Our Instructors

Floral Design Institute Instructors are outstanding trained educators as well as experienced and exceptional floral designers with years of real world floral experience. All instructors are registered with the Department of Education. Some own their own floral businesses and some are accredited members of the American Institute of Floral Designers, AIFD. The Floral Design Institute Team of Instructors is regarded as the finest in the world.

Leanne Kesler

AIFD PFCI FDI Director

Leanne is the Education Director and with her husband David, co-owner of Floral Design Institute, Inc.. Leanne purchased the Floral Design Institute in 1988 from Ruth Gifford who founded the Institute in 1969. Together, Leanne and David have built Floral Design Institute into the largest privately held Floral Design School in the world.

David Kesler

AIFD PFCI FDI Director

With his wife Leanne, David is the co-owner of Floral Design Institute, Inc. and serves as Creative Director of the corporation. He is also the Web Master of the FDI web site, the Director and Editor of FDI training DVDs, the Designer and Writer of all FDI marketing materials as well as the Designer and Photographer of the FDI floral design images.

Michelle Headrick

AIFD FDI Lead Floral Instructor

Joining the Floral Design Institute team in 2015, Michelle is an instructor in the Basic Floral Design, Advanced Floral Design and Advanced Wedding Specialist certification programs, both in the classroom and through FDI’s Online Programs. She also teaches Advanced Seminars and Special Interest Classes.

Jeri Barr

FDI Instructor

Jeri created her first wedding over 20 years ago and has loved weddings ever since. She is owner of Bella Bloom Florals where she has turned what was a side job into a wonderful career. She specializes in wedding and event work and has had her work featured by Style Me Pretty, Town & Country and Colin Cowie.

Michelle "Chelle" Dummer

AIFD FDI Instructor

With an impressive design portfolio encompassing a 20 year career as a floral designer specializing is sympathy design, wedding flowers and retail floristry Chelle joined the Floral Design Institute Team in 2016. Chelle is an instructor of the certification programs Basic Floral Design and Advanced Floral Design.

Anna Bowman

FDI Instructor

With an amazing resume that includes growing up surrounded by flowers in Kailua, Hawaii, a degree and career in education, graduating from Floral Design Institute and opening her own floral design business, Anna is a valuable addition to the FDI Tulip Team.

Marisa Perring

AIFD FDI Instructor

In her 18 years as a floral designer Marisa Perring has worked for and studied with some of the design legends in the floral industry including Phil Rulloda AIFD and Cathy Rulloda AIFD. She opened her own floral design studio California Emporflora in Southern California in 2005. In 2013 she moved to Portland, Oregon and joined the FDI instructor team in 2017.

Carolyn Soumokil

FDI Instructor

Carolyn brings a wealth of real world floral design experience to Floral Design Institute. She is a proud graduate of Floral Design Institute who found her love and passion for floral design when she took her first class from Leanne Kesler in 1991.

Beth Lane

FDI Instructor Emeritus

Beth began her floral career in Palatine, Illinois at the age of 16 working as a floral delivery driver. With over 35 years of experience as a floral designer, having worked in multiple retail stores and owing her own studio based wedding floral business, Beth processes a treasure of practical experience to share with her students.

Nancy Higgins

FDI Instructor Emeritus

Nancy has been part of the Floral Design Institute team for over 26 years. "It has been my honor and pleasure to continually bring the joy of floral design to so many students over the years" Nancy is an instructor of the certification programs Basic Floral Design and Advanced Floral Design.

Chuck Schomaker

FDI Instructor

Chuck teaches in the classroom as well as working full time at Old Town Florist. An artistic soul, he has a fine arts background and is a skilled painter. His floral career began 24 years ago at the legendary Portland florist ”Flowers by Dorcas” and he is renowned for his dramatic high-style arrangements.

Megan Hodge

FDI Education Assistant

Megan joined the FDI team in 2015. As the educational assistant Megan wears many hats—she works closely with the instructors and the Distance Learning Department to ensure all students have everything they need to enjoy their floral studies with success.

Go Back