September 2025 Chapter Officer Update – NKBA

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September 2025

Chapter Officer Update

Thank you to our Partners:

“Here’s to a spectacular September! Today, KBIS 2026 registration will open at no cost for all NKBA members.“

View Full Message from National →

Important Dates

September 2 – Chapter Leadership Results due

September 2 – KBIS registration opens

September 9 – Presidents monthly call – 4 PM ET

September 16 – Programs Chair monthly call – 3 PM ET

September 16 – Communications Chair monthly call – 4 PM ET

September 17 – Membership Chair monthly call – 3 PM ET

September 17 – Secretary/Treasurer monthly call – 4 PM ET

September 22-26 – NKBA Education Appreciation Week

September 30 – NKBA National Committees nominations deadline – 5 PM ET

Chapters

NKBA’s Chapters Team is here for you – reach out to us via email or call 610-988-6035.

Kelly Buchsbaum, Director, Chapters & Learning

kbuchsbaum@nkba.org 

Kristin Shechter, Chapter Engagement Manager

kshechter@nkba.org 

Melissa Flynn, Chapters & Skilled Trades Manager

mflynn@nkba.org

Elizabeth Mace, Chapters & Learning Specialist

emace@nkba.org

General info, meeting notices, and roster requests:

chapters@nkba.org

Research

Stay in the know with the latest Kitchen & Bath industry trends and upcoming research releases from NKBA.

Please remember to check your email and share your insights in the 2026 Primary Bath Trends Survey. The survey is closing in early September. Don’t miss your chance to win $500!

Key dates to watch:

September 3: NKBA and CEDIA joint research report: Technology Integration in Kitchen, Bath, or Whole Home Design

September 18: 2026 NKBA Kitchen Design Trends Summit and Research Report

Reminder: Join the Kitchen & Bath Pro Hub! If you are not yet a member of NKBA’s Kitchen & Bath Hub, you should be! Connect with peers, access exclusive research, and earn rewards – all for free!

Marketing

Share your expertise with industry professionals and submit to present an NKBA | KBIS webinar! Webinar submissions are due Monday, September 29: https://nkba.org/webinar-submissions/

NKBA presents the following Design & Business Webinars with registration links below. Webinars begin at 12 PM ET with 0.1 CEU per webinar.

September 9 | Think Outside the Kitchen
September 16 | Outdoor Technology
September 17 | CRM Optimization Secrets
September 23 | Elevating Outdoor Design
September 30 | The Modern Outdoor Kitchen

Students & Educators

NKBA is proud to recognize the incredible contributions of the kitchen and bath education community during our annual Education Appreciation Week, Sept 22–26. All week long, we’ll be highlighting impactful programs, sharing stories that inspire, and featuring resources that help build the future of our industry.

This is a great opportunity for NKBA chapters to engage with local schools and educators who are shaping the next generation of K&B professionals. To support this effort, NKBA will be providing outreach letter templates for chapters to use when connecting with student and school members, making it easy to extend your chapter’s reach and impact.

Let’s show our appreciation and strengthen the connection between industry and education, together.

We’re closing out Education Appreciation Week with the NKBA Student Design Symposium—a high-energy virtual event designed to inform and inspire. This year’s keynote speaker is Alena Capra, CMKBD, a celebrated designer and KBB Person of the Year. The symposium is scheduled for Friday, September 26, 2025, from 12 PM to 2:30 PM ET. Registration is required. 

Visit the Student Design Symposium page for more details and the link to register.

Governance

NKBA will start accepting self-nominations for its national elections on September 2. This is an opportunity to take volunteerism from the local to the national level by serving on the association’s Board of Directors (BOD) or one of its key standing committees.

Open positions include:

  1. Board of Directors (BOD) – Two positions
  2. Chapter Leadership Committee (CLC) – One position
  3. Leadership Recruitment Committee (LRC) – One position
  4. KBIS Exhibitor Committee (KEC) – Four positions

To be considered for the Board of Directors, Chapter Leadership Committee or Leadership Recruitment Committee, candidates must be NKBA members in good standing. To learn more about open national volunteer roles, go here.

Please note that Chapter Leadership Committee (CLC) applicants must be a current chapter officer or have previously served at least one full term as a chapter officer within the last two years. The applicant does not need to maintain officer status, however, to remain in the CLC position.

Additionally, to be eligible for election to the KBIS Exhibitor Committee, applicants must have been an exhibitor at KBIS 2025 and must commit to exhibit at KBIS 2026.

Nominations will close September 30 at 5 PM ET, so be sure to apply!

Since NKBA introduced the Kitchen & Bath Industry Hall of Fame in 1989, the association has honored over 90 outstanding individuals, recognizing their impact and contributions to the growth and integrity of the kitchen and bath industry. Nominations will open on September 8 and will close on October 15 at 5 PM ET.

We encourage you to honor those who have shaped our industry by sharing their stories. Before submitting your nominee for consideration, please read the criteria found on NKBA.org carefully to ensure your nominee meets the Hall of Fame standards. Nominating an outstanding individual requires thoughtful and thorough responses in the application. The Hall of Fame represents the highest level of achievement in our industry, and the review committee will evaluate only the materials provided — no outside research will be conducted, so please take the time to supply your nominee with a stellar submission. We look forward to reviewing your entry for this prestigious honor. Visit https://nkba.org/hall-of-fame-nominations/ for more information.

Government Relations

NKBA actively monitors legislation and public policy developments impacting the kitchen and bath industry, sharing key updates each month through our Government Relations Newsletter.

Hot topics this month include:

U.S. Appliances: Congressman Rick Allen introduced H.R. 4626, also known as the Don’t Mess with My Home Appliances Act, which seeks to prevent the Executive Branch from issuing standards on household appliances that would drive up costs and reduce availability.

U.S. Housing: The Senate Banking Committee advanced bipartisan legislation to boost housing supply by removing regulatory barriers and creating incentives for communities that build more homes.   

U.S. – Canadian Lumber Duties: As part of the regularly scheduled review process by the U.S. Commerce Department, countervailing duties on Canadian lumber imports increased from 6.74% to 14.63%. 

Canadian Interior Design: The Council for Interior Design Qualification (CIDQ) and the Interior Designers of Canada (IDC) announced the launch of a joint initiative, the Canadian Advocacy Collaborative, which will support the development and promotion of public policy that upholds professional standards. 

We hope you benefit from the value these resources bring to you, your profession, and the kitchen & bath industry. Please reach out directly to Steven Campeau, NKBA’s Senior Manager, Global & Government Relations at scampeau@nkba.org, for any specific questions.

Professional Development

Gain CEU credits in September via Design & Business Webinars on www.nkba.org.

CONGRATULATIONS to our newest NKBA Certified and Specialty Badge earners and your Chapters! 

CKBD / CMKBD

Christina Anisa Lee NKBA CKBD Member. Christina is a member of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter. Congratulations, Christina!

SPECIALTY BADGES

Deborah McLaughlin, Clark Young Creations, Cabinetry, Georgia

Maisa Arruda, WISA Solutions LLC, Cabinetry, Northern California

Karina Pitin, Danville Design Group, Floor Plans, Northern California

Cesar Andrade, Revive & Renew Remodeling LLC, Cabinetry, Texas North Plains

Amy Lockard, Clark Young Creations, LLC, Remodeling, Georgia

Emily Duffy, Angelo Associates Inc, Lighting Universal Design, Pittsburgh Tri-State

Sasan Farboudi, Cabinetry, Southern California, Student

Cassidy Hardesty, CDHardesty Designs, Floor Plans & Specifications, Indiana State

Kalvin Jones, Carolina Dream Kitchens LLC, Universal Design Cabinetry, Eastern Carolinas

Lindsey Best, Strasser Woodenworks, Sales & Marketing, Puget Sound

Amanda Gibble, Sunnyfields Kitchen & Baths, Remodeling, Baltimore/Washington

Kimberly Wright, Mid South Building Supply Inc, Color, Virginia State

Naomi Fraser, Floor Plans & Specifications, Northern New England

Jen Royce, RL Rider Remodeling, Cabinetry, West Michigan

Ella Kirsch, Lane Homes & Remodeling, Inc, Cabinetry, Virginia State

Fabian Pallares, Cabinetry, San Diego

Hope Ann Skaggs, Floor Plans & Specifications, San Diego

Robin Decoteau, Kitchen & Bath Gallery by Supply New England, Cabinetry, Sales & Marketing, Appliance, Floor Plans & Specifications, Lighting Northern New England

Member
Relations

Frequently Asked Questions and Member Videos for those most asked questions.

New Members are vital to the success of NKBA and our Chapters. Please send prospective members to membership@nkba.org and we will send detailed information on member benefits, membership cost, certification, badges and more.

Please reach out to Gerri Klein (gklein@nkba.org) with any NKBA membership structure questions.

NKBA Membership Signup. Please share this link. If anyone needs a hard copy of the application, please email info@nkba.org. There is an updated 2025 membership application with new rates.

Company admins can remove employees who are no longer with the company directly through the company profile on www.nkba.org.

To add new employees, please email info@nkba.org and our Member Relations Team will be happy to assist. We’ll need:

  • First and last names
  • Unique email addresses

Any employees working directly for an NKBA member company can be added at no charge—including Sales Reps who work from a home office.

If you have individuals on your roster without email addresses, please send those names to info@nkba.org as well. We’ll reach out to confirm their status with the company and, if applicable, secure an email address.

Have questions? We’re always glad to help—just reach out to info@nkba.org.

Thank you!

NKBA’s Member Relations team is always available to assist our Members and Chapters. Contact Gerri Klein, Sr Manager, Member Relations at 610-988-6030 or email info@nkba.org. Also part of the Member Relations team is Aislinn Galvin-Keil who looks forward to working with our Chapters!