LaDonna A. Eriksen advances accessible housing through research and design

LaDonna A. Eriksen is being recognized for her work in accessible housing, blending construction expertise, anatomy and evidence-based research to design homes that support people of all abilities. Her training programs and long-running design practice aim to make inclusive housing standard in residential construction.

Why it matters: - Accessible housing affects how people live, age, and stay independent in their homes. - Eriksen’s work targets a gap in residential construction where accessibility often stops at minimum code compliance. - Her training reaches architects, engineers, contractors, designers, system integrators, real estate professionals, and occupational therapists.

What happened: - Influential Women recognized LaDonna A. Eriksen for her work in accessible housing and design. - Eriksen is CEO and Director of Education for Construction Education Consortium in Omaha, Nebraska. - Eriksen also leads Interiors By Design, where she has worked for more than 40 years. - The recognition highlights her approach to combining construction expertise, anatomy, and research to design homes for people of all abilities.

The details: - Eriksen develops multidisciplinary training programs focused on accessible, functional, and inclusive living environments. - Her background includes a Bachelor of Science, a Master of Science, and CASSI-PRO certification. - Eriksen served as an NKBA board member for the Nebraska/Kansas NKBA for 11 years. - Her work spans kitchen and bath design, universal design, and accessible housing solutions. - Eriksen is known for advancing the idea of “forever homes,” or residences designed to support people through all stages of life. - That design approach is intended to serve people with mobility limitations, neurodiversity, sensory impairments, and chronic health conditions. - Eriksen says homes should fit the human body rather than force people to adapt to poorly designed spaces. - Her method integrates construction science with anatomy, physiology, and evidence-based research. - Eriksen has more than 50 years of teaching experience in biology, anatomy and physiology, and genetics. - She has more than 40 years of experience in construction and design. - Eriksen’s ongoing research in medical and scientific literature informs her design decisions. - She developed accredited educational programs that teach professionals how to apply accessibility and universal design principles. - The website listed for more information is the company’s website. - Her Influential Women profile is available at her profile.

Between the lines: - Eriksen’s work reflects a broader shift from compliance-driven building to human-centered design. - Her emphasis on evidence-based research suggests accessibility can be treated as a design standard, not an afterthought. - The prototype home she designed and built faced skepticism, but Eriksen moved ahead by researching products, selecting subcontractors carefully, and solving problems as they emerged. - Her message to younger women in construction is to question limits and treat “it can’t be done” as a prompt to innovate.

What’s next: - Eriksen plans to keep expanding professional education around accessible design through Construction Education Consortium. - Her goal is to push the industry toward homes that prioritize accessibility, functionality, quality of life, and affordability. - Continued research and training are central to her effort to make inclusive housing a standard part of residential construction.

The bottom line: - Eriksen is using education, research, and design practice to make homes safer, more functional, and more inclusive for people across abilities and life stages.