The Team
Alexandra C. Gibson
President/CEO
“Two roads diverged in a wood and I–I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” - Robert Frost
Alexandra’s experience in business, love for the interior design industry, and innate entrepreneurial spirit led her to found Gibson Design Management in January 2008. Growing up as a professional interior designer’s daughter, and working as a partner in her family’s interior design firm, has shown Alexandra a great deal about the challenges that small design firms face in business.
Alexandra started her career in a corporate training program for sales and marketing for one of the largest homebuilders in the country, NVR, Inc. She excelled in NVR’s program by developing a working knowledge of blueprints, site plans, general construction practices, and mortgage financing. Alexandra marketed and sold over $10.8 million of new construction in two residential developments in Prince George’s County, Maryland for Ryan Homes, NVR’s subsidiary and was nominated for Rookie of the Year in 2003.
In 2005, Alexandra joined Gibson Design Group as the Director of Business Development and in 2006, she became a partner in the firm. Her main undertakings have been the development of marketing and public relations for the company, as well as creating and fine-tuning business systems and contract administration. In addition to serving as President and CEO of Gibson Design Management, Alexandra is the CEO and founder of BuildWorth., Inc., a construction consulting and outsourcing company that specializes in working with small to medium-sized builders. She is also the president of Gibson Investment Group, a real estate investment firm that seeks to develop a mixed portfolio of real estate assets for its investors, and a partner in Foxfield Investment Group, a group of investors that owns several pieces of real estate in the Charlottesville area.
Alexandra graduated from Vanderbilt University with a degree in Economics and a minor in Finance. When not staying busy in the business world, Alexandra enjoys spending time competing her horse and giving back to the community.
Director, Member Services
“One of the deep secrets of life is that all that is really worth doing is what we do for others.” - Lewis Carroll
Martha joined Gibson Design Management in March 2009 to head the Project Sourcing services for all of GDM’s members. Serving most recently as an Assistant Manager for the Kneedler Fauchere showroom in the Denver Design District, Martha brings extensive knowledge of commercial and residential resources available to interior designers.
In addition to working for showrooms, Martha has worked as an independent sourcing consultant for interior designers. Before working in the DDD, Martha spent 16 years as the right-hand woman to the CEO of a small HVAC manufacturing and design company. While there, she was also charged with completing many of the CAD drawings for proposal purposes. Through her work, she understands the challenges and opportunities presented to small businesses. In addition to spearheading the Project Sourcing services, Martha also acts as a liaison between our members and the CAD team for many of our drafting and rendering projects.
Born and raised in Denver, Martha graduated from Loretto Heights College with a BA in Theatre, with emphasis on costuming and design. She is currently taking courses at Arapahoe Community College in Interior Design and Interior Architecture. Martha enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter, and two stepsons.
Amanda Butterworth
Director, Creative Services
“If I had asked my customers what they wanted, they would have said a faster horse.” - Henry Ford
Amanda has been an integral part to the creation of Gibson Design Management, especially through lending her knowledge of graphic design and her technological abilities. As Director, Creative Services she works closely on all graphic and web design for the company. The upcoming free membership which gives designers access to the GDM Resource Center is overseen by Amanda.
Before joining the Gibson Design Management team, Amanda was an architectural intern for Gibson Design Group. After college, she moved to Washington, DC to work for a large architecture firm, where she was a staff architect. Amanda found that she missed the atmosphere, personal connection, and satisfaction that a smaller firm provides. In September 2007, Alexandra was able to “lure” Amanda back to work for her project management firm and then to transition into her current roles with Gibson Design Management. Amanda also works with Gibson Design Group in a similar capacity and provides architectural support. Because good things come in threes, Amanda is also involved with Alexandra in a start-up “out of the box” marketing company called BuildWorth, Inc.
Amanda graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.S. in Architecture and a minor in Architectural History. She is originally from Chesapeake, Virginia and was involved with Delta Gamma and Women’s Club Volleyball while at UVA. In her free time now, she enjoys playing volleyball and softball, cooking and baking, as well as furthering her graphic and web design education.
Kay Alessi
Director, Sales and Marketing
“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” -Albert Einstein
Kay Alessi joined Gibson Design Management as a Membership Director in June 2008 and was promoted to Director, Sales and Marketing in October 2008. She brings a broad range of experience to the team. Kay most recently held the position of Director of Marketing & Publicity for a publishing firm based in Portland, Oregon. In this role, Kay built and maintained relationships with clients and media personnel across the United States. Prior to this, Kay co-founded and managed a small Northwest landscaping company. Whether it’s creating a business plan, marketing, client relations or the management of all administrative functions, Kay understands the challenges that face the small business owner. She believes in the value of outsourcing operational tasks to allow designers to focus their time and energy on what they truly enjoy.
As Director, Sales and Marketing, Kay works with interior designers and their firms to best understand their businesses. She partners with design firms to show them how Gibson Design Management can alleviate any business challenges that they might be having; making their businesses more efficient and more profitable. Kay is passionate about helping designers better utilize their resources to enhance productivity, profitability and their quality of life. She is continually eager to learn more about this exciting industry and find ways to improve designers’ businesses.
Kay graduated from the University of Washington in 1995 with a degree in Business Administration with a Marketing concentration. Before transferring to the University of Washington, Kay studied Interior Design for two years at Seattle Pacific University. She greatly looks forward to utilizing that education, and pairing it with her marketing and business background to best help the design firms in her region. Her hobbies include running, travel, photography, cooking and most of all her husband and three children. Kay lives in a suburb of Portland, Oregon where she keeps busy with various volunteer positions, family and friends.
Kayleigh Harrington
Intern, Social Media Division
“They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.” - Andy Warhol
Kayleigh joined Gibson Design Management as a social media and networking intern in May 2009. She works closely with the Director of Creative Services on our Social Media and Networking Package and our E-mail marketing efforts.
Kayleigh hails from Fredericksburg, Virginia and is currently a second
year student at the University of Virginia, with a focus in commerce. She joined GDM with an interest in expanding her knowledge in marketing, advertising, and design.
Kayleigh is very involved in the UVA community; she is an active member of the Delta Gamma Sorority, as well as the UPC’s PKG Concert Committee. She enjoys writing for student publications such as V Magazine. In her free time, she enjoys reading and discovering new music and food with friends.
Diana Sanders
Intern, Member Services
“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t
matter and those who matter don’t mind.” - Dr. Seuss
As Intern, Member Services, Diana works as part of the Purchase Order Management team to expedite orders, communicate with manufacturers, and update members on the status of their orders. Diana also works closely with the CEO to assist her with company projects. Excited to learn about and be part of the business side of interior design, Diana transitioned to an internship with Gibson Design Management in the fall of 2008 after holding an internship position with Gibson Design Group from January to September of 2008.
Diana is originally from Roanoke, Virginia, the “Star City of the South,” located in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Currently, Diana is a fourth year student at the University of Virginia, majoring in Architectural History with minors in Architecture and Historic Preservation. After graduation in May of 2009, she plans to attend graduate school to study interior design or to continue working in the design industry.
In her free time, Diana enjoys hiking and the outdoors, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.
Andrea C. Gibson
Advisor, Co-founder, & “Grand Pooba”
“Perfection comes from not doing extraordinary things, but doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.” -Angelique Arnauld
Andrea is a partner, advisor, and co-founder of Gibson Design Management and mainly focuses her efforts on strategy and advisement for the company. In addition to Gibson Design Management, Andrea is the President of Gibson Design Group, a full-service interior design firm located in Charlottesville, Virginia, with projects across the country. Before founding Gibson Design Group in Seattle, WA in 2000, Andrea was the principal designer and president of Architectural Interiors, a Washington, DC and Seattle, WA based firm from 1972-1999.
Andrea’s extensive experience as both a professional interior designer and as an owner of a successful small interior design firm provides Gibson Design Management with extremely valuable insight into the industry. Andrea has been there; she’s tried things that have worked and many things that haven’t. Through her experience as a business woman and designer, she is able to advise GDM on directions and best practices for its members.
Andrea holds a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design from the University of Maryland and a minor in textiles and urban sociology. She has completed graduate studies, also at the University of Maryland, in landscape architecture. Andrea is a professional member of ASID (American Society of Interior Designers, a member of NKBA (National Kitchen and Bath Association), and is NCIDQ (National Council for Interior Design Qualification) certified. She served as president of ASID for Washington state in 2001-2002 and served on the board from 1999-2002. In 2007, Andrea served as finance director for the state of Virginia ASID chapter. She is active in the community, most recently serving as the Chair for the March of Dimes Signature Chef’s Auction, and “should be a professional chef if her day job doesn’t pan out,” says her daughter.
