Libby Slader, IIDA, Owner and Principal, Libby Slader Interior Design

Libby Slader is the owner and principal of Libby Slader Interior Design, an award-winning, full-service design firm specializing in Corporate, Office, Hospitality, and Institutional projects. Before founding her namesake firm, she worked at prestigious firms across the country, including Morris Nathanson Design and the Architectural Services Department of Sony Pictures Entertainment. Libby is an active member of and advocate for the design community here in Rhode Island. She is the chairman of the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA) and a co-founder of DESIGNxRI!
She is a Cohort 4 graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10K Small Business’ Program and of Leadership Rhode Island’s Theta II class of 2012. She holds a BS in Environmental Design (Interiors) from Syracuse University and has taught interior design at The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and has been honored with various awards, such as Flicker’s Producers Circle award for her contribution to the arts, Alumni of the Year in 2018 from her alma mater, Ponaganset High School, and Providence Business News’ 2015 Women in Business-Industry Leader-Creative Services.

Steve Durkee, Partner, ARK Reclaimed Wood

Steve Durkee is a partner at ARK Reclaimed Wood, a company specializing in innovative uses of reclaimed old growth longleaf southern yellow pine to create unique products for the architectural industry, and the owner of a few restaurants in Providence, including Durk’s BBQ and The Eddy He is a founder and managing partner of Durkee Brown Architects (now DBVW Architects) and served as a Senior Associate and Director of Development at Cornish Associates for ten years.
Throughout his career, Steve has been involved in public service and civic engagement including: 17 years on the Providence City Plan Commission, the last 11 as Chair, RIPTA board member, Capital Center Commission, Grow Smart RI, Executive Committee of the Providence Foundation, AS220 and the Providence Revolving Fund. He is currently a board member of both the Downtown Improvement District and of Downcity Design, a non-profit organization mentoring and educating young people through engagement with design.
Steve holds both a Bachelors of Architecture and a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Architecture from the Rhode Island School of Design. He has been awarded many local and regional design awards including the Design New England Distinguished Mentors award and an early inductee into the RI Design Hall of Fame in 2014.