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CIDQ Team
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
THOM BANKS, Hon. FASID, Hon. Member IDC
Thom is the chief executive responsible for CIDQ's overall strategic and operational leadership. Thom serves as a primary spokesperson to advance the organization’s global mission to establish, maintain and assess standards for competence in the application of empirically validated practices in the interior design profession.
Prior to CIDQ, Thom was chief operating officer and deputy executive director of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) from 1998-2014. There, Thom led the creation of REGREEN, a partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council to create the nation’s first set of residential remodeling guidelines with accompanying educational courses, web tools and a certificate program. This resulted in more than 250,000 downloads and 2 million site visits. Thom was also the inaugural president of the Interior Design Continuing Education Council and a founding board member of the National Academy of Environmental Design.
Thom holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER
KELLY NELSON
Kelly is responsible for the marketing strategy aimed at conveying the value of NCIDQ Certification, and the health, safety, and welfare impact of the NCIDQ Exam, strategic partnerships, advocacy communications, while overseeing and improving the effectiveness of organizational operations. She brings 20+ years of marketing experience to this role. Previously, Kelly led marketing and communications for Studio Theatre, the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), and the Washington Wizards, where she won five National Capital Region Emmy Awards for marketing campaigns.
Kelly earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City.
Kelly enjoys combining her love of travel with her passion and interest in wine. She’s visited wineries and vineyards in the US and abroad, including Italy, Argentina, Spain, Greece, South Africa, and Portugal.
EXAM DIRECTOR
CORNELIA SPRINGER
Cornelia is responsible for the development, administration, and advancement of the NCIDQ Exams. Cornelia has more than 25 years of experience in the credentialing industry including the design, development, implementation and management of various certification programs.
Prior to joining CIDQ, Cornelia was director, certification services for the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) where she was an integral part of the senior management team who designed, developed, and implemented a new globally recognized certification program. Cornelia also served as executive director for the HR Certification Institute where she led the development of two new certification exams, managed the transition from paper and pencil testing to computer-based testing and led the initiative to become NCCA accredited.
Cornelia holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Clemson University.
DIRECTOR, GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AND ADVOCACY
MATT BARUSCH
Matt will support and advance CIDQ’s policy agenda at the state and provincial level. He is responsible for monitoring legislation, analyzing threats to the public from deregulatory efforts, generating advocacy resources that convey the value of the NCIDQ Exam, and developing strategies to support our stakeholders in educating policy makers on the value of meaningful interior design regulation.
Prior to CIDQ, Matt held state advocacy positions with the National Association for Music Education, and the National Court Reporters Association, where he advocated for reasonable regulation of court reporters.
Matt holds a master’s in Public Administration from Arizona State University, and a bachelor’s in Political Science from the State University of New York.
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE MANAGER
RAY RESENDEZ
Ray has been busy ever since joining CIDQ in November 2000, maintaining more than 30,000 Certificate holders' records. As the first point of contact for many of CIDQ's callers, Ray's role as customer experience manager ensures applicants, candidates and certificate holders receive accurate information and assistance along the way.
Originally from San Antonio, Texas, Ray was raised in Indiana. For fun, Ray enjoys movies, spending time with friends and going to the gym.
GOVERNANCE, ENGAGEMENT, AND MEETINGS MANAGER
KAYLA KARPP
Kayla will lead outreach to CIDQ’s prospective exam candidates; will oversee the Council’s governance and Board administrative workflow; as well as manage the logistics of all CIDQ meetings.
Prior to joining CIDQ, Kayla was the Program Administrator for the Florida Boards of Physical Therapy and Respiratory Care. In this role, Kayla facilitated relationships with various organizations while facilitating numerous meetings for her Boards. Her responsibilities included helping the public understand the laws and rules that relate to the respective professions she served.
Kayla holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, and a certificate in Emergency Management and Homeland Security from Florida State University.
BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE ANALYST
MELAT DEMEKE
Melat is responsible for translating our data into meaningful insights that will drive business success. She will capture and apply insights from the credentialing database to support data-based organizational decision-making.
Before joining CIDQ, Melat was leading operations and marketing at a couple of innovative healthcare startups followed by consulting and communications roles in the healthcare and non-profit industries.
Melat holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Nevada, Reno, and has a certificate in Data Analytics from General Assembly.
For fun, Melat enjoys traveling, hiking, and spending time with family.