September 2025
Message from the Chapters Team
Dear Chapter Officers,
Here’s to a spectacular September! Today, KBIS 2026 registration will open at no cost for all NKBA members. Please spread the word to your Chapter members and encourage them to register today and sign up for VFTI. As a reminder, Chapter Officers do not register at this time. Chapter Officer VIP registration and travel information will follow in October. If you are rotating off Chapter council in 2026, please remember to take advantage of free KBIS registration in September!
In other exciting September news…Join NKBA this month as we celebrate the Kitchen & Bath educational community during Education Appreciation Week, taking place September 22–26.
Throughout the week, we’ll spotlight inspiring programs, meaningful initiatives, and valuable content that support the next generation of K&B professionals.
This is also the perfect time for NKBA chapters to connect with local schools and educators who are shaping future industry leaders.
Education Appreciation Week will culminate in the NKBA Student Design Symposium, a dynamic virtual conference featuring keynote speaker and KBB Person of the Year, Alena Capra, CMKBD.
Thank you for your leadership in your chapters – and please consider our NKBA National Committees as well. Self-nominations are open today through September 30 at 5 PM EST.
It’s Back to School special time, and the NKBA Learning Department will be offering our educational materials at significant discounts for the entire month of September 2025! All Specialty Badges will be available at half-price ($99). All Certification bundles will be marked down $200 from the original price (all Certification applications must be received by September 30, 2025 to be eligible for the discount). Spiral-bound hard copies of the Kitchen & Bath Planning Guidelines 4th Edition will be available for a flat fee of $50. All NKBA members will receive an e-mail with a promo code for the K&B Planning Guidelines. If anyone has any questions, please e-mail info@nkba.org.
We’re celebrating our newest Certified Kitchen & Bath Designer, Christina Anisa Lee, CKBD, of NKBA Mid Atlantic Chapter. Congratulations to Christina and Mid Atlantic, with four new CKBDs this summer! If you would like to know more about CKBD/CMKBD, please email certification@nkba.org.
As summer draws to a close, the NKBA Chapters team would like to congratulate all our 70 chapters for a successful season, from exciting Chapter Officer elections (40 chapters held elections!) to outstanding programs and events. Special programs in August included Alaska Chapter engaging with students through a K&B internship program; Central Florida Chapter featuring “Creating Your Brand in Today’s Design Industry” with speaker Alena Capra, CMKBD; Rocky Mountain Chapter providing Construction Basics with speaker Elizabeth Lord-Levitt, CMKBD; and Texas Hill Country extending professional development opportunities through a Lunch & Learn series. Kudos to our NKBA Chapters for providing these programs and more!
Make plans to join the NKBA | KBIS team over the next two months! Join us in North Carolina at High Point Furniture Market October 25-29, and Toronto at Kitchen + Bath Canada Expo November 5-6. Register for KBC Expo today, and watch for itineraries on both shows coming soon!
Thank you again for our wonderful Chapter Officers – we look forward to an awesome month with all of you!
Warmest wishes,
Kelly
Kelly Buchsbaum
Director, Chapters & Learning
