We are excited to announce our 2026 Person of the Year and seven Praiseworthy Picks and recognize them for their dedication to supporting their peers and the industry as a whole.
2026 KBB Person of the Year
Elizabeth Lord-Levitt, CMKBD, CLIPP, Principal Designer, Elizabeth P. Lord Residential Design LLC & Owner/Founder, Built4Design Residential Academy LLC, Denver
Elizabeth Lord-Levitt has been a National Kitchen & Bath Association member for more than 20 years and has been involved in her Denver Chapter for 14 years. She has served as an NKBA National Design Competition judge, has been a part of the NKBA Chapter Presentation Program and has received the NKBA Remodeling and Floor Plans & Specification badges.
Earlier this year, Lord-Levitt was named the 2025 NKBA Educator of the Year, an honor that acknowledges an individual who has been committed to advancing the knowledge and skills of students in the industry. She says the recognition has been her biggest professional achievement and that it validates her efforts, which can be challenging while also being a full-time designer.
Lord-Levitt was on the Thermador Design Council from 2024-2026 and was selected again for the 2027-2029 term. Through the council, the brand gains access to designers’ minds to develop future product offerings. She was included in the 2025 Top Women in Colorado from the Colorado Business Journal and is a member of the KBB Editorial Advisory Board and the CEDIA Industry Relations Council.
2026 Praiseworthy Picks
Kristeen Allinson-Kuehn, Co-Founder & Construction Director, Prime & Precision Design-Build, Houston
For three summers, Kristeen Allinson-Kuehn has invited college students considering trades careers onto her firm’s job sites to gain hands-on experience with such construction and design skills as framing, plumbing, material selection and project management. She is completing a show home project in Friendswood, Texas, and is also the co-founder of P&P Handcrafted, a sister brand specializing in carpentry, furniture and art. Photo credit: Anton Shaparov
Gina Bauerle, Partner, D’Amore Interiors, Denver
Through her involvement with IDS, Gina Bauerle mentors interior design students and professionals entering the industry. She is also committed to the Accessories Retail Team, a network of home décor professionals. As part of the ART annual conference, she led her own team through a community service project earlier this year to redesign five veterans’ residences with new furnishings and décor donated by sponsors. Photo credit: Eric Lucero Photography
Molly McCabe, AKBD, CLIPP, CGP, CAPS, Principal Designer, McCabe By Design, Bainbridge Island, Wash.
Molly McCabe has been highly active with the NAHB’s Professional Women in Building Council, where she mentors women on how to navigate a career path in the skilled trades. She runs her design practice in tandem with being a full-time caretaker for her spouse who has a degenerative disease. McCabe created an accessible outdoor kitchen and entertaining deck where he spends time photographing wildlife and enjoying the outdoors. Photo credit: Molly McCabe
Ami McKay, Founder & Creative Director, PURE Design Inc., West Vancouver, British Columbia
For 18 years, Ami McKay has been mentoring her female peers and is now volunteering with the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs. She feels that women in business benefit from learning from someone who has already made some mistakes and has come out on the other side. In 2025, McKay was a panelist on Kohler’s “Make Space for Wellness” session at IDS Vancouver, where she spoke to creating healthy homes. Photo credit: Janis Nicolay
Cathy Pitts, CAPS, Design Showroom Manager, Cabinetworks LLC, Staunton, Va.
Cathy Pitts was named the 2026 National Association of Home Builders Young Professional of the Year – Region A. She designed all the cabinetry for the 2025 Augusta Home Builders Association Community Blitz Build event, where local builders and carpentry students came together to build nine small homes in nine days. Pitts also donated $10,000 in cabinetry at retail value through her company. Photo credit: Cathy Pitts
Candace Rudd, CMKBD, General Manager, Two30Nine by Décor, Winnipeg, Manitoba
During the past year, Candace Rudd has served as the NKBA Prairie Provinces communication chair and has participated in the NKBA Mentor Program and on the Red River College Advisory Council. She believes in supporting the professional development of her peers and the future of design education. Rudd was invited to attend the NKBA Women to Women conference in 2024 and 2025. Photo credit: Joanne Penner
Andrea Monath Schumacher, Founder & Principal Designer, Andrea Schumacher Interiors, Denver
Andrea Schumacher mentors her team through a hands-on, collaborative approach that combines technical instruction and developing a designer’s eye. She believes in helping her designers make the right decisions and understanding why to make them. She serves on the Hubbardton Forge Design Advisory Council and was recognized as a 2026 Denver Business Journal Small Business Leader. Photo credit: Roger Davies
