About the Board

  • What is the purpose of the Board?
    The primary purpose of any regulatory board is to serve the public by ensuring competent practice within an occupation. Section 7301.1 of the Business and Professions Code states that protection of the public shall be the highest priority of the Board in exercising its licensing, regulatory, and disciplinary functions.
  • Who makes up the membership of the Board?
    The Board shall consist of 13 members. Of those 13 members, the majority (seven) are members of the public, meaning they have no financial connection to the industry. The remaining six members are members of the industry. The six professional members shall be comprised as follows: a cosmetologist, a barber, an esthetician, an electrologist, a manicurist, and an establishment owner.
  • What does the executive officer do?
    The Board's executive officer (EO) is appointed by the Board. The EO oversees all the daily operations of the Board including enforcement, examinations, licensing, and administrative functions.
  • How are Board meetings held?
    Board meetings are held in accordance with the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act. This act requires that meetings of a public body shall be open to the public. The act sets many other requirements on how the Board must conduct its public board meetings. For example, the agenda must be published at least 10 calendar days prior to the meeting date, and the public must be allowed to make comments on motions made by the Board.
  • Why are Board Members not allowed to respond to questions during the public comment period?
    The Board can only discuss items that have been specifically posted on the agenda. Any other items that the public brings up cannot be discussed based on the fact that there was no agenda item to notify the public there would be a discussion on the topic that was brought up by the public.
  • Why doesn't the Board advocate for the industry?
    The Board is, by law, a consumer protection agency. It does not have the legal authority to advocate on behalf of the industry. The role of industry advocate falls to the industry associations.
In 1927, the Board of Barber Examiners and the Board of Cosmetology were established. The Board of Barber Examiners governed the barbering profession, and the Board of Cosmetology governed the cosmetology profession. The Board of Barber Examiners consisted of 5 members, 2 of which were public members. The Board of Cosmetology consisted of 7 members, 2 of which were public members.

Throughout the years there were minor changes to the laws of each profession. For example, the requirement of apprenticeship prior to master barber licensing for barbers and revision to the cosmetology laws to include a separate manicurist license, electrology license, and esthetician license. In 1939 the manicurist license and the electrology license were added, and in 1978 the cosmetician (esthetician) license was added.

In 1992, the Board of Barber Examiners and the Board of Cosmetology were merged to create the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. Chapter 10, Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code (known and cited as the Barbering and Cosmetology Act) was enacted by AB 3008 (Eastin, Chapter 1672, Statutes of 1990) and became effective July 1, 1992. In July 1997, the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology was eliminated by the California Legislature and the duties, powers, and functions of the Board were transferred directly to the Department of Consumer Affairs and were administered by the Bureau of Barbering and Cosmetology. On January 1, 2003, SB 1482 (Polanco, Chapter 1148, Statutes of 2002) reinstated the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology (BBC).
Calimay Pham, President, Public Member

Calimay Pham of Los Angeles has been appointed to the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. Ms. Pham has been an attorney for the County of Los Angeles, Child Support Services Department since 2017. Ms. Pham is a graduate of UCLA School of Law and currently serves as a Planning Commissioner for the City of Alhambra and a Lecturer in Law at USC Gould School of Law. Her term expires January 1, 2027.


Tonya Fairley, Vice President, Industry Member

Tonya Fairley of Pasadena has been appointed to the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. Ms. Fairley has been the Owner of Strandz on Grand Inc. since 2017, TS Fairley Leadership and Personnel Development Co. since 2015, and Strandz Hair Studio since 2013. She is a member of the John Maxwell Team and the International Association of Women. Her term expires January 1, 2025.


Anthony M. Bertram, Industry Member

Anthony M. Bertram, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. Bertram has been a barber at Blade Barbershop since 2022. He has also been an actor and member of the Screen Actors Guild since 2007. He was an Assistant Director of Financial Aid Services at the University of Southern California from 2012 to 2015. Bertram earned a Master of Social Entrepreneurship degree from Pepperdine University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from Adelphi University. His term expires January 1, 2027.


Megan A. Ellis, Public Member

Megan A. Ellis, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. She has been a Grant Writer and Coordinator at One Community Health since 2018. She held multiple positions at the California Department of Education from 2012 to 2018, including Legislative Analyst for the Executive Office, in Strategic Initiatives, and Staff Services Analyst for the Mirant Education Office. Ellis was a Policy Analyst Intern for the Napa Valley Unified School District in 2011. She earned a Master of Arts degree in educational policy and leadership from the University of Michigan, Rackham School of Education. Her term expires January 1, 2027.


Kellie L. Funk, Industry Member

Kellie L. Funk, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. Ms. Funk has been an Esthetician and Owner at Kellie Lynn's Esthetics since 2016. She was an Esthetician at the Byuti Salon and Spa from 2011 to 2016 and has worked as a licensed esthetician since 2005. Her term expires January 1, 2026.


Dr. Yolanda Jimenez, Public Member

Dr. Yolanda Jimenez, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. Dr. Jimenez has been a Teacher for the Twin Rivers Unified School District since 2006. She is a member of the National Writing Project – Area 3. Jimenez earned a Master of Arts degree in Education from California State University, San Jose, where she also received her doctoral degree in Educational Leadership. Her term expires January 1, 2025.


Colette A. Kavanaugh, Industry Member

Colette A. Kavanaugh, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. Ms. Kavanaugh has been Owner and Electrologist at Colibri Electrology since 2022 and an Associate Personnel Analyst at the California State Library since 2020. She was On–Call Library Assistant at the Sacramento Public Library from 2019 to 2020. Ms. Kavanaugh was an Associate Personnel Analyst at the Department of Health Care Services from 2016 to 2020. She held several positions at the Employment Development Department from 2015 to 2016, including Personnel Specialist and Staff Services Analyst. She is a member of the American Electrology Association and the Northern California Chapter of the Electrologists' Association of California. Her term expires January 1, 2026.


Tamika Miller, Industry Member

Tamika Miller, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. Ms. Miller has been a licensed manicurist since 1998. She was CEO of Cuticles Nail Spa from 2006 to 2023. She is the founder and CEO of Cuticles Spa Consulting. Her term expires January 1, 2027.


Danielle Munoz, Public Member

Danielle Munoz of Sacramento has been appointed to the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. Ms. Munoz has been Director of the CARES Office at California State University, Sacramento since 2016. She was a Therapist at the Gender Health Center from 2016 to 2020, a Marriage and Family Therapist at Turning Point Community Programs from 2012 to 2015 and a Service Coordinator at the Alta Regional Center from 2010 to 2012. She is Founder of Nopal Kweenz Podcast, Co–Founder of IMPACT Solutions for Change, and a Nueva Epoca Fellow. Ms. Munoz earned a Master of Science degree in Marriage, Family and Child Counseling from California State University, Sacramento. Her term expires January 1, 2026.


Steve Weeks, Public Member

Mr. Weeks of Los Angeles has been reappointed to the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. He has served on the Board since July 28, 2017. Mr. Weeks was formerly president of a national mortgage banking company and an international business finance company. He also serves as an executive board member of Southern Methodist University and has served on several Los Angeles County Commissions. His term expires January 1, 2025.



If you're interested in being considered for an appointment to the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, contact:
The Board of Barbering and Cosmetology (BBC) protects and educates consumers who seek barbering, cosmetology, and electrology services. The BBC also regulates the individuals who provide the services and the establishments in which the services are performed.

Chapter 10, Article 1, Section 7312 of the Business and Professions Code defines BBC's legal mandate. It consists of the following duties and responsibilities:
  • Adopt rules and regulations in aid or furtherance of this chapter in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act.
  • Conduct and administer examinations of applicants for licensure.
  • Issue licenses to qualified applicants.
  • Discipline persons who have been determined to be in violation of this chapter or the regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter.
  • Adopt rules governing sanitary conditions and precautions to be employed as are reasonably necessary to protect the public health and safety in establishments, schools approved by the Board, and in the practice of any profession provided for in this chapter. The rules shall be adopted in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Title 2 of the Government Code, and shall be submitted to the State Department of Public Health and approved by that department prior to filing with the Secretary of State. A written copy of all those rules shall be furnished to each licensee.
  • Offer and make available all written materials provided to licensees and applicants in English, Korean, Spanish, and Vietnamese.

The Board of Barbering and Cosmetology regulates and licenses individuals and establishments in six licensing categories. In addition, the Board oversees apprentices and establishments where Board regulated services are provided.
  • Barbers
  • Cosmetologists
  • Electrologists
  • Estheticians
  • Hairstylists
  • Manicurists


Exams
  • BBC ensures that applicants for licensure have completed the necessary training and passed an examination. The examination requires the individual to demonstrate that they possess the knowledge required to protect the public's health and safety. After successfully passing the examination, individuals are issued the applicable license by the BBC.
  • The BBC does not license schools of cosmetology, barbering, or electrology. The Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE) is responsible for licensing private schools. The BBC does, however, have statutory authority to specify what curricula will be followed by these schools for any course of study that will qualify a student, upon graduation, to take the state licensing examination. Schools must also obtain the BBC approval based on specific requirements.


Enforcement
  • The BBC Enforcement Unit enforces applicable laws, rules, and regulations and takes appropriate action against harmful practitioners. During 2021-2022, the BBC received 4,512 complaints involving gross negligence and/or incompetence; unsanitary conditions in establishments and schools of barbering, cosmetology, and electrology; unlicensed activities; and misrepresentation or false advertising of services. Each complaint is investigated, and disciplinary action is taken if appropriate.


Inspections
  • The BBC's health and safety rules are enforced through the BBC's Inspection Unit which conducts random and targeted health and safety inspections of establishments and schools.
Executive Officer Kristy Underwood

Kristy Underwood was appointed to the position of Executive Officer of the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology on August 10, 2005. As Executive Officer, Kristy oversees one of the largest barbering and cosmetology regulatory boards in the country with 104 employees and a budget of over $19 million.

Since her appointment, Kristy has made it a goal to provide education to consumers and licensees on the dangers that face consumers while receiving barbering, cosmetology and electrology services. In Kristy's efforts to protect consumers she implemented new regulation for the cleaning and disinfecting of whirlpool footspas and legislation that takes disciplinary action against a licensee where a whirlpool footspa is found to be an imminent risk to consumer safety.

Kristy brings 16 years of experience in working within regulatory programs to the Board. Prior to her appointment as Executive Officer, Kristy held several positions in the Department of Consumer Affairs including positions with the Professional Engineers Board, Hearing Aid Dispensers Bureau, and multiple other regulatory programs. Ms. Underwood graduated from the Leadership for the Government Executive Program at Sacramento State University.

Kristy is dedicated to continue her goals of working with and educating both consumers and the industry in hopes that no consumer harm will come from a barbering, cosmetology or electrology service.

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