Her Story
About Kendra
Kendra Locklear Ordia is an Associate Professor of Interior Design at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and a nationally recognized design educator, practitioner, and leader in the interior design profession. She also serves on the ASID National Board of Directors and the IDCEC Board of Directors, reflecting her active role in shaping standards, education, and professional development within the field. Her credentials include ASID, IIDA, RID, NCIDQ certification, and LEED AP (BD+C), underscoring her commitment to both design excellence and sustainable practice.
Ordia earned her Bachelor of Science in Interior Design from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and later completed a Master of Interior Design at the University of Texas at Austin, where her graduate research focused on biophilic interior design guidelines for healthcare environments. Her professional practice includes work with leading architecture and design firms such as Perkins+Will, Gensler, and CallisonRTKL, where she contributed to large-scale healthcare and workplace projects across the United States. Alongside practice, she has held academic appointments at Kansas State University and Texas State University, building a career that integrates teaching, research, and industry experience.
Her research and creative scholarship explore biophilic design, public interiority, and the relationship between nature, space, and human wellbeing, with particular emphasis on equity, sensory experience, and environmental connection. She has published and exhibited work nationally and internationally and has been recognized with honors including the ASID Educator of the Year Award (2024) and the IDEC Teaching Excellence Award (2023). Known for her student-centered mentorship and advocacy for the profession, she continues to influence interior design education and will expand her leadership role in 2026 with an upcoming appointment at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where she will help develop and lead interior architecture curriculum.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Kendra
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the mentorship I received from highly influential architects and educators early in my career, which helped shape my professional foundation and perspective. I also credit strong student engagement and ongoing support, particularly student nominations that recognized my teaching, as meaningful affirmations that have guided and sustained my growth.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received is that you can build a successful career doing what you love. I first realized the truth of this when I fell in love with interior design in high school, and that early passion ultimately shaped the direction of my professional path and commitment to the field.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering the industry is to stay committed to hard work and consistently look for ways to support and uplift others. Success is built through dedication, collaboration, and a willingness to contribute beyond individual goals. My own experience serving on the ASID board and receiving recognition such as Educator of the Year (2024), the Teaching Excellence Award (2023), and Ones to Watch Scholar (2020) has reinforced the importance of staying engaged in the profession, giving back to the community, and continuously striving for excellence.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest opportunities in my field right now is the transition into a new professional and academic environment as I move to Charlotte, North Carolina, beginning Fall 2026 with the University of North Carolina Charlotte. This shift offers the chance to expand my perspective, build new collaborations, and engage with a different regional context for design education and practice. At the same time, it presents the challenge of adapting to a new academic and professional landscape while continuing to maintain momentum in my teaching, research, and service commitments.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I am deeply passionate about helping students transition from education to practice and encouraging them to reach for ambitious goals as they create opportunities for themselves. I find it especially meaningful when students recognize the impact of my mentorship, and receiving the student-nominated ASID Design Educator Award in 2024 was a particularly humbling affirmation of that connection. I also value advocacy for the interior design profession, especially in educating others about the rigor of a true interior design education and advancing efforts toward licensure at the state level. In my personal life, I prioritize time in nature—whether hiking or taking simple neighborhood walks—and I cherish experiencing the world through my 8-year-old daughter’s perspective, while also staying connected to my creative roots through drawing, painting, and other fine arts.
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