In this special Student Edition episode, we’re passing the mic to Anna Wright, a junior at San Diego State University and student rep on the ASID San Diego board. Anna shares her journey from STEM to design and opens up a real, relatable conversation with fellow student and ASID committee member Theresa Staine —who brings a unique blend of business savvy and design passion to the table.

Theresa spent a decade thriving as a fashion buyer in New York City before answering the call of her creative roots. Now, she’s deep in her master’s studies at the Academy of Art University, combining an artist’s eye with a heart for sustainable, human-centered spaces.

Together, Anna and Theresa dig into:

• 🎒 What it’s really like navigating the jump from undergrad to post-grad
• ✨ How to find (and trust) your design voice
• 💼 Leveraging past careers to fuel your design future
• 🛠️ The challenges and rewards of grad school in interior architecture
• 🌿 Designing with purpose: community, wellness, and sustainability

Whether you’re a student wondering what’s next or a professional curious about the next generation of designers, this episode is full of heart, honesty, and inspiration.

About Anna:

Anna Wright (she/her) is a junior at San Diego State University studying Interior Architecture and minoring in Engineering. She is originally from Scranton, Pennsylvania. She’s been part of the ASID San Diego community since her freshman year and now serves on the student representative board.

About Theresa:

From an early age, I knew I was destined for a creative path. As a child, I loved sketching and painting landscapes, and that early love for art naturally grew into a passion for design.

My journey into interior architecture has been one of both risk and reward. Before entering the design world, I spent a decade in New York City building a successful career as a buyer for major retailers. While that experience strengthened my business sense and attention to detail, I always felt a creative pull that couldn’t be ignored. Returning to my artistic roots, I decided to pursue my master’s degree in Interior Architecture at the Academy of Art University, where I’ve found a true sense of purpose.

I’m deeply passionate about using design to support healthy urbanism, community development and sustainability. I enjoy creating spaces that inspire connection, encourage movement, and foster well-being. As an active individual who values a healthy lifestyle, I believe thoughtful design can profoundly influence the way we live, work, and thrive.

Continuing to learn and grow in this field excites me every day. My goal is to combine my creative vision, design education, and business background to make a lasting impact through meaningful, human-centered design.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theresamstaine/

instagram.com/Theresastaine

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In this episode of Interior Design San Diego, host Rachel Crawford sits down with Kristy Kropat, the incoming President‑Elect of the ASID San Diego Chapter, to explore her journey, design philosophy, and her vision for the chapter.

Key Topics Covered:

• Kristy’s unconventional path into interior design: from a decade as a software and embedded systems engineer to retraining at the Design Institute of San Diego and starting her own studio.
• How her technical/engineering background informs her design process — especially problem solving, usability, organization.
• Founding her design firm in San Diego in 2008; moving the business to San Francisco in 2014, then relocating to Berlin and building an international practice.
• Expanding her services: emphasizing lighting design and integrating her engineering + interior design expertise. Her current master’s thesis topic: Advancing Quality of Light in California Homes.
• Discussion of residential versus commercial design, and why Kristy values residential for its personal connection to clients.
• Insights into her lighting design philosophy — the role of color temperature, color rendering (CRI, TM‑30), layering light, the importance of proper lighting in realizing design.
• Her decision to say “yes” to the board role for ASID: giving back, supporting the chapter, helping bridge student/professional gaps.
• What her upcoming year as President‑Elect looks like: supporting the President, focusing on student involvement, launching new programs, lighting‑focused chapter meeting coming up on November 19 at Blackwell Lighting & Home in Encinitas.
• Ways for listeners (designers, students, industry partners) to connect with her and the chapter.

Takeaways for Listeners:

• A reminder that career paths in design can be non‑linear — technical skills and creative interests can combine powerfully.
• The often‑underestimated role of lighting in interior design — not just aesthetics but usability, quality, and outcome.
• The value of professional community (like ASID) in supporting designers, especially emerging ones.
• Encouragement for students and young professionals: how to engage, network, and transition into the profession.
• Practical event opportunities: upcoming ASID San Diego events, programs and how to plug in.

Kristy Kropat is an interior designer, lighting designer, engineer, and entrepreneur. She founded her boutique design studio 18 years ago in San Diego, designing award-winning residential and commercial projects throughout California and Germany. With a background that blends creative and technical expertise, she combines analytical problem-solving and design thinking to create beautiful, functional, sustainable and inclusive spaces. Kristy’s designs have been featured in over 28 national and international publications including Better Homes and Gardens, Wall Street Journal, Atomic Ranch, Cooking Light, Houzz Germany and more. Kristy was the off camera designer for A&E’s reality design show “Fix This Kitchen” and was the featured interior designer in California Closet’s TV commercial.

Having lived in San Francisco and Berlin, she brings an international perspective to her designs. After spending 11 years abroad, she has returned to her native San Diego, where she is currently serving as President-Elect of the San Diego Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers and a judge for San Diego Magazine’s Home + Design Awards 2026.

• Connect with Kristy Kropat: Kristy@kristykropatdesign.com

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What do you do when the dream job isn’t hiring yet—or doesn’t exist at all? You build your own path, one floor plan at a time.

In this episode, I’m joined by Heather Vitti Pruett of Vitti Interiors—a San Diego-based designer who turned her love of design into a multi-stream business that blends creativity, construction, and serious adaptability. From working in flooring and high-end residential to landing military contracts and launching a rendering side hustle, Heather shares how she grew her design career by staying flexible, saying yes to new skills, and following her intuition (even when the economy said otherwise).

If you’ve ever wondered how to keep your design passion alive while building something sustainable—especially as a parent, a multi-hyphenate creative, or someone just starting out—this episode will remind you that your path doesn’t have to be linear to be successful.

About Heather:

Stay Connected:

• Connect with Heather: vitti.interiors@outlook.com
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• Ask your question, share a topic of interest or be our guest here.
• Subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss upcoming episodes
• Share this podcast with a fellow designer in your community
• Questions, sponsorship or feed back: sandiegoasid@gmail.com