Kelli Shepard

The meeting agenda includes discussions on agency department reports, including legislative, rulemaking, financial, and licensing updates. The board will consider the annual election of board officers. A significant portion of the meeting is dedicated to a complaint review and consent agenda involving the dismissal of cases or the issuance of letters of concern for various salons and individuals. Further items involve formal administrative hearings, requests for rehearing or review of previous board decisions, and considerations regarding the denial or granting of relicensure. The session also includes informal interviews and a call for public comment.

The board meeting agenda includes reports from the Executive Director covering agency department updates, staffing, legislative progress, financial status, testing, licensing, and compliance data. Key items involve a complaint review and consent agenda featuring numerous license dismissals and letters of concern. The board will also discuss and take action on applications for licensure by examination, requests for case rehearings or reviews, and formal administrative hearings. Additionally, the agenda provides for an informal interview process for various salon and barbershop owners regarding regulatory matters, followed by a call for public comment.

The meeting included the Pledge of Allegiance and a roll call of members and staff. Key board business involved the approval of the December 19, 2025, Board Meeting minutes and a declaration of conflicts of interest, which resulted in no conflicts being reported. The Board welcomed visiting Barber and Cosmetology students and instructors from Turning Point Beauty College and Gateway Community College. The Executive Director provided reports on agency departments, including financials and licensing updates. The Board received Annual Conflict of Interest Training. Significant actions were taken during the Complaint Review phase, resulting in the unanimous approval of staff recommendations to dismiss eight cases, issue letters of concern for fourteen cases, and send one case to an informal interview without negotiation terms. Furthermore, twenty-four cases were recommended for an informal interview with negotiation terms. Under items for Board Review, the Board dismissed one case without prejudice. During the informal interview sessions, the Board accepted findings of fact and conclusions of law for several cases, issuing civil penalties and probationary periods where applicable, and in other instances, moving to a formal hearing unless a consent agreement was accepted. The Board also addressed licensing violations, including issuing penalties for an unlicensed establishment and inactive personal license. The meeting included a call for public comment and concluded with the Board holding an Executive Session to discuss the Executive Director's annual performance review, ultimately voting to issue a percentage-based bonus to the Executive Director.

The agenda for the Arizona Barbering & Cosmetology Board meeting includes standard procedural items such as Call to Order and Roll Call. Board Business covers the potential approval of the December 19, 2025, Regular Board Minutes, declarations of conflict of interest, and welcoming visiting students and instructors. The Executive Director's report will detail agency departments, including staffing, financials for December 2025, testing, licensing, customer care, and compliance updates. The meeting also schedules Conflict of Interest Training, Complaint Review/Consent Agenda items involving recommended dismissals, letters of concern, and scheduling informal interviews with and without negotiation terms for various licensees and establishments. Further items include a review and possible action on dismissing a specific complaint without prejudice, and a review, discussion, and possible action regarding the Executive Director's annual performance review.

The board meeting included discussions and possible actions regarding the approval of minutes from prior meetings, declarations of conflict of interest, and a welcome to visiting barbering and cosmetology students. The Executive Director's report covered various agency departments, including staffing, financials, licensing, and compliance updates. Major actions involved directing staff to proceed with regulatory changes to the administrative code based on a draft update, and unanimously approving updates to the board disciplinary parameters, including changing the wording for 'blood exposure kit' instead of 'blood spill kit' effective January 1, 2026. The board also addressed numerous complaint review cases, moving several to recommended dismissals, issuing letters of concern, or scheduling informal interviews, both with and without negotiation terms. One case regarding an expired license resulted in a civil penalty.