IIDA Announces Colorado Representative Tracy Kraft-Tharp As Legislator Of The Year
IIDA is proud to honorĀ Representative Tracy Kraft-Tharp, member of the Colorado House of Representatives, District 29, as the 2020 Legislator of the Year. This annual award recognizes an elected official who has put forth extraordinary effort on behalf of the commercial interior design profession.
Rep. Kraft-Tharp previously taught at Metro State and Regis University and has served and currently serves on the board of directors of various local and national nonprofit organizations, dedicating her career to at-risk children and their families. As the Colorado State Representative for District 29 (Arvada and Westminster), Rep. Kraft-Tharp served as the Chair of the Business Affairs and Labor Committee. She is currently running for Jefferson County Commissioner.
Earlier this year, Rep. Kraft-Tharp worked with IIDA and the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) to advance interior design practice with the passage of Colorado HB1165, which went into effect on September 14, 2020. This critical piece of legislation acknowledges the impact of interior designers on life safety in the interior built environment.
āRep. Kraft-Tharp not only provided excellent bi-partisan leadership but also demonstrated exemplary negotiation skills that moved all original opponents of the legislation to a neutral or supportive position,ā saidĀ IIDA Director of Advocacy and Legislative Affairs Emily Kelly,Ā MPA.
āIIDA is excited to work with such prestigious legislative leadership to help advance the interior design profession,ā saidĀ IIDA Deputy Director and Senior Vice President John Czarnecki, Hon. IIDA,Ā Assoc. AIA. āOur legislative efforts in Colorado were successful because of Rep. Kraft-Tharp.ā
The IIDA Rocky Mountain Chapter presented the award to Rep. Kraft-Tharp on October 29 in Arvada, Colorado.
For more information on the Legislator of the Year Award or other IIDA advocacy initiatives, please contact Abigail Wilson atĀ awilson@iida.org.
ABOUT IIDA
IIDA is the commercial interior design association with global reach. We support design professionals, industry affiliates, educators, students, firms, and their clients through our network of 15,000+ members across 58 countries. We advocate for advancements in education, design excellence, legislation, leadership, accreditation, and community outreach to increase the value and understanding of interior design as a profession that enhances business value and positively impacts the health and well-being of peopleās lives every day.Ā www.iida.org
