Occupation: Executive Director, International Casual Furnishings Association

Special Interests/Hobbies: “Hockey Mom to 18-year-old Eric, travel, cooking and voracious magazine reading.”

Problems/Issues Facing the Casual Furnishings Industry: “Educating consumers about the attributes of better outdoor furnishings, and enticing them to buy the finest products they can afford. It’s important that shoppers not feel pressured to buy everything in one transaction, but rather make investments in quality over time to create the most long-lasting and attractive, yet multifunctional, outdoor space.”

Key Trends in the Industry Today: “Continued blurred lines distinguishing indoor and outdoor furnishings, and increased sophistication of product design coupled with the elevated priority of color and mixed materials. 

Years Reading Hearth & Home: “One.”

Reasons for Reading Hearth & Home: “As a newcomer to the casual furnishings industry over the past year, I’m trying to learn as much as possible about the category. Hearth & Home provides insights on a wide array of topics with thorough reporting. I especially enjoyed the recent profile of Nebraska Furniture Mart’s new store opening in Texas.”

Article(s) Ideas: “Beyond covering the business of outdoor furnishings, I love to learn about the people who are taking innovative initiatives to build their operations, complete with a peek at their favorite piece of outdoor furniture at home.”