming up with smart strategies to grow relationships and build better ways of doing business. Being involved in the local design-build community is important to her, and she enjoys serving on various NARI and ASID committees to give back and stay engaged with my incredible industry peers. She is currently the Austin Design Community Chair within the ASID Texas Chapter. When she is off the clock, you will find her at home with her family, catching up with friends on a sunny patio over a cold cocktail, shopping at her favorite Marshall's, binge-watching the latest thriller series, or curled up with a good book and her two giant fur babies.
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David Euscher
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David Euscher, RID, ASID, IIDA, NCIDQ, WELL AP is Interiors Studio Design Director in the Houston office of Corgan, a global leader in architecture and interior design. He brings passionate curiosity to his work, focused on the interrelationships between culture, technology and design. With each project, David seeks understanding of the context, culture, and aspirations of those he serves, and focuses on the human experience of the outcome. David earned a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design from the University of Texas at Austin, and a Master of Architecture from The Ohio State University. David is currently serving as the Chair of the ASID National Board of Directors.
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Deborah (Debi) Fuller
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Deborah (Debi) Fuller, RID, ASID, IIDA, LEED AP BD+C, ID+C is the Lead Professor of Interior Design at Collin College and a registered interior designer in Texas. She brings over 40 years of experience in the industry, working on high-end residential to large corporate headquarters. She developed a passion for teaching late in her career and returned to the University of North Texas to pursue her MFA. Her love, guided by her integrity, mentoring, and creativity, characterizes Debi’s teaching style and approach to educating students. She is the current Professional Development Director on the ASID Texas Chapter Board.
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Ginger Hartford
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Ginger is Sr. Director Business Development, Design for ASID Industry Partner Dallas Market Center and has a passion for the intersection of art, design, and technology. Working in the U.S. and abroad, she’s lead business development and market strategies initiatives with several captains of industry in home furnishings while achieving industry influencer status herself. She’s been fortunate to develop partnerships and design collaborations with many DMC brands, including Surya, Global Views, and Shadow Catchers. Ginger is excited to be DMC’s ambassador to the Design community and to build mutually beneficial relationships. She is responsible for spearheading Designer-focused initiatives like Dallas Design Week and the VIP Designer Program, which are critical to DMC open-daily business. In her free time, Ginger’s wanderlust leads her to travel and collect art from antique markets around the world. Fun fact: she’s an inventor who has earned two patents for developing groundbreaking color detection/design visualization technology for the art/design market.
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Nichelle Hosley
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Nichelle Hosley, ASID Allied is Principal of n2Spaces Interior Design and a Furniture Specialist with Interior Trade Cartel in San Antonio. She is a forward-thinking interior designer known for her bold, modern style grounded in earthy tones with a "pop of color". With expert knowledge of furniture, lighting, and accessories, she curates layered, intentional spaces. Her global perspective—shaped by events like Salone del Mobile, High Point Market, and ASID Trade Missions—brings cultural depth and innovation to her work. Nichelle blends creativity with strategy to elevate both residential and commercial interiors. Nichelle is currently President-Elect of the ASID Texas Chapter.
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Benjamin Huntington
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Benjamin Huntington, FASID, NCIDQ, NYS CID is the Owner of Veritate Design. With 45 years of interior design experience, Benjamin has designed a wide variety of homes, including Hamptons houses and city apartments, and has even transformed a Scottish Highlands Victorian schoolhouse. Benjamin founded his design studio in New York and is a NYS Certified Interior Designer. A Feng Shui expert, he has practiced for 40 years in various schools: Form, Compass, Black Hat & Pyramid. As well as teaching Feng Shui for over 30 years, he has developed his own unique style called Urban Feng Shui and has presented Feng Shui & Design to a wide variety of audiences globally. Benjamin has held many and varied leadership roles in the design world, including President of ASID New York Metro Chapter twice. Currently he is the National Chair of the ASID Ethics & Professional Responsibility Committee and is an ASID Fellow.
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Fred Jackson
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Fred Jackson, CTC, CSI is the Owner w/ Estudio Group LLC. He has over 25 years experience in national distribution and architectural network, consistently increasing sales, and has a knowledgeable in-depth background in installation, fabrication and restoration of ceramic tile, natural stone, terrazzo, hardwood, carpet, and vinyl. Fred has worked as a stone, tile and flooring contractor, the business manager for Aqua Mix, team leader of a national stone importer, sales manager for Del Piso Tile and Brick, and a Marble Institute of America (MIA) Instructor. Fred is also a member of USGBC and presently conducts sales, CEUs, training and consulting for the Natural Stone, Ceramic Tile and Green Building Industry.
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Shanti Kachele
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Shanti Kachele is the Regional Business Development Manager at Cadogan Tate Texas, ASID Industry Partner, with over 14 years of experience delivering results across manufacturing, logistics, and the design industry. Her career spans international markets, where she has led strategic growth initiatives, negotiated multimillion-dollar contracts, and built long-term partnerships with globally recognized organizations. Her rich Spanish and Brazilian heritage has shaped a global business perspective that serves her well in today’s interconnected market. Shanti specializes in offering tailored logistics solutions that allow interior designers to focus on creativity while she ensures flawless execution behind the scenes.
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Amy Mints
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Amy Mints, ASID Affiliate is the Founder and CEO of Interior & Textile Solutions, where she has built a niche helping designers and homeowners protect their investments with expert fabric protection for rugs and upholstery. With a passion for making beautiful spaces practical, she knows firsthand that you don’t have to choose between high design and a pet-friendly home – you can have both! She currently serves as the ASID Texas Chapter Fort Worth Design Community Chair, and her volunteer leadership has been recognized by the ASID Texas Chapter with multiple honors, including a President’s Award and the Kathy Hammond Industry Partner Award.
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Bryce Smith
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Bryce Smith, ASID Affiliate, Showroom Manager of Arsin Rug Gallery and the incoming President-Elect for ASID Texas Chapter, has been passionately immersed in the world of fine rugs and furniture for over eight years. His journey into interior design began with a chance sales job, blending his background in Technical Theater with a newfound love for creative design. Bryce’s expertise shines in merging luxury interiors with pet-friendly solutions, a skill honed through fostering over 250 dogs and running a dog boarding service from his home. In his growing series of informative life-saving CEUs, Bryce debunks the myth that pets and high-end decor are incompatible. He shares practical training techniques, emphasizes the importance of natural materials, and champions sustainability. Bryce is also an accomplished singer, performing locally with The Dallas Opera Chorus and Garland Summer Musicals. His insights promise to inspire and educate, proving that luxury and pet-friendly living can coexist beautifully.
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Terri Taylor
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Terri Taylor, ASID, IDS, IIDA, NKBA is the Owner of Interior Design Business Academy. With over 35 years of experience, she transformed her solo interior design practice into an award-winning, multi-million-dollar firm. Now, she’s on a mission to help designers break free from being overworked and underpaid. Through her no-nonsense, results-driven coaching programs, Terri has guided thousands of designers to scale their businesses to six and seven figures with grace and ease. Recognized as a leading expert in streamlining design businesses, pricing with confidence, and getting paid what you're worth, she delivers proven strategies through high-energy live and online events.
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Thu Trinh
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Thu Trinh, ASID Allied is Principal Designer of Thu Trinh Interiors, which she founded in 2020. As an Asian-American designer with roots in both finance and healthcare, she brings a multifaceted perspective to the world of interiors—one that honors both function and feeling, tradition and transformation. Born to immigrant parents, Thu grew up in a culture where resourcefulness, resilience, and attention to detail were second nature—values that now shape her work as a designer. Her path to interior design wasn’t linear. With a degree in finance and more than a decade spent in healthcare, she found her creative calling later in life, earning an AAS in Interior Design from Dallas College (formerly El Centro) while juggling a demanding career. That nontraditional journey fuels her mission: to design spaces that don’t just look beautiful, but tell stories of identity, culture, and everyday life. Her studio is known for its warmth, refined simplicity, and deeply personal approach. Her work has been recognized with awards at the local, state, and national levels—but for Thu, the most meaningful success is helping clients feel truly seen and at home in their spaces. She is proud to be part of a growing community of Asian-American creatives reshaping the narrative of design, one thoughtful space at a time.
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Amanda Watson
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Amanda Watson is a Piano Consultant at Steinway Piano Gallery of Houston, ASID Industry Partner. Steinway & Sons pianos are the world standard for sound, touch, beauty, and investment value. Amanda was hooked by the piano business as an undergraduate music major. Now, she manages Steinway in Houston where she has been serving a diverse clientele for over a decade. With experience in networking and building brand awareness, Amanda has curated an almost exclusively referral-based business. Her creativity in networking has led her to be a multimillion dollar producer and top performer year after year at Steinway. "How to Build a Network from Scratch" offers tips and tricks to building your business through purposeful networking and creative collaborations.
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Porsche Williams & Amy Robinson
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Porsche Williams, ASID Affiliate is the CEO of The Prototype, a business concierge firm specializing in client experience and lead generation for interior designers. Passionate about streamlining business growth, she helps designers attract ideal clients, nurture relationships, and scale confidently while staying focused on their creative vision. Through The Prototype’s expertise in client experience and lead qualification, Porsche ensures that designers can design freely and manage effortlessly, allowing creativity and operations to work hand in hand. Since 2020, her team has supported luxury interior design and architecture firms across the U.S., Canada, and Australia and partnered with IDS, ASID, Business of Home, MyDoma by Studio Designer, and more. Porsche is a wife, a mom of two, and a champion of helping designers run their business, their way—without the overwhelm.
Amy Robinson is the Vice President of The Prototype, a business concierge firm that helps interior designers elevate their client experience, deepen relationships, and streamline operations so they can focus on what they do best—design. With a background in education and a passion for team leadership, Amy oversees The Prototype’s team of client intake specialists. She plays a vital role in helping designers offload the tasks that don’t require their expertise, including strategic partnerships, gifting, branded marketing collateral, and weekly client communication. Amy is also deeply committed to helping designers fill their pipelines with consistent, high-quality leads through intentional follow-up and systemized processes. Prior to joining The Prototype, Amy spent 16 years as a high school educator in the Chicagoland suburbs. She now lives with her husband and two young children in Frisco, TX.
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Tonya Wood
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Tonya Wood, NCIDQ, ASID, IIDA, RID is the Department Manager for Interior Design with Mead & Hunt and is passionate about making positive impacts on the public through intentional design. Collaborating with other disciplines is something she enjoys and believes that it positively impacts the user’s experience. Embracing current advances in technology, administering mindful planning, practicing sustainability, encouraging creativity in others and celebrating differences allows each person to thrive in the shared environment. She started with ASID in college as student chapter president, then continued to serve in various roles with her local chapters, ASID Carolinas and ASID Texas as chapter chair, hospitality chair, task force chair, emerging professionals chair and currently serves as ASID National Committee Practitioners Chair for 2025. Tonya is an experienced Interior Designer with a demonstrated successful history in commercial, public and aviation-focused interiors, including private jets, fixed-based operation facilities, airports, and federal projects.
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