Mentorship in the AI Era: How IIDA NY Is Building Stronger Pathways for Emerging Designers With Elisabeth Mejia and Paridhi Chawla
Emerging designers are stepping into a profession that looks nothing like what many were trained for—hybrid work has changed studio culture, and AI is accelerating everything from ideation to expectations. In this episode of I Hear Design, host Robert Nieminen sits down with Elisabeth Mejia, IIDA NY Chapter President and Office Design Leader, Interiors at HKS, and Paridhi Chawla, VP of Student Development for IIDA NY and a designer at TPG Architecture, to rethink what mentorship needs to be right now.
Together, they explore mentorship as a two-way partnership and a safe space for honest questions, as well as highlight the real difference between a mentor and a sponsor who advocates for you when you’re not in the room. They also discuss “listening-first” leadership, transparency around expectations, and how mentors can support diverse, early-career talent with empathy and clarity.
You’ll also hear how IIDA NY is turning mentorship into action through Career Night, the Student Uplift Program, and the upcoming Listening Lounge—initiatives designed to connect students, emerging professionals, and industry partners in more intentional ways.
Meet Our Guests
Elisabeth Mejia, Office Design Leader, HKS | Chapter President, IIDA
Elisabeth Mejia serves as Chapter President of IIDA NY, bringing a longstanding commitment to mentorship, student engagement, and community building. In her day-to-day role, she is an Office Design Leader, Interiors at HKS, where she works across healthcare, hospitality, financial services, and technology, blending interior design with strategy and research to craft environments that tell each client’s story. An active member of IIDA NY since 2015, Mejia previously served as Co–Vice President of Student Development and has held several leadership roles within the Chapter, including positions on the Professional Development Committee, the Healthcare Forum, and as Co-Chair of Design Camp. As president, she is focused on fostering intentional, inclusive connections that strengthen engagement and cultivate a sense of belonging across the design community.
Paridhi Chawla, Design Professional, TPG Architecture | VP of Student Development IIDA NY
Paridhi Chawla serves as Vice President of Student Development for the IIDA New York Chapter, where she advocates for emerging designers and helps create meaningful pathways into the profession. In her day-to-day role, she is a Design Professional at TPG Architecture and a Pratt Institute graduate, with experience across healthcare, workplace, and retail sectors. Guided by a human-centric approach rooted in inclusivity, sustainability, and well-being, Paridhi is driven by a mission to shape spaces and futures that are ethical, equitable, and deeply human.
Key Moments In This Episode
00:00:11 — Intro + why this matters now: The episode frames mentorship as newly urgent in a post-pandemic design industry being rapidly disrupted by AI tools, and previews “mentorship vs. sponsorship” plus IIDA NY initiatives like Career Night, Student Uplift Program, and Listening Lounge.
00:00:57–00:01:25 — Guest introductions: Robert Nieminen introduces Elisabeth Mejia (chapter president) and Paridhi Chawla (VP of Student Development), and sets up their “two sides of the same story” dynamic.
00:07:19–00:08:27 — Post-pandemic career entry: A reset on how the workplace has changed (flexibility, hybrid norms, and the implications for workplace design and early-career expectations).
00:08:29–00:10:55 — AI & early-career skill-building: The conversation turns to coaching emerging designers to use AI without losing creative voice; Paridhi flags energy use, privacy/piracy/originality concerns, and the need for boundaries and rules.
00:11:04–00:11:33 — Sustainability lens on AI: Paridhi connects AI use to a “moral obligation” to design more sustainably, and calls for seniors and juniors to explore the implications together.
00:11:44–00:13:31 — AI as a tool, not a replacement: Elisabeth compares AI adoption to earlier workflow shifts (e.g., Revit), emphasizing faster iteration and keeping the human/empathetic core of design.
00:15:14–00:16:45 — Early-career reality check: “Your career will never be a straight line” becomes a central takeaway; Elisabeth adds the value of learning what you don’t want to do before over-committing to a path.
00:36:26–00:38:46 — Mentorship as partnership + the power of listening: Paridhi stresses active listening as the foundation (especially when student challenges are changing fast—“they’re literally competing…with a tool”); Elisabeth deepens it into empathy and being truly heard.
00:40:10–00:42:20 — Programs in action: The Student Uplift Program is described as a scholarship-style pathway that connects students to the wider industry and to mentorship opportunities.
00:41:22–00:44:22 — Mentorship + sponsorship: The program structure pairs student + emerging design leader + sponsor to demystify how industry relationships work and to create advocacy beyond school.
00:44:33–00:46:35 — Networking + portfolio support: Career Night is positioned as a low-barrier connection point (portfolio reviews, headshots, panels), and Elisabeth explains how it grew from a student-led portfolio review into a broader, chapter-wide connector event.
00:46:30–00:46:50 — Connection + actionable change: Elisabeth shares the Listening Lounge as an intimate, multi-part series designed to surface what members aren’t getting and translate that into actionable initiatives, especially across generations entering the workforce.
00:46:54–00:49:59 — Looking ahead: what success in mentorship looks like: Elisabeth calls for more “agency” (self-advocacy and exploration); Paridhi anticipates more “portfolio careers” and a decentralized, collaborative culture where more voices shape outcomes.
00:52:15–00:53:28 — Where listeners can plug in: A clear call-to-action: chapter website and socials, attend Career Night/Listening Lounge, and the reminder that mentorship matters throughout your whole career.
About the Author
Robert Nieminen
Market Content Director
Market Content Director, Architectural Products, BUILDINGS, and interiors+sources
Robert Nieminen is the Market Content Director of three leading B2B publications serving the commercial architecture and design industries: Architectural Products, BUILDINGS, and interiors+sources. With a career rooted in editorial excellence and a passion for storytelling, Robert oversees a diverse content portfolio that spans award-winning feature articles, strategic podcast programming, and digital media initiatives aimed at empowering design professionals, facility managers, and commercial building stakeholders.
He is the host of the I Hear Design podcast and curates the Smart Buildings Technology Report, bringing thought leadership to the forefront of innovation in built environments. Robert leads editorial and creative direction for multiple industry award programs—including the Elev8 Design Awards and Product Innovation Awards—and is a recognized voice in sustainability, smart technology integration, and forward-thinking design.
Known for his sharp editorial vision and data-informed strategies, Robert focuses on audience growth, engagement, and content monetization, leveraging AI tools and SEO-driven insights to future-proof B2B publishing.