Turner appointed to Interior Design Educators Council’s Board of Directors

Helen Turner, director of the School of Interiors in the University of Kentucky College of Design, has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC), the leading association and authority on interior design education made up of more than 20,000 scholars.

Turner will serve as Director of Strategic Initiatives, beginning her two-year term on May 1, 2026. Her appointment follows a competitive, member-driven election process that included a 30-day nomination period, committee review, interviews and a 30-day voting period among IDEC members.

“I look forward to serving on the IDEC Board and bringing insights from my role as director of the UK School of Interiors to help envision and advance strategic initiatives that support and strengthen interior design education,” Turner said.

In this national leadership role, Turner will help guide IDEC’s long-term priorities, partnerships and organizational direction, serving as the visioning leader for emerging themes in the interiors education field. This role also works with related committees, knowledge networks and standing groups to support initiative proposals, advise the IDEC Board on policies and foster supportive networks for integrating new ideas into teaching and scholarship.

“Helen’s election to this national leadership role reflects both her deep commitment to interior design education and the strength of the work happening in UK’s School of Interiors,” said Ned Crankshaw, dean of the UK College of Design. “She will provide thoughtful strategic direction to shape the future of interior design education, grounded in her experiences leading a dynamic faculty.”

Turner joins a slate of newly elected and returning IDEC board members, including Kent State University’s Tina Patel (President-Elect), Ball State University’s Sarah Angne Alfaro (Director of Scholarship), Syracuse University’s Seyeon Lee (Director of Teaching, second term) and University of Nebraska Kearney’s Dana Vaux (Director of Communities).