NYSID Gala 2025 program

NEW YORK SCHOOL OF INTERIOR DESIGN

Gala 2025

An Event to Benefit the NYSID Scholarship Funds March 4, 2025

NYSID BOARD OF TRUSTEES

NYSID ADVISORY BOARD

Ellen Kravet, Chairman

Robin Klehr Avia

David Sprouls, President

Chesie Breen Michael Bruno

Jill H. Dienst

Kathleen M. Doyle

James P. Druckman

Ross J. Francis

Cheryl S. Durst

Mariette Himes Gomez

Ingrid Ongaro Edelman

Gerald A. Holbrook

John Edelman

Thomas Jayne

Susan Zises Green

Wolfram Koeppe

Alexa Hampton

Charlotte Moss

Young Huh

Barbara Ostrom

David Kleinberg

Sylvia Owen

Courtney R. McLeod

Ann Pyne

Dennis Miller

Peter Sallick

Michael Phillips

Calvin Tsao

Betsey Ruprecht

Bunny Williams

Brad Schneller

Vicente Wolf

David Scott Gale Singer

NYSID ALUMNI COUNCIL Eric Joseph Gering, Faculty Trustee E. Katherine Hajjar, Esq., Legal Counsel Inge Heckel, Trustee Emerita Patricia M. Sovern, Chairman Emeritus

Marie Aiello ’04 (AAS) Lawrence Chabra ’09 (BFA) Allison Russell Davis ’05 (BFA) Krista Gurevich ’16 (MFA1) Michelle Jacobson ’17 (MPSS) Mari Lannamann ’19 (BFA) Maisie Lee ’00 (BFA) Kayla Lowry ’24 (MFA1) George Marshall Peters ’08 (BFA) Erin Wells ’04 (BFA)

The Board of Trustees of the New York School of Interior Design Ellen Kravet CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

David Sprouls PRESIDENT

Chesie Breen, Ingrid Ongaro Edelman, Alexa Hampton, Young Huh, David Kleinberg, Betsey Ruprecht TRUSTEES & GALA CO-CHAIRS

Welcome you to the College’s 2025 Gala HONORING

Alessandra Branca

Albert Hadley Lifetime Achievement Award

Mara Miller & Jesse Carrier

Larry Kravet Design Industry Leadership Award

Beth Diana Smith ’15 (AAS) Rising Star Award

Alexa Hampton, EMCEE AND NYSID TRUSTEE The Shade Store, RISING STAR AWARD SPONSOR Daniel House Club, ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP SPONSOR Baccarat, AWARDS SPONSOR

Tuesday, March 4, 2025 The University Club One West 54th Street New York City

MENU APPETIZER

Chilled Jumbo Asparagus

Sauce gribiche, smoked trout caviar

ENTRÉE

Parmesan Crusted Breast of Chicken

With roasted potatoes, mixed market vegetables, pea tendrils, lemon-caper emulsion

VEGETARIAN OPTION AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

DESSERT

Lemon Meringue Tartlet With a lemon coulis

Earl Grey Dark Chocolate Marquise With pistachio sauce, cocoa nib tuile

Coffee/Tea Service WINE

Bacchus Chardonnay, Central Coast/Sonoma Castle Rock Reserve Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley

ORDER OF THE EVENING Welcoming Remarks David Sprouls, NYSID PRESIDENT Ellen Kravet, CHAIRMAN OF THE NYSID BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Awards Ceremony

Presentation to Alessandra Branca

Albert Hadley Lifetime Achievement Award Introduced by Stellene Volandes, EDITOR IN CHIEF, TOWN & COUNTRY / EDITORIAL DIRECTOR, ELLE

Presentation to Swagatika Rath (MFA1) NYSID Alumni Scholarship Recipient

Introduced by Marie Aiello ’04 (AAS), PRESIDENT, NYSID ALUMNI COUNCIL and Peter Spalding, CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER, DANIEL HOUSE CLUB

Main Course

Presentation to Mara Miller & Jesse Carrier Larry Kravet Design Industry Leadership Award

Introduced by Jill Cohen, EDITOR IN CHIEF, LUXE INTERIORS + DESIGN

Presentation to Beth Diana Smith ’15 (AAS) Rising Star Award/Sponsored by The Shade Store

Introduced by Zach Gibbs, CO-FOUNDER, THE SHADE STORE

Concluding Remarks Alexa Hampton David Sprouls

Dessert and Coffee/Tea

ALESSANDRA BRANCA Albert Hadley Lifetime Achievement Award

Roman-born Alessandra Branca’s interiors embody her insatiable curiosity, a taste for adventure, and a dash of rebellion.

Honing her craft over three decades, she has cultivated a distinctive use of vibrant layers of color and history and new artful textures all to create iconic, comfortable, chic interiors. From the millennia-old streets of Rome to the modern energy of her offices in Chicago, Palm Beach, and Los Angeles, Alessandra’s influence shapes richly classical yet updated spaces that seduce worldwide—from private residences to hotels, offices, and yachts, spanning California and Colorado to New York, London, Rome, and the Bahamas.

Her early creative life was nurtured by a family that counted art historians, engineers, educators, and creatives. Her eye is as likely to be inspired by sun-soaked beach hues as by the interiors of set designer Renzo Mongiardino or the impact of the Farneses on art, architecture, and culture.

Alessandra’s work has been featured in numerous publications over the years, including Architectural Digest, ELLE Decor, Town & Country, W Magazine, Veranda, The New York Times, and many more. Her acclaimed book, New Classic Interiors, quickly became an industry touchstone. Her best-selling collections have been featured in a fabric line for Schumacher, wallpaper and embroidered fabrics for De Gournay, and an exclusive product launch at Bergdorf Goodman. In 2020, her fabric, wallpaper and furniture collection, Casa Branca, opened with a boutique in Palm Beach, an Atelier and Showroom in West Palm Beach, and showrooms throughout the US and UK.

MARA MILLER & JESSE CARRIER

HEADSHOT BY BRITTANY AMBRIDGE. LIVING ROOM, BRONVILLE, NY. PHOTO BY ANNIE SCHLECHTER

Larry Kravet Design Industry Leadership Award

Jesse Carrier and Mara Miller, the founding principals of Carrier and Company Interiors, are a husband-and-wife interior design duo who create rooms that offer a confident mix of timeless and contemporary design—both familiar and fresh at once. Their guiding philosophy connects clients with their spaces in a manner that reflects the distinct and singular nature of both. From bohemian glamour to country charm, from modern luxe to the timeless and ineffable, the Carriers delight in adapting their impassioned sensibility to the unique elements each project presents.

Their latest monograph, Defining Chic: Carrier and Company Interiors (Rizzoli), showcases homes that express their clients’ personalities and dreams through the practical filters of lifestyle and location while revealing the design principles behind them. The range of projects includes a historic, art-filled New York duplex replete with period vestiges; an updated Mediterranean-style Southern California house with an art deco-era core; and a refreshed Connecticut lakeside retreat with glass expanses designed to capture stunning views.

The Carriers have been sought out by leading furnishing manufacturers to bring their unique vision of home and interiors to a wider audience, including Century Furniture, Visual Comfort, Lee Jofa, Loloi, and Soicher Marin.

Named to the prestigious Architectural Digest AD100 and Elle Decor A-List, the Carriers met at the Fashion Institute of Technology and worked for several AD100 interior design firms before establishing Carrier and Company Interiors in 2005. They live in New York City and the Hudson Valley with their two children.

BETH DIANA SMITH ’15 (AAS) Rising Star Award

Sponsored by The Shade Store

Beth Diana Smith ’15 (AAS) is the CEO and Principal Designer of Beth Diana Smith Interior Design, a full-service interior design firm focused on discerning clients who want curated homes with thoughtful details. She prides herself on her bold, eclectic style while creating a home’s story through renovation, curated pieces, and customized design. Her goal for each client is to help them see another realm of possibility in how they can live.

After spending more than a decade in corporate accounting and finance at companies such as Johnson & Johnson and Viacom, Beth decided to pursue interior design full-time, obtaining a degree from the New York School of Interior Design. She brought along a distinct set of skills, including budget management, presentation creation based on client needs, and the ability to adapt quickly. These skills allow her to manage clients’ budgets, oversee business operations, and project manage, in addition to applying the design skills and creativity required for each project.

Beth has appeared on NBC and HGTV, and has been featured in several media outlets including House Beautiful, Elle Decor, Real Simple, The Washington Post, Business of Home, and The Wall Street Journal. She is proudly a founding member of the Black Artists + Designers Guild, an associate of the American Society of Interior Designers, a member of the Design Leadership Council, and a member of the Black Interior Designers Network.

SWAGATIKA RATH (MFA1)

NYSID Alumni Scholarship Recipient / Scholarship sponsored by Daniel House Club Swagatika Rath believes design is more than aesthetics—it’s a narrative woven through craftsmanship, culture, and function. With a background in furniture manufacturing, she spent years working between New Delhi and Hong Kong on luxury hospitality projects, including Soho House and the Ritz Carlton. While immersing herself in high-end interiors, she realized her true passion wasn’t just in supporting the design process—it was in shaping spaces with intention and creativity.

Moving to New York to study at NYSID was a leap of faith. Stepping away from stability, changing careers in her 30s, and diving into a new discipline was daunting, but from the moment she walked into the studio, she knew she had made the right decision. NYSID stood out not only for its reputation but also for its supportive community. Her classmates have been her biggest source of encouragement, especially during late-night design debates, and faculty members have empowered her with the technical skills and real-world insight to thrive.

At NYSID, Swagatika is passionate about residential and hospitality design, striving to create spaces that are both visually striking and deeply meaningful. She is committed to honoring cultural influences and keeping craftsmanship at the heart of modern interiors.

Continuing her impact beyond the classroom, she actively supports diversity and mentorship within the industry, including being involved in NYSID’s student chapter of the Asian American Pacific Islander Design Alliance (AAPIDA) and serving as student liaison for ASID New York Metro.

THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS! PLATINUM PATRONS Mrs. Alessandra Branca Uihlein and Mr. Stephen Uihlein

PATRONS DONADIC David Kleinberg The Shade Store

CONNOISSEURS Wilkinson Global Asset Management LLC

BENEFACTORS Benjamin Moore & Company Migdalia Bonilla Carrier and Company Interiors Cullman & Kravis Associates James Druckman/New York Design Center Ferguson & Shamamian Architects Heller Furniture

Kravet LLC Eve Lehrman Robert A.M. Stern Architects Gale Singer and Andy Singer/ Visual Comfort & Co. Studio Designer and Keith Granet

UNDERWRITERS Mr. and Mrs. Joseph and Janice Bae Kristen Brennand/Daniel House Club Clark Construction Corp.

Mrs. Jill Dienst/Dienst + Dotter Antikviteter James Dixon Architect PC

Ingrid Edelman* Dennis Miller and Milan Hughston Charlotte Moss Peter Spalding/Daniel House Club

SUPPORTERS Baccarat Jill Cohen/Sandow Media The Design Leadership Network Mr. and Mrs. Gregg Goldenberg and Kelli Goldenberg E. Katherine Hajjar, Esq/Bond Schoeneck & King Alexa Hampton Charles Miers/Rizzoli New York

Nathan Orsman/Orsman Design Group Betsey Ruprecht Brad and Lizza Schneller Schumacher David Scott*/David Scott Interiors Beth Diana Smith* Waterworks Young Huh Interior Design

FRIENDS Jean Abouhamad/Sea-Dar Construction Krystyna P. Breger Rose Caiola/Bettina Equities Management LLC Alex Colodny/Taconic Builders Michele Oka Doner Laura Doyle Jamie Drake Sean Ferguson/I-Grace Builders & Advisors Clair Fitzgerald* Comer Wear/Century Furniture Gensler Wendy Goodman Swati Goorha Elizabeth Graziolo/Yellow House Architects Susan Zises Green* Edmund Hollander/Hollander Design Lance Howard/Little Man Parking Michelle Jacobson*/MLJacobson Design Corey Damen Jenkins & Associates, LLC Kit Kemp Peti Lau*/Peti Lau Design Amir Loloi Susan Loloi Mayfair Construction

Brian J. McCarthy Eric McLaughlin/Highline Construction Group Melanie Millner/The Design Atelier Marc and Daniellah Partial Nancy Piraquive Ann Pyne/McMillen, Inc. Dana Raines/Highline Construction Group Melissa Reavis/ Hollander Design Tom Robinson/Taconic Builders Adam Sacks Kurt Schumacher/I-Grace Builders & Advisors Tim Sheridan/Stark Carpet Corp William P. Short, III Howard and Patty Silverstein Kate Kelly Smith/Luxe Interiors and Design David Sprouls and Kate Wood Barbara E. Toll Erin Wells*/Ageloff Design Group Nataki Williams Williams Lawrence Interiors Woodmeister Master Builders Britt and Damian Zunino/Studio DB Joseph Zoladz/Sea-Dar Construction

CONTRIBUTORS A to Z Design Consulting/Alyssa (Abrams) Zimerman Marie Aiello* and Paul Boardman Anthony Baratta Karyn and Charles Bendit Toni & Seth Bernstein Kate Rheinstein Brodsky Louise Brooks Lawrence Chabra* Kelly Collier-Clark/House of Clark Interiors Joy Cooper Currey & Company Kathaleen Duffin Erick Espinoza* Samantha Fingleton Ellen Fisher, in honor of Peter Brandt Noel Gatts Eric Gering

Lewis I. Haber and Carmen Dubroc Jane Hunsinger Adam Japko Nicole Keith*/A.T.O.B Interiors Judith Kellner Shelly Kellner Maria Lannamann* Kayla Lowry* Mark Magowan Campbell Minister/Campbell Minister Design Lilit Miridzhanyan* Sylvia Owen* George Marshall Peters* RoseHyll Studio, in honor of David Scott Interior Design Savitree Shann Jackie & Brendan Tansill Vicki Walcott-Edim List as of 2/25/25 | *NYSID Alumni

SPECIAL THANKS AND GRATITUDE

Our deep appreciation to Baccarat for being the awards sponsor for the NYSID Gala since 2021. Thank you for donating and engraving the exquisite crystal Octogone vases that are presented to our distinguished honorees. We are grateful for our continued partnership with Baccarat.

Many thanks to the incomparable David Boatman for concepting and producing the outstanding videos about our honorees. The evening would not be the same without them!

We are incredibly fortunate to be in the capable hands of Boatman Media for the fifth consecutive year.

We would like to express our appreciation to Daniel House Club for sponsoring the 2025 Alumni Scholarship and welcome you to the NYSID community.

Daniel House Club was created to streamline and simplify the business of interior design. An Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Company, it provides an all-in-one platform where solo practitioners and small design teams can plan and manage their projects, and shop with over 300 vendors at unbeatable to-the-trade pricing. The Daniel House Club team manages procurement, order logistics, and vendor communication, so its members can spend more time doing what they love­­­—creating and designing. Not to mention, growing profitable!

The NYSID Alumni Council honors the history and mission of the college and maintains a meaningful connection among graduates­ —past, present, and future.

Ours is a commitment to create opportunities for one another and to deepen the bonds between us. As ambassadors, we engage in philanthropic activities to support NYSID’s scholarship programs while steadfastly supporting its achievement as one of the leading interior design programs in the country. For more info, please contact alumnicouncil.president@nysid.edu.

The board, faculty, and staff of NYSID are delighted to congratulate this year’s distinguished honorees: Alessandra Branca Mara Miller & Jesse Carrier Beth Diana Smith ’15 (AAS) Thank you for everything you have done to make this evening a resounding success!

ABOUT THE AWARDS NYSID is proud to present awards in the following categories to individuals or companies in residential or commercial design who have made outstanding contributions to the interior design profession.

NYSID CENTENNIAL MEDAL This Medal was presented for the first time in 2016 to commemorate NYSID’s 100th anniversary. It is awarded every few years to an individual who has had a significant impact on the industry over a period of many years, and is also recognized for their contributions to the wider community. Past awardees include James Druckman (2016), Charlotte Moss (2017), Patricia M. Sovern (2017), and Jamie Drake (2022). The sterling silver medal, designed by the artist Michele Oka Doner, presents an emerging growth form, a kind of tree of life, simultaneously representing the growth of knowledge and the organic nature of design.

ALBERT HADLEY LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Since 2011, NYSID has been presenting the Albert Hadley Lifetime Achievement Award to individuals who have made contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of interior design. The award is named in memory of the iconic interior designer Albert Hadley, a long-time member of NYSID’s Advisory Board who generously gave his time to the college and its students. He was also the benefactor of the Albert Hadley Scholarship Fund at NYSID. Past Hadley honorees include Mario Buatta (2011), Jack Lenor Larsen (2012), Geoffrey Bradfield (2013), Mariette Himes Gomez (2014), John Rosselli and Bunny Williams (2015), Ellie Cullman (2016), David Kleinberg (2017), Suzanne Rheinstein (2018), Jeffrey Bilhuber (2019), Brian J. McCarthy (2020), Alex Papachristidis (2021), Suzanne Tucker (2023), and Ann Pyne/McMillen Inc. (2024).

LARRY KRAVET DESIGN INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP AWARD This award is presented to an individual or company who has helped advance the field of interior design in a significant way and is a leader in the industry. Presented for the first time in 2019 to Christopher Spitzmiller (Innovation award), we presented the 2020 Innovation award to Gale Singer (Circa Lighting) and Andy Singer (Visual Comfort & Co.), the 2021 Leadership award to Corey Damen Jenkins, the 2022 Leadership award to Young Huh, the 2023 Leadership Award to John Edelman, and the 2024 Leadership Award to Nate Berkus.

The Kravet Award is named in memory of Larry Kravet, an icon within the interior design industry, who passed away in 2018 at age 92. He transformed his grandfather’s small tailoring shop, established over 100 years ago, into Kravet LLC. Under his leadership, the company grew into North America’s largest integrated “to the trade” wholesaler of decorative home products and one of the world’s foremost purveyors of fabric, furniture, wall coverings, and carpet. Mr. Kravet was the third generation of a now five-generation family company. His daughter, Ellen, is Chairman of the NYSID Board, and is helping to continue his legacy both at NYSID and Kravet LLC.

RISING STAR AWARD The Rising Star Award is presented to a designer, preferably a NYSID alumnus, who is hitting their stride in the profession. The award, which has been sponsored by The Shade Store since 2019, honors a talented individual relatively early in their career, who is becoming a recognized name in the field and demonstrates great promise and leadership. Presented for the first time in 2019 to Alberto Villalobos ’06, we presented the 2020 Rising Star Award to Elizabeth Lawrence ’03, the 2021 award to Nina Farmer ’02, the 2022 award to Laura Hodges ’09, the 2023 award to Peti Lau ’11, and the 2024 award to Erick Espinoza ’13.

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With nationwide measurement & installation services, The Shade Store can work with designers on projects all over the country to ensure the perfect fit every time. At all of The Shade Store’s 140+ showrooms nationwide, expert Design Consultants help designers realize their vision for beautiful window treatments. For more information, please visit theshadestore.com.

NEW YORK SCHOOL OF INTERIOR DESIGN The New York School of Interior Design has been leading the study of interior design for over a century. A private, nonprofit college focused exclusively on interior design, NYSID offers certificate, undergraduate, and graduate programs for students at all stages of their careers—whether they’re just becoming familiar with the discipline, considering a career change, or looking to deepen their knowledge in a particular area. Consistently ranked one of the top interior design programs in the United States, students study both residential and commercial interior design, some with specialties in sustainable design, lighting, and healthcare interiors.

NYSID students enjoy a small class size and sharp focus, receive a great deal of personal attention from dedicated faculty, and go on to practice at the highest levels of the profession.

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