Amory Armstrong, Alexa Hampton, Ellen Kravet, Dennis Miller and Betsey Ruprecht Join NYSID’s Board of Trustees

New York, NY –June 13, 2012 – New York School of Interior Design is pleased to announce the appointment of five new members to its Board of Trustees: Amory Armstrong, Alexa Hampton, Ellen Kravet, Dennis Miller and Betsey Ruprecht. “We are excited to welcome these esteemed professionals to NYSID’s Board of Directors,” said Board Chair Patricia Sovern. “Their impressive backgrounds and diverse experience will enrich an already strong board and we look forward to working with them to move the institution forward in the coming years.”

Amory Armstrong is a founding partner of Armstrong Associates, LLC, a fine art and antique consulting business also specializing in residential interior design incorporating antiques and fine art. She was formerly a Vice President at Doyle New York where she headed their Client Services division and also worked in their Trust & Estates department. Prior to that, she worked as a cataloguer at Sotheby’s in both the 19th century Furniture & Works of Art department and the Garden Statuary department. She received her BA in Art History from Hollins College and a Masters in Art Dealership & Collecting from New York University. She has been a recipient of Who’s Who in Young Professionals and Small Business Owners since 1999. She is daughter of the late Thomas Armstrong III, former director of the Whitney Museum of Art and long-time NYSID board member.

Alexa Hampton is President and featured designer of Mark Hampton LLC, the world famous design firm founded in 1976 by her late father, Mark Hampton. Under her direction, the firm has completed a wide range of designs for domestic and international projects, from New York City to Hangzhou, China. A perennial member of Architectural Digest’s and House Beautiful’s top designers’ lists and Elle Décor’s A List, Hampton’s work is classic, traditional and eclectic. She was one of the three inaugural designers who launched Gilt Group’s Gilt Home Design Boutiques, serves on the design board of MyDeco.com, and was the only ever female cast member of This Old House. Hampton also has a growing stable of acclaimed products for the home, including fabrics and trims from Kravet Inc., her own furniture line for Hickory Chair Company, carpets for Stark Carpet, lighting for Visual Comfort & Co, and mantels for Chesney’s. Hampton is also the author of The Language of Interior Design and she is a contributing columnist for The Wall Street Journal’s Saturday “Off Duty” section. She is a graduate of Brown University and has done graduate work at New York University’s Institute of Fine Arts.

Ellen Kravet is Executive Vice President and Co-Owner of Kravet Inc., a fourth generation family business that distributes fabrics, furniture, wall coverings, trimmings and accessories. Founded in 1918, Kravet Inc. has transformed from a small fabric house to a global leader, representing brands and designers worldwide. In addition to its flagship brand, the company also owns Lee Jofa, Groundworks, GP&J Baker, and Brunschwig & Fils, all high-end fabric companies that specialize in style, luxury, and exceptional design. Along with her leadership position at Kravet Inc., Ms. Kravet is active on the Women's Leadership Council at her alma mater Lafayette College. As a former educator, she maintains an involvement with their student and alumni activities. Kravet is also presently Vice-Chair of the Board of Cape Regional Medical Center and is the Chair of the Annual Art Show at the Wetlands Institute.

Dennis Miller is an architect and Founder and President of Dennis Miller Associates, a manufacturer and distributor of fine contemporary furniture, lighting and carpets. The company, which was founded in 1984, is dedicated to providing trend-setting design created by the best of today’s designers, as well as specific 20th century design classics. This studio and custom-made furniture approach includes furniture designed by Clodagh, Patrick Naggar, Wendell Castle, Laura Kirar, David Rockwell, Morris Lapidus and others. The company produces furniture by more than a dozen designers under the heading The Collection and represents in the New York area 15 companies producing contemporary furniture, lighting and carpets. Miller is a graduate of the Cornell College of Architecture, Art and Planning, with Bachelor of Architecture and Master of Arts degrees. He has worked with several prominent architectural firms in New York, including I. M. Pei & Partners and Davis Brody Bond Architects & Planners. He has served on the boards of Housing Works thrift stores and he is currently a member of the board of the Furniture Society and the Lincoln Center Business Council.

Betsey Ruprecht is owner of Decorative Antiques Ltd. and exhibits on 1stdibs.com and at Antiques and Artisan in Stamford, Connecticut. She recently opened a new store, HOUSE, in Locust Valley, New York, which sells vintage and decorative furniture and objects. Previously, Ruprecht worked at Sotheby's auction house cataloging and evaluating late-19th century works of art. She was also the Director of Alumni Relations at Miss Porters School and graduated from Connecticut College with a degree in art history.

2012 NYSID Board of Trustees

Patricia M. Sovern, Chairman
Amory Armstrong
Elaine Wingate Conway
Alexander C. Cortesi
Jill H. Dienst
James P. Druckman
Ross J. Francis
Elliot Greene
Alexa Hampton
Jodie W. King
Terry Kleinberg
Anne Korman
Ellen Kravet
Dennis Miller
Susan B. Nagle
Betsey Ruprecht
David Scott

Matthew DeMarco, Esq., General Counsel
Inge Heckel, Trustee Emeritus
Arthur King Satz, President Emeritus

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