Jeff Kenney was named NCIDQ executive director in June 2003, overseeing all aspects of the organization and working closely with the NCIDQ Board of Directors to develop and execute successful strategies to achieve its goals. He lends more than 20 years of experience in the licensure and credentialing industry, serving as a speaker at numerous conferences on professional licensure, high-stakes testing and computer-delivered examinations.

Jeff formerly was the president of his own consulting firm, Professional Development Partners, Inc., where he assisted clients with licensing and certification programs. In addition to NCIDQ, his clients included the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, National Association of State Boards of Accountancy, Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards, Texas Board of Architectural Examiners and Communicators, Inc.

From 1988 to 1998, Jeff worked for the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), first as assistant director and then director of examinations development (later re-titled director of professional development). He oversaw all aspects of the development of the Architect Registration Examination, especially the transition from a paper-and-pencil examination to the current computer-delivered ARE. Before joining NCARB, he served as a VISTA volunteer in Denver and practiced architecture in Colorado.

Jeff holds a bachelor's degree in architecture from the University of Tennessee and a master's degree in architecture and urban design from Washington University in St. Louis. He currently serves on the Board of Advisors for the College of Architecture and Design at the University of Tennessee. He is licensed as an architect in Colorado, Virginia and the District of Columbia.

Kathleen Butler assists the executive director in managing the Council's programs, policies and network of volunteers and staff. In addition to working with committees and managing meeting logistics, she oversees NCIDQ's marketing and communications, often working at trade shows and conferences to promote the NCIDQ credential to various groups of students and professionals.

Before joining the NCIDQ staff in 2003, Kathleen spent five years as director of communications for ESI International, an international project management and contract management training company. She has also managed media relations and events for Rebuilding Together, a national home-rehabilitation organization, including coordination of the group's Super Bowl rehab initiative with the NFL. No stranger to licensing and credentialing for design professionals, she served as the director of communications for the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) for nearly 11 years.

Kathleen is a licensed D.C. tour guide and spends her spare time guiding tours, researching sites and desperately trying to master Italian verbs.

A native of Houston, Kathleen received a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri, where she honed her skills as a self-described "grammar nerd."

Joshua Prentice manages NCIDQ's database and all office technology, from Web servers to the fax machine. He is responsible for the technology upgrades that allow Certificate holders to manage their information and purchase NCIDQ services and publications online. He also supervises the Customer Service Department.

Josh worked for National Geographic in Washington, D.C., while studying to be a computer programmer. He worked as a member of a large IT team at ESI International, an international project management and contract management training company, before joining NCIDQ in 2003. He worked with mentally disabled and emotionally abused children in Asheville, North Carolina, before returning to his hometown of Washington in 1998.

Josh writes poetry in his spare time and has been published in several national journals. He attended college in Asheville, where he earned a degree in fine arts/theater.

Ken Baker rejoined NCIDQ in 2006, assuming a new position responsible for facilitating and staffing all non-exam committees and task forces. In addition, he assists senior staff with special projects and communications outreach. Ken is the guiding force behind NCIDQ's successful webinar series, and he is often the voice of the moderator for the online presentations.

Ken was NCIDQ's first deputy director from March 2000 until October 2003. In 2003, he relocated to Madison, Wisconsin, where he worked at the University of Wisconsin – Madison's Center on Wisconsin Strategy as an outreach specialist in policy research for economic and workforce development programs.

As NCIDQ's first telecommuting employee, Ken still lives in Madison, where he has embraced his new hometown traditions of bowling, cheese and the Green Bay Packers.

Lola Liao joined NCIDQ in May 2007, managing the day-to-day functions of the office as well as bookkeeping, financial reporting and all expense reimbursement.

Prior to joining the NCIDQ staff, Lola spent 10 years with a computer systems manufacturing company in Virginia, first as an accounting manager and then as a corporate treasurer and corporate purchaser.

In her spare time, Lola loves spending time with her daughter, Esme, her young son, Estor, and her husband, Jen. She enjoys travel and wants to one day visit many different places in the world. Lola also loves finding new recipes and preparing new dishes for her family and seeing big smiles on their faces when trying new cooking.

A CPA, Lola received a bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Maryland.

Andrew Stafford joined NCIDQ in early 2009 and manages the Council's two largest programs: the NCIDQ Examination and the Interior Design Experience Program. He works closely with NCIDQ's examination committees and consultants and is responsible for all examination development and administration issues, including practice analyses, pre-tests, special accommodations, registration and more. Andrew promotes IDEP to students and other professionals while managing the program to ensure the best possible experience for participants.

Andrew brings more than 24 years of interior design experience to NCIDQ and is an active NCIDQ Certificate holder. He has vivid memories of studying and taking the NCIDQ Examination and feels honored to be able to help others gain the important credential.

Prior to joining NCIDQ, Andrew was a senior project manager in a retail studio at Gensler in New York City. He has practiced interior design in both Florida and New York and currently resides in Washington, D.C. He enjoys reading, movies, the theater, yoga, hiking and traveling.

Andrew has a master's degree in interior design, a master's degree in religion and a bachelor's degree in English and religion, all from Florida State University.

Leslie Ford is "the voice of NCIDQ"—the initial point of contact for most people who call the Council's offices.  She joined the staff in 2004, responding to or routing incoming telephone calls, processing publication orders and providing data entry support for examination applications.

Leslie previously was a staff coordinator at a staffing agency in Washington, D.C. Originally from Charlottesville, Virginia, she and her husband live in Alexandria.

Megan Bailey is the NCIDQ Evaluator, who is responsible for reviewing all of the exam applications, transcripts and references while responding to myriad phone calls and emails to and from candidates. Megan spent her time at Stephens College earning her BFA in Theatre Management, so she’s used to juggling projects and dealing with deadlines.

Ray Resendez has been busy ever since joining NCIDQ in November 2000, maintaining more than 26,000 Certificate holders' records. Ray also serves as a fulfillment manager and manages NCIDQ's inventory.  He also verifies completion of the exam for each candidate, sending notifications to jurisdictions and associations. Along with these duties, Ray manages the Certificate renewal process. If you have an NCIDQ wallet card, chances are very good that it came from Ray.

Ray is originally from San Antonio Texas, but was raised in Indiana. For fun, Ray enjoys catching up on the movies he missed in the theater by renting them on DVD. He enjoys spending time with friends and going to the gym.