NEW YORK — Ashley Furniture’s Judi Lebensburger, Black Interior Designers Network’s Keia McSwain and seven other female leaders will be honored tomorrow in the 2020 Women of Influence event, an exclusive program from BridgeTower Media, Furniture Today’s parent company.
The 2020 Women of Influence event honors those in the gift, home furnishings and interior design industries for their leadership, accomplishments and strategic vision.
Each sister brand in our publishing group chose one woman to celebrate; Furniture Today selected Judi Lebensburger (click here for our profile her). In addition, Caroline Hipple, president of Norwalk Furniture, was chosen as a Legacy Honoree and McSwain as a Rising Star.
The one-hour online presentation will highlight the award winners and feature Patricia Russo, executive director of The Campaign School at Yale, who will present the keynote address, “Leading a Civically Engaged Life in a Pandemic World.”
The event is scheduled for July 21, 4-5 p.m. EST, followed by a virtual cocktail hour. Libby Langdon, of Libby Langdon Interiors, will be presenting the closing remarks. Tickets are $15 each; click here to register.
Here is the full list of this year’s winners:
- Casual Living: Jackie Hirschhaut, executive director, ICFA
- Designers Today: Veronica Solomon, interior designer, design educator, community Leader
- Gifts & Decorative Accessories: Nora Napientek, founder and president, Nora Fleming
- Furniture Today: Judi Lebensburger, Ashley Furniture Inds.
- Home Accents Today: Connie Lineberry, Connie Lineberry & Associates
- HFN: Kristi Forbes, Director, Forty One Madison
- Home Textiles Today: Dipali Goenka, CEO and joint managing director, Welspun India Ltd.
- Rising Star: Keia McSwain, president, Black Interior Designers Network
- Legacy Award Honoree: Caroline Hipple, president, Norwalk Furniture
Crestview Collection is the event’s headline sponsor, while Beatriz Ball, Ashley and Howard Elliot are additional sponsors.
