The Professional Beauty Association (PBA) announced the 34th annual North American Hairstyling Awards (NAHA) finalists. NAHA is the most prestigious professional beauty competition in North America and honors the salon industry’s top artists who push the boundaries of skill and creativity. NAHA 2023 is no exception, with extraordinary collections ranging from edgy Avant Garde to fashion-forward Editorial to nuanced Texture.
"The 2023 North American Hairstyling Award finalists exemplify the pinnacle of excellence in the industry," shares Nina Daily, PBA’s Executive Director. “Year after year, we continue to be amazed by the elevation of submissions demonstrated by these talented artists.”
To win a coveted NAHA award, artists submit their collections in fourteen creative and inspirational categories of hair, makeup, and education excellence. Development of these collections often takes months of envisioning, planning, and shooting.
Collections are judged anonymously in three rounds by a panel of esteemed experts in hairdressing and makeup artistry, and are scored based on technical skill, cohesiveness, and creativity.
The NAHA 2023 Finalists are:
AVANT GARDE
Adrian Gutierrez
Anakin Chan
Ashley Jackson
Cassie Carey
David Barron
BARBER OF THE YEAR
Nieves Almaraz
Charles Robinson
Jamie DiGrazia
Cecilia Jimenez
Victor Hugo
EDITORIAL STYLIST OF THE YEAR
Adrian Gutierrez
Jamie Wiley
Lisa Von Kurvink
Joan Novak
Timothy Cabell
EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR
Nina Tulio
Elizabeth Faye
Rodrick Samuels
Angelica Prather
Keya Neal
HAIRCOLOR
Lindsey Olson
Nicole Pede
Lori Zabel
Greta Coston
Luis Gonzalez
HAIRCUTTING
George Garcia
Chrystofer Benson
Yuki Yasui
Brayden Pelletier
Nieves Almaraz
HAIRSTYLIST OF THE YEAR
Julie Vriesinga
Frank Cini
Danielle Keasling
Keith Bryce
Brayden Pelletier
INSPIRING SALON OF THE YEAR
Prolific Styles of Art Beauty and Barber Salon
Hair is Happiness
Logan Parlor
Crawford Master Stylists Ltd.
Panache An Aveda Salon and Spa
MAKEUP ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Breanne Gershon
Nohemi Capetillo
Isidro Valencia
Sam Watson
Mel Martinez
MASTER HAIRSTYLIST OF THE YEAR
Allen Ruiz
Chris Baran
Ruth Roche
Anna Pacitto
Teresa Romero
STUDENT HAIRSTYLIST OF THE YEAR
Nicole Sherman
Cooper Brooks
Didem Gokturk
Destiny Johnson
Savanna Hoffman
STYLING AND FINISHING
Carlos Alvarez
Danielle Waterman
Jaimee Harris Smith
Kenneth Dawson
Caidy Brasure
TEAM OF THE YEAR
Derrick Rutherford & Julio Rodriguez
Team Vortex: Jamie McDaniel, Joe Chesbro, Anne Chesbro, Laura Frazier, Manda Ziegelman and Suzanne Sturm.
JCPenney Salon Design Team: Jaimee Harris Smith, Brendnetta Ashley and Brittany Brown
Nurtur Aveda Institutes: Laura Vaughn, Taylor Fultz, Niki Stover, Erin Gates, Joseph Garcia, Marie Pannell-Biggs and Stephanie Huntsman
Hair Biz and Beyond: Laura Gunter, Anthony Negron, Galyna Poczciwinski, Stacy Anne and Danielle Keasling
TEXTURE
Shannon King
Alexander Turnbull
Keith Bryce
Lukas Press
Caidy Brasure
The competition culminates in an industry-wide celebration of artistry at the NAHA ceremony, held in conjunction with Premiere Anaheim, on Sunday, April 2, 2023, in Anaheim, CA. The 2023 NAHA ceremony will feature artistic presentations by Ulta, Ashtae, CBC Collective, and Cassie Carey, the 2022 NAHA Hairstylist of the Year. Tickets for the 2023 ceremony are available at probeauty.org/naha.
