OUR DESIGNERS

Our business is all about choice, the choice to improve how we live and work. Just as we make choices with you, the owners of SSI have made wise choices for you in the selection of our interior designers. Meet the women of SSI.

		Jan McLamb has been practicing interior design since 1990. With a reputable firm in Wilson, North Carolina, she specialized in residential design and commercial office planning, which involved designing custom window treatments, making color and furniture selections, and accessorizing. Jan received her National Council for Interior Design Qualification in 1998. After relocating to Greensboro, Jan joined SSI Design Group, Inc. in 2004. An Allied Member of ASID, Jan lives in Jamestown with her husband, Mark, and family.
		A native of Roanoke, Virginia, Melinda Bell Dickey has been working with SSI Design Group, Inc. since 2004. With a bachelor's degree in business, Mel returned to school to pursue her interior design degree first at The University of Houston and then at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she graduated magna cum laude with a degree in Interior Architecture. She has a background in jewelry design and has worked as an interior designer for over ten years in both commercial and residential venues. In addition to design, Melinda enjoys running, yoga, and life with her husband, Terry, and their Yorkshire Terrier, Spike. She is an Allied Member of ASID, an Associate Member of IIDA, and an Associate Member of IDS.
		Gina Alem has a bachelor of science degree in interior design from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She began her design career in New York City working for Beacon Hill Showrooms for three years. Thereafter, she worked for The Pavlik Design Team, designing retail interiors all over the world. Returning to North Carolina in 1997, she began designing furniture showrooms and assisted living facilities. It was this change in direction that led her to pursue work as a residential designer with SSI Design Group, Inc. She attributes her success to her ability to communicate effectively with her clients, a skill that allows her to create an interior that meets their needs while providing the aesthetics for today's lifestyles.
		Sonja Healy is a native of Southern California and moved to Greensboro with her husband and two children in 2003. Sonja brings a wealth of experience to the SSI Design Group, Inc., having developed her own residential interior design business in California. She also has over 11 years of experience in residential appraisal and custom home construction. After graduating from Cal State Fullerton, she completed the Fundamentals Certificate Program from the Interior Designers Institute in Newport Beach, California in 1996. Her attention to detail makes her a perfect designer to work with clients who need help getting started on their design projects.
		Courtney Fields is the newest member of SSI, having joined us in May 2007. She is a graduate of Randolph Community College and has experience both in residential and showroom design.  Having Courtney at SSI is a great plus for SSI as she has a background as a kitchen and bath designer and, while capable of assisting all clients, she's already earned a reputation for creating beautiful layouts for remodeled kitchens. Courtney loves turning a client's dreams into reality while being cognizant of budgets and schedules.  She credits her success in her ability to be a good listener, a fact that puts her clients at ease. Courtney lives in Greensboro with her husband, Michael and two four-legged children, Max and Brewser.
		Custom window treatments are certainly the capstone of a home's interior design. SSI is pleased to have Lynn Tester as our Window Treatment Specialist! She joined SSI in 2007 with five years of residential and retail design experience in the Baltimore area, and has even been known to fabricate some of the most beautiful custom treatments for clients! While she leaves most of the sewing to our workrooms, Lynn offers unique design services which focus solely on window needs…from blinds & shutters to finding the perfect fabric for valances or drapery panels. Her fresh insight combined with her great listening skills and design instincts insures that her clients get beautiful window treatments every time. Lynn is a member of WCAA and is pursuing her national certification in the trade. Her other passions (besides fabric…) include gardening, tennis, biking and participating in church activities. She, her husband Jody and their four-legged grandchild, Hobie, live in Oak Ridge
		Lisa Medder graduated from Southern Illinois University in 1984 with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Interior Design. She later relocated to North Carolina and spent the first few years of her career specializing in office space planning and furniture specifications. In 1990, she established her own design firm focusing on corporate interior design projects for large financial institutions, i.e. Wachovia Bank and Wendover Funding; local municipalities (City of Winston-Salem), as well as work done for land developers such as Forsyth Partners. Yet another career phase found her planning and implementing designs for large scale senior living projects along the East coast, as well as showroom design for the High Point Furniture Market. Lisa's diverse design background brings a wealth of talent and experience to SSI. She resides in Greensboro with her husband Mark and daughter Hailey.