October 2025
Message from the Chapters Team
Dear Chapter Officers,
Happy Kitchen & Bath Month! It’s time to celebrate and nominate the brightest and best in our industry through NKBA Chapter Star Awards and recognize our rising stars in the K&B industry, our Thirty Under 30.
Congratulations to our NKBA Thirty Under 30, Class of 2026! Please join NKBA in celebrating our industry’s rising stars: Emily Ahmad, Baltimore/Washington; Noa Arbely, Southwest Desert; Hayden Bolin, Texas North Plains; Allison Burt, Central Ohio; Lauren Feurich, Chicago Mid West; Daniel Formica, Pittsburgh Tri State; Kiaya Foskett, British Columbia; Shaily Godhani, Ontario/Canada; Alyssa Gomes, CKBD, Mid Atlantic; Allison Green,Texas Hill Country; Mariah Hebenthal, Puget Sound; Sebastian Hernandez, Northern New Jersey; Evan Hill, Georgia; Molly Hillebrand, Pittsburgh Tri State; Laura Honors, Southwest Florida; Leslie Hranicky, Rocky Mountain; Noelle Johnson, Arizona; Abby Killorin, LA/MS/AR; Ella Kirsch, Virginia State; Cayleigh McCusker, Mid Atlantic; Karissa McMillen, Columbia River; Katy O’Connor, Southern California; Kianna Patrick, Georgia; Ally Roberto, Southern California; Molly Roller, Kentuckiana; Krissy Rowe, Puget Sound; Chris Slyman, Missouri/Southern Illinois; Sami Spurr, Mid Atlantic; Leah Turner, CKBD, Ontario/Canada; Perry Zorbas, Ontario/Canada.
Special thanks to our NKBA Thirty Under 30 sponsor, Fabuwood. Special congratulations to our Chapter Officers, including Molly Hillebrand, Leslie Hranicky, Molly Roller, Ally Roberto, and newly elected Ella Kirsch! Cheers to the Thirty Under 30 Class of 2026 and to our Chapters for your support of these emerging K&B professionals.
We’re also celebrating our newest Certified Kitchen & Bath Designer, Claire Wiland, CKBD, Indiana State Chapter! If you would like to know more about CKBD/CMKBD, please email certification@nkba.org.
This month, NKBA’s Learning team will launch our 10th NKBA Specialty Badge – our Natural Stone Badge will be available to purchase later this month! Stay tuned for details. Thank you to our partners, Natural Stone Institute (NSI) and to our esteemed Subject Matter Experts, Alena Capra, CMKBD; Gabriella Silva, North Florida Chapter Officer; and Xander Levinson, Southern New England Chapter Officer.
As we look ahead to an exciting K&B Month, be sure to check out the following fantastic events (and more) that you all have lined up for October, including Oklahoma Expo October 2; Central Ohio water quality CEU October 8; Texas Gulf Coast Evening of Food, Design & Discovery October 9; Alaska AK Trades Hiring Expo October 15; Rocky Mountain Battle of the Chefs October 16; Manhattan Chapter 4th Annual EDU Day October 16; Texas South Plains 1st Annual BBQ cook-off fundraiser October 24-25. NKBA National team wraps up the month at High Point Furniture Market October 25-29. Join us for these events and many more with the 70 Chapters of NKBA!
Warmest wishes,
Kelly
Kelly Buchsbaum
Director, Chapters & Learning
