Good Shepherd Center Interview: Vanessa Kogevinas

Good Shepherd Center Interview: Vanessa Kogevinas

Vanessa Kogevinas’s career in publishing and management has spanned over fifteen years, including positions at Architectural Digest and as a Founding and the Managing Editor editor of Western Interiors and Design magazine. She has also held positions as Project Manager of Veranda's show house at Greystone and as a Project Manager at Kathryn M. Ireland design.

Vanessa currently serves as a Contributing Editor for California Homes magazine, a Contributing Editor for the Editor At Large website, and writes for a number of publications and blogs. She also runs her own consulting firm, Get It! Consulting, which specializes in assisting interior design professionals in reaching their professional goals through marketing, public relations and counseling.

In 2009, she founded Vanessa Squared Productions with her business partner interior designer Vanessa De Vargas, which organizes events throughout the Los Angeles area.

Vanessa Kogevinas’s love for her community and her desire to give back is evident in all the hard work she has done for this project. I was very excited when she took some time away from her coordinating efforts to share with us her wishes for this project and how she feels about being a part of it.

VK: I am delighted and honored to be spearheading this project with my business partner, Vanessa De Vargas. The fact that our efforts will allow women (and their children in some cases) that are committed to overcoming their hardships live in comfortable, beautiful spaces is what drives me. This is all about supporting their efforts to become successful, productive women in society.

Hopefully, the newly decorated spaces that they live in will inspire them to go above and beyond what they thought they could accomplish. I also hope that it will remind them that they are loved and cared for by individuals and their community. That the hardships they have suffered do not define them--that they are supported and that they are believed in. Beyond that, the fellowship that we, the participants and donors, will feel is invaluable.





The Good Shepherd Center's Mission best defines how I feel: The mission of Good Shepherd Center for Homeless Women & Children is to empower women and their children to move from homelessness to self-sufficiency, through housing, employment and support services--offered with dignity and love. I am humbled by the generosity of all the people that I have called upon. Thank you to all the designers and donors for supporting us.


TP: How did you hear about the GS Design Project?
VK: Vanessa De Vargas and I were looking for a charity that we could help using our connections in the interior design and entertainment industry.
I called upon an old friend Tiffany Quick who works with Good Shepherd and 'the rest is history!'


TP: What do you think the biggest challenge of the project will be?
VK: The biggest challenge of the project will be getting the word out as far as we'd like the news to extend. We need everyone's help--word of mouth, reaching out to contacts, business associates, family, friends, talking about it... talking about it .... and talking about it some more. Somewhat like a You Tube video that goes viral... I'm going for 'viral' on this one!

TP: Do you have an inspirational photo for this project?
VK: Yes, I chose my two inspiration pictures because they capture women that have benefited from the Good Shepherd Center.

TP: What are you most looking forward to with the project?
VK: The collaboration of all involved... and the knowledge that determined women will be living in the gorgeous spaces.