Thursday, February 12
My Cart9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Creating Positive Social Impact Through Design and Architectural Processes
ConEd Credits: AIBC 1 Core; 1 IDCEC HSW-Barrier Free
Location: Level 2: Room 222
- Architecture
- Interior Design
- Workforce Solutions, Business Strategy & Leadership
- Design Concepts, Health & Wellness
Building Type: Commercial, Institutional, Mixed-Use, Residential: Multi-Unit
Partners: IDIBC
Interior designers and architects have the power to create net positive social sustainability by embedding equitable and empathic interventions into their core processes. Long accepted methodologies require adjustments to effectively address emerging and traditionally ignored biopsychosocial needs. This session will cover transformation on the level of practice and Practioners alike, emphasizing alignment between your design culture and positive social impact. Participants will explore what it means to design from the margins, consider intersectionality and respectfully consult with those most affected by the spaces you create. Practical and actionable process enhancements will be offered along with examples from a variety of built environment typologies.
Speakers
Lisa MacVicar Principal, Lisa MacVicar Consulting & Coaching Inc.
For the past 33 years Lisa has worked in the fields of Interior Design, Workplace Strategy Consulting and Leadership Coaching. She has curated a multidisciplinary approach to guide organizations as they navigate complex psychosocial challenges. Lisa hold certificates in Diversity & Inclusion, Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace and Performance Leadership. She is an ICF certified Coach (ACC) and a Prosci certified Change Management Practitioner (CMP). As a WELL AP, WELL Faculty and WELL Advisor, Lisa focuses on biopsychosocial interventions through the certification process in the built environment. Additionally, Lisa instructs for the University of Toronto’s Rotman Executive Program, Inclusion by Design. She has held the position of DEI Director on the ICF Toronto Board of Directors, served on the ARIDO DEI Foundation committee and Deloitte’s National & Global DEI committees. In April 2025 she launched an on-demand continuing education academy for design professionals.
- Regular
- $85
Presenting Partner
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Interior Design Keynote – Reshaping Corporate Environments
Location: Tradeshow Floor: BUILDEX Main Stage (Booth 843)
- Architecture
- Interior Design
- Design Concepts, Health & Wellness
Building Type: Commercial
Partners: IDIBC
As organizations accelerate return-to-office mandates, interior design is increasingly being leveraged to drive business strategy and unlock organizational value. Interior designers are now tasked with reshaping corporate offices into dynamic environments that serve multiple purposes. Panelists will present innovative design strategies and successful projects that foster productivity and connection while authentically reflecting corporate brand values. Attendees will gain a forward-looking perspective on how strategic design can reframe the future of corporate spaces.
Pre-registration for this session is required. Admission will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Speakers
Dora Anderson Partner, Ecotecture
Dora Anderson, RID, LEED® AP, WELL® AP, is the current President of the Interior Designers Institute of British Columbia (IDIBC) and Partner‑Founder of ECOTECTURE, an Okanagan‑based green building design consultancy. With more than 20 years of practice, she has led sustainable commercial and residential projects across Canada and abroad and previously served as Managing Partner at MQN Interiors from 2009 to 2024. A Registered Interior Designer (RID) with IDIBC, Dora’s work has been recognized with Top 20 Under 40, SICA, OHAE, Georgie, and Tommie awards, as well as first place in the 2025 Enterprize Challenge. She is an active member of IDC, ASID, NEWH, Passive House and CAGBC. Dora is passionate about a holistic design process that prioritizes wellness, resiliency, and authentic connection. She approaches every project with a commitment to aligning people, place, and purpose while advancing sustainability and organizational value.
Stephanie Panyan Principal, Interior Design, B+H International Corp.
Stephanie Panyan is a Principal and Interior Design Director at B+H, recognized for her ability to create workplaces that reflect and elevate the distinct cultures of the organizations she partners with. With experience spanning consulting firms, tech companies, financial institutions, and public-sector organizations, Stephanie is adept at immersing herself in each client’s mission, values, and ways of working to translate them into thoughtful, high-performing environments. Her approach blends strategic inquiry with design sensitivity, uncovering what motivates teams, how they collaborate, and the conditions they need to do their best work. She has led the design of numerous large-scale workplace transformations, shaping spaces that foster connection, creativity, and long-term adaptability. Whether supporting companies undergoing rapid growth, cultural change, or modernization, Stephanie is known for delivering workplaces that are not only functional and flexible but also deeply aligned with the aspirations and everyday realities of the people who use them.
Rufina Wu Associate Principal, Interior Design Director, Vancouver, Perkins&Will
Born in Hong Kong, Rufina is a city dweller at heart, and is fascinated by the complex variety of needs and programs that compose our shared environment. Rufina recognizes that the end-user is often the silent consumer of architecture, and so has dedicated her career to understanding how the individual naturally inhabits space. Having been native to an environment known for its density, she views space as a precious entity, and she believes that it is the designer’s role to apply a robust design approach to provide spatial solutions that are both tailored and flexible. She is inspired to create spaces that invite the users to play an active role in shaping the environment to suit their unique needs and preferences. Rufina lives and breathes design. From the self-made, upcycled trinkets she has sitting on her desk to the pet inspired paintings she creates in her free time, Rufina’s desire is to produce extraordinary products from ordinary items is evident in everything she touches.
Alison McNeil Partner, Interior Design, DIALOG
Alison McNeil is a Partner at DIALOG and one of the firm’s national leaders in interior design. With more than 20 years of experience, she has shaped award-winning projects across hospitality, retail, and workplace sectors, bringing a balance of bold pragmatism, rigorous detail, and a deep sensitivity to context. Her portfolio includes internationally recognized projects such as the Four Seasons Toronto d|bar, the Four Seasons Toronto Spa, the Four Seasons Resort Whistler, and the JW Marriott Edmonton ICE District. Alison’s approach is rooted in understanding the cultural, urban, and business context of each client, translating abstract ideas into inspiring built environments. From large-scale master planning to the refinement of a single chair, she is known for her ability to move seamlessly across scales and disciplines, delivering spaces that exceed expectations and define global brands.
- FREE
Presenting Partner