Thirty Under 30: Karissa McMillen

By Donna Heiderstadt

During a typical day as a Designer Account Executive at Sherwin-Williams, Karissa McMillen spends much of her time in the field meeting with designers — whether it’s over coffee or lunch, at a showroom, or during industry events — where she provides them with Color Kits, new color trends, and other resources. “My favorite part of my job is simply meeting a wide range of people in the industry,” says 29-year-old Karissa, who has been in her current position for two years. “Designers and design-adjacent folks, including other industry reps, are all so creative and inspiring and fun, so it’s incredible to be a part of.”

Karissa, who has always had a deep interest in interior design and studied marketing in college, goes even further in her commitment to industry engagement. She’s a member of the NKBA’s Columbia River Chapter as well as the incoming Vice President for the Portland chapter of the Interior Design Society. She has coordinated networking events such as a book swap co-hosted with Z Collection that allowed residential designers to mix and mingle with kitchen and bath contacts, and she delivered presentations and hands-on demonstrations to designers and painters in support of Sherwin-Williams’ new line of cabinet paint.

Being on the receiving end of educational support also makes Karissa happy. One of her most memorable career moments was heading to Sherwin-Williams’ headquarters in Cleveland for training. “A specific highlight was meeting the Color Trend Forecasting team and getting a sneak peak of what they were working on for the following year!” she says.

That’s not surprising for someone who as a child requested blue, green, and purple stripes across her bedroom walls and even removed her closet doors and hung groovy plastic beads instead. “Then I vividly recall upgrading to an IKEA loft bed with desk space underneath — I felt so cool,” she recalls.

These days, Karissa prefers a mix of mid-century modern design with some eclectic touches. “Layered textures, surprising color combinations, and a mix of modern/vintage décor really speaks to me,” she explains. Her leisure pursuits include exploring Portland’s antique shops, restaurants, and parks and spending time with her incredibly supportive boyfriend, Tristan (they’ve been together since they were high-school sweethearts), and her two cats, Jelly Bean and Mouse. She’s also contemplating revisiting her childhood creative passions, which include painting and writing short stories.

In the real world, a quick trip to San Francisco was incredibly inspiring, Karissa says, and international travel is undoubtedly in her future. “I want to travel outside the U.S.,” she says. “And I would love to visit Europe first.”