As a member-governed Association, our Board is comprised of 8 outstanding IRIS members elected from among the Membership. Meet the outstanding leaders who make up the IRIS Board of Directors.

To contact a member of the IRIS Board of Directors please click on their underlined name for their email address.  


2008 Board of Directors
Sandy Dixon
Executive Director

Sandy Dixon, IRIS, NSA, NAPO, IDS is a national speaker and professional member of the National Speakers Association; a trainer; and published author of several staging and redesign educational products. Sandy is an IRIS Redesign Instructor and an IRIS Staging Instructor; chaired the IRIS Staging Committee; a member of the IRIS Training Committee and was a presenter at the IRIS conferences in San Antonio and Nashville. In addition to teaching the IRIS five day certification classes, she also offers specialized training in mastering the art of presentations; teaches accredited (CE) courses to real estate agents and offers local decorating courses throughout the year. She is a former real estate agent and worked in the corporate world for sixteen years as national sales, marketing and training manager. Her personal affiliations include being a board member on the Evergreen Chamber of Commerce and a volunteer for Mt. Evans Hospice and the Evergreen Animal Protection League. Sandy is originally from South Dakota and Minnesota, has lived in California, Texas and Kansas and has resided in Colorado for the past 14 years. She graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Sociology and worked as a flight attendant for Braniff International Airlines for six years prior to beginning her corporate career. She is married, has two cats and enjoys hiking, golfing and snow shoeing.

 


Anna Jacoby
Vice Director

When I first heard about Interior Redesign, I knew it was perfect for me. I started Anna Jacoby Interiors, my home staging and decorating business, in 2000, adding one-day redesigns to my list of services in 2002 after completing my redesign training and joining IRIS. I absolutely love the redesign concept and have found great joy in helping people beautify their homes using things they already own.

I have been an active member of IRIS, serving as Secretary of the Board of Directors, and previously serving on the Membership, Newsletter and Staging Committee. In addition, in 2007, I became an IRIS-sanctioned instructor of Redesign and Staging. Coming from a teaching background, I earned my Master's degree in Education, and, since starting my business I have held leadership positions in organizations ranging from the Chamber of Commerce to the PTA. I have written a bi-weekly newspaper column called "Real Life Rooms" since 2003, and have taught classes on a variety of home decorating topics. I am honored to serve as Vice Director of the IRIS Board of Directors.

 

On a personal note, I am married to my high school sweetheart, and am the proud mom of two teenage children. My hobbies are yoga, reading and spending time with family and friends.


Debbe Daley
Secretary

Debbe Daley, IRIS, CISS, IDS, ADE  is certified in the practice of interior redesign and home staging. She has over 20 years combined experience in business world, interior design and redesign. Debbe holds a Business of Science degree as well as certification in interior design, redesign and home staging. In additional to being an IRIS member since 2004, Debbe was a presenter at the IRIS conference in Nashville, TN and the co-author of Vacant to Vibrant….Giving empty properties the full advantage! Also the author of soon to be published, Debbe Daley’s “Designs for Daily Living”…..interior decorating and redesign ideas.

 

Debbe owns and operates Daley Designs, “designs for daily living”, her own interior redesign, interior design and home staging business.   Debbe will soon be relocating her business to Lowell, Massachusetts where a new downtown location will house her redesign and staging business as well as a new educational facility.

 

Past endeavors include owning a professional window treatment workroom where she would design and sew window treatments and various custom home interior items. She also has experience working in flooring, paint, wallpaper and other areas of the home interior industry. After owning her own interior design showroom in Massachusetts, she has also worked for larger interior design firms in the area.

 

Through her years of hands-on and professional training, she has been featured in local newspapers and also writes a monthly decorating column for the Merrimack Journal. She has also auditioned for HGTV’s Decorating Cents and conducts informational seminars, speaking engagements and currently teaches Home Redesign and Home Staging at Middlesex Community College’s Lowell, MA campus and for local community education programs. She enjoys traveling, the ocean, playing tennis and when not working, practicing her favorite past time – GOLF!

 

Renee Pratta
Treasurer

Renee Pratta has woven her wealth of experience in marketing, the exhibit industry, advertising and as a licensed Realtor in new home sales with her passion for creative decorating.

 

She may not have invented the craft of real estate staging and interior re-design but realized early-on the benefits of staging a home for sale.  Moving 13 times over the years brought her an understanding of the key ingredients to getting a home in “showcase” condition for a faster sale.  Additionally, her experience as a Realtor in new home sales made her keenly aware of the value of builders who had furnished models that would highlight the architectural features of the homes for sale. 

 

After a push from family, friends and colleagues, she decided to take her interests to the next level by taking professional training in the craft of Real Estate Staging and Interior Redesign and become an entrepreneur launching Renewed Rooms in South Carolina in 2006.

 

Renee has been married for 35 years to her high school sweetheart, is the mother of six children and five grand-children.  Her Real Estate Staging and Interior Redesign business, Renewed Rooms has been featured in several publications along the South Carolina Coast and has won recognition in the industry.


Kimberly Desjardins
Eastern Region - Member-at-Large

Having lived in many places including Abroad I had the experience of meeting and working for people of different cultures, religions and languages, the one common thread that ties us together in the need to have a home that is safe, comfortable and lovely for our family and loved ones.

My decision to become an entrepreneur in 2001 as a professional Interior Redesigner and Stager is a result of encouragement from family and friends and following a career in this field for over 20 years. I firmly believe that joining IRIS has given my personal and professional life great merit.

I am eager to be apart of the future growth of the IRIS as Member–at-Large, Eastern Region as it continues to be the foremost International Redesign Organization that supports its members entrepreneurships. I live in New Hartford, NY with my husband and son, and presently I am teaching design classes at our local BOCES, I serve on the Advisory Board for The Family Place and volunteer for several not-for-profit organizations in Utica, NY. What I love most about my profession is having the ability to motive, inspire and change someone’s life…for that I am truly grateful.


Jennifer Duchene
Western Region - Member-at-Large

As transplant from South Africa, Jennifer was a late blooming IRIS. Redesign found her when she needed to connect with her creative roots. She grew up seeing people who had less than nothing creating art out of trash. Plastic bags became hats. Cloth bags from maize were reversed, embroidered and used to make fabulous bedcovers, and pillowcases.

 

At home, her mother May, was a “Martha Stewart” cooking delicious meals for friends and family, arranging color coordinated flowers, setting the table in fantastic ways. Mom made their house a gorgeous home. Furniture was moved constantly, Jennifer would come home from school and not know which bedroom she would be sleeping in that night, or if it would have a new look. Redesign must be hereditary because Jennifer found herself redesigning paper dolls houses and moving things that May  had moved. Today she am still moving things, but mostly in other people’s houses. 

 

Jennifer tried various careers, but always came back to interiors. Studied window display, Interior Design at UCLA (three year FIDER accredited program). She is the founder & President of the first IRIS Bay Area Chapter in Northern CA, Member of the local chamber of commerce, and also teaches local adult education classes in redesign. She is thrilled to be a Member at Large for the Western Region and is excited to be involved in the growth and development of this wonderful organization.

 
Change and growth are created through action, and action requires leaders. If we want change we need to get involved.
 
 

Diann Eiserloh
Southern Region - Member-at-Large

Previous to redesigning, my husband and I were owners of a retail business that was supported by a strong international trade association. Everything from classes and certification, industry mentors, buying groups, and entertainment by the current stars in the field came with membership in the group.  With all that help, we experienced consistent growth.  

Therefore, when I determined to take redesign training, it was the networking feature  that was most important to me.  IRIS meets that requirement with its mission:”To  Encourage, Enlighten, and Educate the profession of Interior Redesign through Commitment, Communication, and Camaraderie!"   I have been a very satisfied  member of such a helpful, professional, and practical group.

Some of the ”hats” I have worn through the years include teacher, city, county, and school librarian, Oriental rug importer, seamstress, mother (and now grandmother), retailer, home remodeler, and political activist  for family values.  The retailing experience revealed a knack for creating dramatic merchandise displays that promoted quick sales.  After selling my store I looked for a new outlet to satisfy my creative energy.  Like so many of us redesigners, I discovered the No Cost Decorating segment “Decorating Cents” on HGTV in 2001 and I knew that I had found my new niche!

As the Member-at-Large representing the South, my goal is to encourage redesigners to participate in the annual conference both for making friendships and for learning how to improve their businesses.I plan to accomplish this by organizing grassroots meetings for regional redesigners. If newbies meet IRIS members in their own state, they will feel more comfortable going to conference.

I also want to encourage  every member of IRIS to get involved, even in a small way because when almost 900 members participate, “Watch out! Here comes IRIS!”
 

I challenge you to offer:
to write even one article for the “Insider” (monthly public online eNewsletter.)
to write even one article for the “Resource” (quarterly newsletter for members only.)
to serve as a moderator of a bulletin board
to help on a committee

I challenge you to plan:
to read the “Informer” (weekly update to members only) to stay abreast of our organization’s news
to vote in every election or poll on the IRIS site
to post a question you have on the bulletin board and respond to other posts.

You can do it and both YOU and IRIS will be stronger for it!


GraceAnn Simoni
Midwest Region - Member-at-Large

I believe wholeheartedly in creating living spaces that reflect the people who live there. This commitment to good design and functionality traces all the way back to my childhood, where I learned a “let’s use what we have” design aesthetic from my mother. 

 

Inspired by many moves and subsequent redecorating of houses, using acquired skills, opening a successful wallpaper-hanging business was the next step in life’s adventure. Seventeen years in business took me into thousands of homes where I was able to observe firsthand that all homes have beautiful possibilities. Working in the communication industry, the travel industry and doing training at a vocational school I have been able to connect with so many fascinating people who have broadened my appreciation for the treasures and beliefs that make us individuals.  The joy of helping others get beauty and renewal into their homes is what inspired me to continue in the field of Interior Redesign. Professionally trained in redesign and home staging, I have been thrilled to redesigned and staged homes all over the Chicago region.

 

Asked to do a segment on (Home Improvement Friday’s with Janet Davies on ABC 7, Chicago), was a thrill and great fun!  I have been honored by my piers in IRIS, receiving First Place awards two consecutive years for Interior Redesign before and after submissions at the annual Conference. Pictures of one award winning room were featured in Decorating Spaces magazine in 2006.

 

President and owner of, Yours Redesigned and the Midwest Staging and Redesign Institute, helping others see the possibilities in their homes and in their life using their creativity is very rewarding. As an IRIS approved instructors in Interior Redesign and Home Staging, “I thoroughly enjoy helping others realize their dream to become a professional in the hottest trend in the design industry.”

 

In the community talking to the public in venues as a guest speaker or conducting seminars for my local park district I am trilled to see the excitement in others when they realize that all that is needed to create a welcoming living space, many times, already exists under their roof.  Inspiring them to take on the challenge of exploring the possibilities makes it all worthwhile.

 

IRIS, it members and trainers, have inspired me to continue to grow and share this amazing gift.  As member at large representing the Midwest region, I want to spread the news that Interior Redesign is the “affordable way to get that designer look.”  


Interior Redesign Industry Specialists, Inc. 8 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 1000,  Chicago, IL 60603
Tel 866.388.5208, Fax 312.580.0165,  Email iris@gss.net