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Meet Marcia

In more than four decades in the professional beauty industry, one thing has become clear: great technical skills must now be augmented with effective soft skills—communication, customer service, time management, teamwork, and so many more—to distinguish professionals and truly contribute to lasting success.

The challenge is that these skills are often disregarded in most training programs. I’ve made it my goal to change that. I am passionate about this  industry and am always seeking new discoveries that will elevate the profession and promote higher standards.

From working in a salon fresh out of high school to managing education for manufacturers such as the Wella Company, designing the first community college beauty profession program in New Jersey and many steps at private and public beauty schools in between, I have lived most facets of the beauty industry. Through it all, a dedication to education has been a common thread.

At Wella, I created educational content that over 200 technical educators and artists taught to distributors, schools, independent and multi-site salons and franchise operations across the U.S. By training our trainers to adopt participant-focused teaching methods, we boosted training quality and increased training productivity.

Modern Salon’s Excellence in Education program recognized the innovative teaching venue that I designed for Raritan Valley Community College in New Jersey. Blending my experience in the public and private sectors of beauty education, I created and executed a model course of study for each program that taught beyond standard school curricula. It embraced the best aspects of education and industry, instilling the quality required to emulate a real-world experience for students in a dynamic venue that looked and functioned like a high-end salon and spa.

Working for large manufacturers, I learned the power of “sales through education” programs to build sales and success. My experience with these programs and their synergies allows me to customize educational programs that distinguish brands and expand sales for clients big and small.

At Protégé, I draw on my unique combination of skills and experiences, imbued with a focus on excellence and a tireless commitment to professionalism, to deliver the best practices of the beauty industry customized to my clients’ needs and dreams.

Whether training trainers, delivering a keynote presentation or brainstorming innovative brand-building educational strategies, my clients rely on my dynamism, my deep knowledge of the industry and my ability to listen closely to identify what they need to move their careers and businesses to the next level. How can I help to support your professional beauty career?

Marcia H. Bird
Career milestones include:
  • Salon stylist

  • Educator

  • Senior management in education for manufacturers

  • Administrator - Schools of Cosmetology.

 
Credentials: 
  • Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Education from Rutgers University

  • State-certified educator

  • National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts & Sciences, Inc. (NACCAS) - Academic Peer Evaluator

  • Three-term Advisory Council member - PBA

  • Current Foundation Board member - PBA

  • Recipient of the NF Cimaglia Educator of the Year by Milady Publishing and the Career Educators Alliance (CEA)

  • Cosmetology students and program received Skills USA National Recognition for community awareness and fundraising campaign for "Cut It Out: The Beauty Community Against Domestic Violence"

  • Featured in “Beauty Gives Back – Cut It Out Dealing with Domestic Violence” in American Salon Women in Beauty

  • Recently featured in the “Spotlight on Success” in Milady’s 4th edition of Professional Educator

Nicholas F. Cimaglia Educator of the Year
Professional Beauty Association Member
Modern Salon Excellence in Education
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