Cosmetology and Barber Examiners Board approves new barber school, two relocations and multiple licensure actions

The Tennessee State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners on Feb. 3 in Nashville approved a new barber school application subject to minor corrections and approved two school location changes, and it granted several individual licensure exceptions and agreements.

The board voted to approve Ivan’s Barber Academy (presented by Ivan Rajed) on the condition that the school submit requested corrections to paperwork and clock-hour calculations. Executive Director Roxanna Gamusio told the board staff had found mismatches between listed part-time hours and the daily schedule and that the school must specify the weeks/months-to-graduate math for clock hours. Gamusio also said apprenticeship students must be shown in the application as spending 50% of hours at the school and 50% at a barbershop; she told the applicant to add that split to the paperwork. "If you do 20 hours, you would either need another 4-hour day, or add an hour each day," Gamusio said while reviewing the application. The board approved the school pending those updates and an inspection.

The board also approved a change of location for Glam and Grit School of Cosmetology after reviewing a revised floor plan. Board staff noted the new facility totals about 6,150 square feet. "We do have a motion and a second to approve the change in location of the school," Chair Becky Russell said before members voted to approve.

For DCI Academy of Cosmetology, owner Destiny Cox presented a relocation that the board approved contingent on submission of a clarified curriculum. Gamusio and board members asked Cox to: clarify which courses are synchronous virtual instruction versus in-person; specify that apprenticeship students spend 50% of hours in school and 50% in a salon under a licensed supervising professional; add the instructor-licensing requirement (three years licensed prior to instructor licensure) where applicable; confirm that students sign that they received and read the enrollment agreement before payment; and add the state-required domestic-violence training requirement to graduation terms. Cox said the school will send the revised curriculum after the meeting.

Licensing actions taken at the meeting included approval of five applicants with recent felony convictions to proceed toward licensure with board-required agreed orders. The file presented lists Andrea Caldwell, Floyd Howard, Preston Moore, Emma Najafaddabi and Christopher Shelton; board staff said agreed orders of two years will be prepared by legal staff before issuance. The board also approved individual waivers and extensions under rule 0440-01-.10 and Tennessee statute where applicants had passed but failed to apply within the six-month window. Those approvals included requests by Kathy Eviles and Nicola Perfora to receive licensure despite the lapse and an extension for Madison McKillop to complete required coursework under Tennessee Code Annotated 62-4-123.

Administrative housekeeping included routine approval of the meeting minutes and motions to authorize staff to finalize the agreed orders and corrected paperwork. Most votes were taken by voice, and the board voiced unanimous approval on the presented items.

Members were careful to separate discussion from final action: staff noted multiple document corrections required before certificates and inspections are finalized, and the board conditioned approvals on receipt of those corrected materials and completion of inspections.

Votes at a glance - Approve Ivan’s Barber Academy (new barber school), subject to paperwork and clock-hour corrections and inspection — approved (voice vote). - Approve Glam and Grit School of Cosmetology change of location (new floor plan; 6,150 sq. ft.) — approved (voice vote). - Approve DCI Academy of Cosmetology relocation, contingent on submission of clarified curriculum and other edits — approved (voice vote). - Approve five felony applicants to proceed to licensure with two-year agreed orders to be drafted by legal staff — approved (voice vote). - Waive reexamination / allow delayed licensure for Kathy Eviles and Nicola Perfora under rule 0440-01-.10 — approved (voice votes). - Grant extension to Madison McKillop to complete coursework under TCA 62-4-123 — approved (voice vote).

The board's staff and legal counsel will circulate the required corrected documents and prepare agreed orders where noted. Roxanna Gamusio told applicants to coordinate next steps with board staff once the documents were revised and signed.

Ending The board moved on to its legal report and other agenda items after completing the school presentations and individual licensure actions; several approvals were conditioned on corrected paperwork and inspections before formal licenses are issued.