Do you work hard to keep a design or construction project on track, only to find yourself frequently caught up in problems caused by poor communication? Is talking through the situation only making things worse?  Would you like to avoid future misunderstandings? We “BLING” up our designs and presentations, but how about honing our interpersonal skills for SUCCESS? Discover your own communication style, its strengths and weaknesses, as well as how to identify others' styles for more effective communication, and ultimately add to your bottom line. In this fun and lively interactive session, Maria will introduce a variety of communication styles to help you determine which is yours, and how to modify it to meet the needs of others. You’ll practice using real world examples.  As a bonus, everyone will take away an “emergency toolkit” of phrases to help in stressful situations!

Maria Stapperfenne, CMKBD CLIPP

Tewksbury Kitchens & Baths, Whitehouse Station, NJ
Maria is an award-winning designer and sought-after educational speaker but is most recognized for serving as the NKBA National President (2015).  She earned the credentials of CMKBD an NKBA Certified Master Kitchen and Bath Designer in August of 2015 and CLIPP a Certified Living in Place Professional in 2016. 

She is employed as the Manager and Designer of Tewksbury Kitchens & Baths, a division of Huston Lumber & Supply Co. collaborating with other trade professionals to help make client dream spaces come true and holds a BA from Trenton State College. Today she serves on the advisory boards of Kitchen & Bath Business Magazine and The Living in Place Institute.  Maria is a CLIPP Instructor and an NKBA CEU Program presenter, was named in KBDN’s “Top 50 Innovators” for 2017 and earned the NKBA’s “Early Adopter Luxury Kitchen Recycling Award” in 2019 and in 2022 was a judge for this and other awards.

Maria loves her family, volunteerism, traveling, live music, learning, and great design…while still holding a K-12 teaching certificate in the state of NJ. She is an Elk, a practicing musician, a lucky wife and proud mother of 3 fabulous humans and 2 rescue dogs.