ICYMI: Design as Power: Cheryl Durst on What the Profession Can Do
What if the greatest value of design isn't what we see, but how it changes the way people experience the world?
For Cheryl S. Durst, executive vice president and CEO of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), design has the power to create opportunity, foster belonging, and improve lives. In this ICYMI audio edition of an interiors+sources feature by Carrie Meadows, Durst reflects on the profession's responsibility to make design more accessible, develop a deeper understanding of human behavior, and demonstrate its influence well beyond aesthetics.
Recognized as one of the Changemakers featured at the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, Durst draws on her personal experiences and decades of industry leadership to explore why designers should see themselves as advocates for positive change. She also considers what empathy requires in practice, why human understanding remains essential in an AI-driven world, and how the profession can better articulate both the financial and emotional value of design.
From education and healthcare to workplaces and public spaces, this episode offers a thoughtful reminder of the influence designers have—and the opportunities that come with it.
Read the original article: Design as Power: Cheryl Durst on What the Profession Can Do
Article by Carrie Meadows, interiors+sources. Presented as part of the I Hear Design ICYMI series.
About the Author
Carrie MeadowsCarrie Meadows
Head of Content
Carrie Meadows is Head of Content for interiors+sources, where she leads editorial strategy, content development, and brand storytelling focused on the people, projects, and innovations shaping the design industry. With more than two decades of experience in B2B media, she has built a career connecting technical expertise with creative insight—translating complex topics into meaningful stories for professional audiences.
Before joining interiors+sources in 2024, Carrie served as Editor-in-Chief of LEDs Magazine within Endeavor Business Media’s Digital Infrastructure & Lighting Group, guiding coverage of emerging lighting technologies, sustainability, and human-centric design. Her earlier editorial experience spans across Laser Focus World, Vision Systems Design, Lightwave, and CleanRooms, where she managed print and digital publications serving the optics, photonics, and semiconductor sectors.
An advocate for clear communication and thoughtful storytelling, Carrie combines her editorial management, SEO, and content strategy expertise to help brands and readers stay informed in a rapidly evolving media landscape. When she’s not crafting content, Carrie can be found volunteering at a local animal shelter, diving into a good crime novel, or spending time outdoors with family, friends, and her favorite four-legged friends.