Kate Rohrer ’05 wasn’t sure about her new desk. She had just kicked off her career as a junior designer for Daroff Design in Philadelphia, the very same year she graduated from Moore’s Interior Design program. Rohrer lived near the Daroff office during her time as a student. She would often walk by the building, telling herself she would work there one day.
After landing the job, she was placed at a desk near the outskirts of the firm’s materials library, design studio, bathroom and kitchen. People were always coming and going nearby, and she worried the experience wouldn’t be what she imagined.
Then, one day, Karen Daroff ’70 started popping by.
“Whatever she was looking for that day, I said, ‘Oh, yeah, I’ll do it.’ And that’s how it started,” Rohrer said. “Once she saw my hustle and ambitions our relationship grew from there.”
Rohrer is now the award-winning founder and creative director of Rohe Creative, a boutique interior design studio. She’s the creative mind behind many of Philadelphia’s most popular and chic restaurants, and she’s been featured everywhere from Architectural Digest and Forbes. Rohrer is also one of the many designers molded and mentored by Daroff, Moore’s 2024 Visionary Woman Award honoree.
Hotel Genevieve Bar in Louisville, KY, designed by Kate Rohrer of Rohe Creative. Photo: Jason Varney.
Daroff’s 50-plus year career is evidence of the immense effort she’s poured into her thoughtful and creative designs. Her work can be seen across Philadelphia, in locations such as the Loews Hotel, the Philadelphia International Airport and the Comcast Center, as well as in cities like Miami, Aspen, Beijing and Barcelona. She’s also been the recipient of numerous national design awards, including the prestigious “Designer of the Year” award from Contract Magazine, the “Design Giant” award from Interior Design Magazine, and the coveted Hospitality Platinum Circle Hall of Fame award from Hospitality Design magazine.
For Daroff, the seeds of success were first planted and cultivated at Moore.
“When I think back to my time at Moore, I’m reminded of the transformative experiences that provided the foundation for my career in design,” she recalled. “In addition to Moore’s structured curriculum, there was a nurturing environment that encouraged creativity, fostered innovation and instilled my lifelong appreciation for the visual arts.”
Universal Studios Cabana Bay Beach Resort, Orlando, FL. Image courtesy of Daroff Design Inc.
Daroff estimates she’s recruited, hired, and trained almost 1,000 designers and architects. She is an ambassador for Moore’s culture of collaboration and growth, and she continually strives to extend that culture into professional spaces.
“There’s only so much you can learn in four years. When designers graduate, they’re like sponges,” she said. “It’s my greatest pleasure to be able to pass along what I learned from my 50 years in the profession—to lead them, to give critiques and see how they blossom.”
It’s Daroff’s tenacity, magnetic energy and leadership skills that Rohrer remembers most about working with her. After Rohrer became an entrepreneur in 2014, she slowly gained a new appreciation for Daroff’s impact on her career and life.
“I have so much more admiration for her now than I even did back then. I have more of an understanding of everything she was going through on a daily basis, whether it’s design work or running the whole show,” Rohrer said. “I don’t know how she did it. It’s crazy and remarkable.”
Shakira Hunt ’15 has similar recollections of her time as an intern with Daroff’s company.
“I remember her presence,” Hunt recalled. “When [Daroff] was in the room, everybody was ready to be on point. She carried a level of audacity that I think we all have to have in order to operate a business and to be confident in that work,” she said.
In 2019, Hunt made the switch from interior design work to photography and other creative services as the chief creative director of Shakira Hunt Studio.
Throughout her career shift, she found that Daroff’s lessons still applied.
“A lot of her advice was about being open and being a resource,” Hunt said. “She encouraged me to use my voice and speak up about what I was looking for and what type of work that I wanted to do.”
Soft Petals in Bloom by Shakira Hunt '15. Image courtesy of the artist.
Emboldening women and people from underrepresented backgrounds to know their value, speak up for themselves, and promote the quality of their work is something Daroff prides herself on. She also wants designers to be receptive to peer review and critique.
She notes that some former coworkers who once saw her as tough or outspoken later returned with major successes and gratitude for her guidance.
“I’ve developed such strong relationships with many of my past coworkers, some going back 20 or 30 years. I feel that if you go the distance for people, they’ll go the distance for you,” Daroff said. “My proudest moments as a mentor come from seeing individuals who were initially overlooked or unheard develop their voices. It’s incredibly rewarding, and each success is a milestone in my mentorship journey.”
For Moore graduates who want to mentor young artists and designers, Daroff encourages her fellow alumni to get involved in the ways that make sense to them, whether it’s through financial support, providing expertise to students or advocating for Moore in their professional and social circles.
“Every small effort can collectively make a significant impact,” Daroff said.
Daroff’s commitment to paying it forward has created a trickle-down effect among her former mentees. Monica Glebocki ’16 started as an intern under Rohrer at Rohe Creative, later working her way up to interior designer. Glebocki sees Rohrer the same way Rohrer saw Daroff: fearless, confident and brimming with fresh ideas.
“Sometimes clients don’t know what they want. Kate loves to push the envelope to get their feet wet with a bold concept. She’s shown me that you need to be confident in your work to own it and work through it,” Glebocki said.
Rohrer and Glebocki say they work together on a deeper level thanks to their Moore connection. One of Glebocki’s goals resembles Daroff’s: to give back to the place that started it all. “I hope to return to Moore again and sit in on some critiques as a juror, or give some constructive criticism, just like other designers did for me while I was at Moore,” Glebocki said. “It’s full circle!”
Click here for tips for success from Moore’s 2024 Visionary Woman Award honoree Karen Daroff.
Top, left: Karen Daroff '70. Top, right: Frontera Cocina restaurant at Disney Springs, Orlando, FL. Images courtesy of Daroff Design Inc.
