Her Story
About Amanda
I've been an artist my entire life, and that creative DNA has guided every step of my career. I spent 20 years in theater where I literally did everything except welding - I was behind the stage, on the stage, in front of the stage as a director, set designer, set builder, doing costumes, props, and front of house work. While living in New York in 2008, I felt life taking me in a new direction, so I went back to school for interior design. It just felt right, like a next evolution of always being an artist. My career path took me specifically into the kitchen and bath industry, and it's been the most exciting 14 years with very good highs, very good lows, and everything in between, but a super rewarding career. I worked my way from running a kitchen and bath showroom in the Bronx to doing million-dollar renovations in Manhattan. Then my husband's career took us to Texas, and eventually to Oklahoma. After working for a builder for 5 years, I joined Brewer Carpet One in 2021. They were expanding into the kitchen and bath industry with Kiba Studios, and when I interviewed, it was like sitting down with an old friend - no time had passed. I was hired in August 2024 to help open the first Kiba Studios in Oklahoma, which is now the 50th Kiba across the nation. When I started, the metal studs were up defining the space, and then I just got to do what I do - meeting with every vendor, making decisions about vignettes, wood species, finishes, backsplash, lighting. We did our grand opening in March 2025, and it was probably the most rewarding, successful experience I've had in quite a while. My whole world just opened up again. There's no greater joy than helping somebody work through the ideas and visions in their head and bringing them to life.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Amanda
01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Professor Brown in graduate school at SUNY Albany was one of the biggest influences as a teacher. He was probably the most level-headed educator I'd had, and he really helped me question and ask all the good questions of why I'm motivated to do what I'm doing, and if I'm not satisfied with my answer, where else am I going to look for it. He was always looking around the corner, never being satisfied with 'Well, okay, I think I've got the answer.' He'd say, 'Well, are you sure? Because if you're not sure, keep going.' So it really motivated me to keep going with that, to never settle and always keep questioning and pushing myself further.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Trust that inner voice. Believe in yourself. Always be the most hungry person in the room. And be kind. If you are filled with motivation that is with the intention to help and be the best, that steers every step you take after that. Always, always be ready to help. Stay hungry, and inquisitive, and interested, and excited. Trust that inner voice that it's okay to take that next step.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
As a kitchen and bath designer, your most important relationship is really with an installer - the person that takes your idea and everything that you've designed and physically builds it for you. If that relationship isn't tight, if there isn't that unspoken understanding of what you're trying to pull off, then it's not gonna work. And 98% of those tradespeople are male. I would really, with all of my heart, my greatest joy would be to see more women in the field as carpenters and plumbers and electricians. I'd love to have my own female crew. That would be my greatest joy, to work with talented women that love what they do as much as I like what I do. Because sometimes when you're working with certain individuals, some folks don't appreciate being told this is how this could be done. I've always had that approach of, if I explain it on paper and my drawings and my instructions are as possibly as clear as I can make them, that I'm hoping that interaction will have that respectful dialogue behind it. I've done my part of the job, let's hope that you're also following in those same kind of footsteps. It would be my greatest joy, because it can be challenging, like 'Oh, she's the decorator.' I'm experienced at what I do, and there are things that I know what my limits are. I don't mess around with plumbing, I don't mess around with electric. I trust those individuals that they have done their due diligence, and they're experts in their fields, just like I'm an expert in mine, and I'd like to see that equivalent respect. I have been privileged to have that throughout my career, but not 100% of the time.
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