Leadership in Design: The Importance of Professional Organizations

This month, several of our interior designers attended the Network of Executive Women in Hospitality (NEWH) Leadership Conference in Seattle, WA. NEWH is THE hospitality industry network. The non-profit organization is dedicated to all things related to the hospitality industry, providing scholarships, education, leadership development, recognition of excellence, and business development opportunities.  

Seattle has never hosted the NEWH Leadership Conference and is unlikely to again, so it’s exciting that it was in our very own backyard this year.  We couldn’t help but get involved in a big way. After all, three of our designers serve on the Board for our local chapter, including Jamie Hysell, who is was elected as next year’s chapter President, which is a multi-year commitment to the organization.

Interior Designer Taylor Vigilia is currently serving on the board as Social Media Chair. She says, “Four days into my first design job, I attended an NEWH event called Savor. Diving into the deep end, meeting people, getting connected…this has helped make my job easier by knowing vendors and reps, and having a network. Now, being on the Board has given me insight into how much work goes into making sure the events are successful and the organization is serving its mission.”

Since RFM chooses to support students and the career development of our team members, NEWH’s emphasis on scholarship and career growth really resonates with us. This year, RFM sponsored nine student’s registration fees for attending the conference and gave out swag bags to all 30 student attendees, we hosted a discussion on scholarship opportunities, and moderated a panel discussion called “Career Paths in Hospitality.”

Supporting career growth is not just our firm’s viewpoint, for some of our team members, it’s personal. Jennifer Fleming, an RFM Principal and major shareholder, points out that “giving back to youth and young adults is central to who I am. As a child growing up in South Tacoma with parents that made enough for us to have what we needed but never any extra, I did not grow up with any guidance about financial choices, college and how to pay for it. My childhood has directed my choices in how I give back. I regularly host seminars on career paths in design, salary negotiation, interview skills, and coach many students on their design portfolios so they can get good jobs in our industry upon graduating.” Jennifer has also served on the NEWH NW Scholarship Committee for the past five years, where she can directly impact students in need of financial support to further their education. NEWH provided over $515,000.00 in scholarships in 2021 and has awarded over $7 million since the inception of the scholarship program.

Many students don’t realize how beneficial professional organizations can be, and the myriad opportunities they provide. For example, student membership for NEWH is free! Connecting with the organization while students are in school is a great way to get support and have a leg up on the competition when applying for internships and jobs

Growing a design career can be difficult and cutthroat, and for women there are additional challenges. The architecture and design industry is male dominated, and the founders of NEWH knew this. In 1984 a group of women in Los Angeles came together with the idea of helping more women in the industry feel like they had “made it.” Eventually, this led to the idea of women supporting women through mentorship, knowledge sharing, and networking. Today, NEWH connects more than 5,600 people – not just women – through education, scholarship, and networking.

Beyond that, NEWH provides opportunities for designers to learn about leadership. For the three women at RFM currently serving on the NEWH Northwest Board of Directors, getting involved in running the chapter has helped them grow professionally into their roles not just as designers, but as leaders.

Kenya Jones-Lowell, an RFM Interior Designer and one of the 2021 Boutique 18 Honorees, says, “As a member of NEWH Inc’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee (DEI), I have helped establish directorship and student relation roles for each of the international chapters. These roles work in tandem to provide scholarship and education opportunities to a more diverse group of students, while laying out a professional pathway to their entry into the hospitality design profession.” Her work not only supports students, but helps promote a more equitable and diverse industry.

Jourdan Umali, an RFM Interior Designer notes, “Leadership growth is pivotal in our industry. It’s very important for building team structures that can produce a reliable set of drawings, meet deadlines, and ultimately serve our clients.” She adds, “To work at a firm like RFM that offers real support for growing leadership skills is amazing. It helps keep people in this industry. If we aren’t growing as leaders or witnessing great leaders, then what are we doing here?”

Learn more about NEWH at www.newh.org, or visit our careers page to learn more about becoming a part of our ever-growing team of design leaders at RFM.