Photo Gallery: Six Women Earn Certified Tile Installer Certification at First All-Women Exam Event
On March 8, 2025, in honor of International Women’s Day, 12 women tile installers gathered at Carpet & Tile Warehouse in Vero Beach, Florida, to take part in the first-ever all-women Certified Tile Installer (CTI) hands-on exam. Photo: NTCA.
From left: Alyssa Muller of APM Flooring Company in Minnesota and Natalie Hall of Artistry in Tile from Wisconsin. Photos: NTCA.
From left: Cecelia Leger of Leger Tile in Nebraska and Kelly Krantz of Knockout Tile & Flooring in Louisiana. Photos: NTCA.
From left: Nicole Hulme from Arizona and Rachel Overby from Alaska. Photos: NTCA.
Prior to this event, only 14 women had earned the Certified Tile Installer (CTI) designation—less than 1% of all CTIs. With six women successfully passing the rigorous exam, the number of female CTIs has now grown to 20, signaling a powerful shift in the industry. Photo: NTCA.
The tile installation industry marked a milestone this week as six women successfully passed the Certified Tile Installer (CTI) hands-on exam at the first-ever all-women testing event held at Carpet & Tile Warehouse in Vero Beach, Florida.
Organized by NTCA Women in Tile to coincide with International Women's Day, the March 8 event has increased the number of female CTIs from 14 to 20, bringing greater diversity to the certification program.
"We brought together talented female tile installers from across the country—many of whom are business owners and industry leaders. Not only did they take on the most challenging 25 square feet of tile installation in the CTI exam, but they also participated in Schluter's 'Mind Your Business' class, which reinforces the importance of business success and technical expertise," said Elizabeth Lambert, Women in Tile committee chair.
The six newly certified installers include Alyssa Muller (APM Flooring Company), Natalie Hall (Artistry in Tile), Rachel Overby (R&R Tile and Renovations), Cecelia Leger (Leger Tile), Nicole Hulme (The Tile Chick, LLC), and Kelly Krantz (Knockout Tile & Flooring LLC).
Preparation for the rigorous exam was supported through a Facebook study group led by Dawn Marie Davis of Strong Work Renovations LLC, allowing participants to share knowledge and encouragement.
Industry collaboration made the event possible, with Schluter Systems providing a "Mind Your Business" class prior to testing. Additional sponsors Daltile, Laticrete, and QEP supplied the necessary materials and support.
"This event is just the beginning. Our goal is to introduce more women to careers in tile and continue building a strong network of women supporting women. We are incredibly grateful to our sponsors Schluter Systems, Daltile, Laticrete, and QEP for making this possible," said Elena Grant, assistant executive director at the NTCA.
The photo gallery captures the participants' technical work, concentration, and accomplishment throughout the certification process, providing a visual record of this significant industry event.
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