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.

Martha Kirkpatrick

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.

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.