Daniel J SaitCEDIA has announced the appointment of Andrea Harvey as Director of Design & Build Outreach, marking a significant step in the organisation’s strategy to deepen engagement with architects, interior designers and builders.
The move sees the creation of a dedicated department designed to help members grow their businesses through stronger partnerships across the wider design and construction community.
Andrea says, “I’m excited to bring my background in design and industry relationships to CEDIA, with a focus on strengthening connections between the design and technology communities and supporting meaningful, long-term growth within the design and build sector.”
Based in Ellicott City, Maryland, Andrea brings more than 20 years of experience spanning interior design, construction, manufacturer partnerships and professional education.
As founder of Ash Interiors & Design, she has developed strong relationships across the design-build sector while promoting collaboration between trades. Her background also includes representing luxury manufacturers, delivering professional education programmes and presenting at national industry forums.
Andrea holds a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts and Business Administration from Elizabeth City State University and is a Certified Aging in Place Specialist. She is also a member of ASID and BID and founder of the non-profit organisation Haven by ASH.
In her new role, Andrea will work to position smart home technology as a core element of modern home construction by engaging directly with designers, architects, homebuilders and their associated organisations.
Through targeted events, partnerships and programme development, the initiative aims to support CEDIA members by increasing the adoption of integrated technology across both new-build and retrofit residential projects.
The appointment comes as CEDIA expands its activity within the design and build sector through a series of initiatives and partnerships.
This includes the introduction of regional editions of Technology Meets Design – The Best of Professional Smart Home Style, a publication created as a coffee-table resource for architects, builders and interior designers. The publication showcases award-winning projects and highlights the value of early collaboration between smart home professionals and other trades.
CEDIA has also continued to strengthen relationships with key industry bodies. Recent activity includes a partnership with NKBA|KBIS on a research study and CEDIA Expo Town Hall presentation exploring the state of technology integration in home design.
At the 2026 NKBA Design & Industry Awards, CEDIA presented the first CEDIA Smart Home Technology Award, recognising excellence in collaboration between design and technology professionals.
The organisation has also been named official technology sponsor of WOW!house 2026 and continues to work with global associations including BIID, ASID, NKBA and RIBA.
Alongside these initiatives, CEDIA continues to promote Smart Home Day, held annually on November 3. The inaugural event in 2025 brings together the design and build community, integrators and homeowners through a programme of local events, education and social media activity.
Daryl Friedman, Global President and CEO, CEDIA, says, “CEDIA’s role is to elevate the industry and give our members a competitive advantage. Building on our long-standing programme giving CEDIA members the tools to provide accredited education to designers and architects, this new department will provide even more tools for CEDIA members to build their businesses through strategic partnerships with related professionals.
“After an extensive search, we have found a true leader and innovator in Andrea. She is a designer who fully understands the importance of technology integration and will be a persuasive evangelist to the design/build community.”
This move reflects a broader trend of increasing collaboration between technology specialists and the wider construction and design sectors, underlining the growing maturity of the smart home market and its integration into mainstream residential design.