Stellene Volandes and David Kleinberg to Receive NYSID 2025 Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts; Honorees Will Present Keynote Speeches at Commencement

The New York School of Interior Design will celebrate 103 graduating students on Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at NYU Skirball located at 566 LaGuardia Place, New York, NY. Commencement will recognize and celebrate the hard work of the college's talented graduates who have finished their education and are starting a bright future in interior design.  

Each year, nominees for the honorary doctorate are selected from a distinguished pool for their demonstrated leadership in the interior design industry and values consistent with the college's mission. This year, NYSID selected Stellene Volandes, Editor-in-Chief of Town & Country and the Editorial and Brand Director of ELLE Decor, as well as an expert voice in the world of design and jewelry and David Kleinberg, esteemed interior designer known for his refined style and founder of David Kleinberg Design Associates. 

"David and Stellene, two admired figures in the design world, have spent decades shaping, leading, and championing the profession, earning recognition along the way,” says NYSID President David Sprouls. "While David’s vast body of work has influenced many, Stellene’s cultural acumen has shaped how people consume design. Their work has inspired new ways of thinking about how we occupy the spaces we live and work in. I could not be more pleased that these two luminaries will be receiving honorary doctorates from NYSID and sharing their wisdom with the Class of 2025, the leaders of tomorrow."

About Stellene Volandes 

Editor-in-Chief, Town & Country

Stellene Volandes is an editor, author, and cultural leader who has worked across journalism, design, and the arts. Since 2016, she has been the Editor-in-Chief of Town & Country, where she has shaped the brand’s voice around heritage, philanthropy, and cultural relevance. She previously served as the magazine’s Executive Style Director and Jewelry and Accessories Director. In 2020, she was named Editorial Director of ELLE Decor, and in 2025, she added the role of Brand Director. She has since guided the celebrated design publication with a vision rooted in style and innovation. 

Additionally, Volandes is the author of two books: “Jeweler: Masters, Mavericks, and Visionaries of Modern Design” (2016), a celebration of jewelry designers and the evolution of their work, and “Jewels That Made History” (2020), which explores the cultural and historical resonance of iconic pieces of jewelry and their impact on world events. A recognized authority in the field, she has shared her expertise through a conversation and lecture series at New York’s 92nd Street Y. She also serves on the board of Lincoln Center Theater and has been a longtime champion of New York's theater scene.  

Born in Brooklyn, Volandes graduated from Poly Prep School, and went on to Vassar College, where she studied English Literature. She later received an MA from Columbia University in English and Comparative Literature. 

About David Kleinberg

Founder, David Kleinberg Design Associates 

David Kleinberg is one of the most respected and celebrated names in interior design. Over a 35-year career with projects reaching around the world, Kleinberg has created a body of work that is wide-ranging in style, yet always modern in sensibility. Whether boldly inspired or carefully nuanced, Kleinberg’s interiors are above all clean-lined, sophisticated and highly attuned to each client’s lifestyle. 

After graduating from Trinity College in 1976, Kleinberg explored the New York design world while working first at Denning & Fourcade and then at Mara Palmer. His talents were further honed during his 16-year tenure at the venerable Parish-Hadley Associates, beginning in 1981. Kleinberg left Parish-Hadley in 1997 to start his own firm David Kleinberg Design Associates, which today employs 20 people. 

Kleinberg is a member of the Interior Design Magazine Hall of Fame and has been honored with the Albert Hadley Lifetime Achievement Award by the New York School of Interior Design. He was first named to Architectural Digest’s AD 100 list in 2012 and has been a member of Elle Décor’s A-List since 2011. Kleinberg has participated in the Kips Bay Decorator Show House throughout his career and his work is published internationally. He published his monograph “Traditional Now: Interiors by David Kleinberg” in 2011, and a new book, “David Kleinberg Interiors”, was released in March 2025, both with The Monacelli Press. 

Kleinberg lives in New York City and East Hampton, NY. He serves on the Board of Directors of the New York School of Interior Design.

About NYU Skirball

NYU Skirball, located in the heart of Greenwich Village, is one of New York City’s major presenters of international work, and has been the premier venue for cultural and performing arts events in lower Manhattan since 2003. The 860-seat state-of-the art theater, led by Director Jay Wegman, provides a home for internationally renowned artists, innovators and thinkers. NYU Skirball hosts over 300 events annually, from reinventions of the classics to cutting-edge premieres, in genres ranging from dance, theater and performance art to comedy, music and film. To learn more, visit nyuskirball.org.