Alumni

Gensler Sustainability Specialist and Grad Chidimma Abuka To Speak at IIDA Event About Textile Waste

FIDM Grad Chidimma Abuka is speaking on the topic of textile waste at a virtual event for the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) Socal Chapter on November 9th, 5:30pm - 7:30 pm PST, and FIDM Students are invited to attend for free. Chidimma is a Sustainability Specialist at Gensler, a global design and architecture firm with offices in 49 cities in 16 countries worldwide.

A deep dive into textile waste and the circular economy, “From Beauty to Beast” features a panel of diverse industry experts sharing insights and best practices. Caroline Feran, an interior designer at Gensler, will be the moderator, while panelists include Shaw Industries VP of Sustainability Tim Conway, Herman Miller A+D Representative Diana Weichbrodt, Reweave LA Co-Founder Julie Benniardi, and Safer Chemicals Mind the Store Campaign Director Mike Schade.

A lifelong learner, Chidimma is a graduate of FIDM’s Merchandising & Marketing program. She holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Concordia University and a Master of Interior Architecture degree from the Interior Designers Institute, and is currently pursuing her doctorate degree in Global Leadership and Change at Pepperdine University.

Chidimma is a Studio Design Resilience Leader, Research Champion, Consulting + Real Estate Leader, and the Southwest Region Sustainability/Wellbeing/Resilience Exams Leader at Gensler. She works on several design typologies, including office, retail, education, residential, healthcare, and municipal.

With over 12 years’ experience in retail management and finance, Chidimma brings a unique perspective to the built environment. She volunteers as the VP of Professional Development for the IIDA, Southern California Chapter.

IIDA event information