Earlier this month, the Professional Beauty Association (PBA) named its 2026 Future Leaders Task Force and outlined a strategic evolution of its PBA Future Leaders program. For those who aren’t familiar, the PBA Future Leaders program is an industry-wide platform designed to retain, develop, and connect the next generation of professional beauty leadership.
PBA Future Leaders was created to support the professional beauty industry’s growth, especially as it continues to evolve. PBA Future Leaders aligns participants by career stage rather than job title, creating a cross-sector space for professionals from behind the chair roles, inside brands, across distribution, education, salons, and emerging leadership roles.
The 2026 Task Force brings together operators across brand leadership, creative entrepreneurship, salon technology, distribution, and connected commerce, offering a practical perspective on how careers are built in today’s beauty industry.
The 2026 PBA Future Leaders Task Force Leading the Initiative:
- Chair: Zoe Hyams, Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Keratin Complex (Brand Leadership)
- Vice Chair: Jalia Pettis, Visionary 3Jay Productions (Creative Entrepreneurship)
- Immediate Past Chair: Will Simpson, Head of Partnerships, Vish (Salon Technology)
Task Force Members:
- Dessirae Sands, Assistant Vice President of Education, L’Oréal (Brand Leadership)
- Matthew Hagler, Business Development Manager, Paramount Beauty (Professional Beauty Distribution)
- Aimee Gonzalez, Director of Business Development, Market Defense (Commerce & Digital Strategy)
“PBA Future Leaders is not just a program. It’s infrastructure for the future of professional beauty,” said Zoe Hyams, 2026 PBA Future Leaders Chair. “As our industry grows in complexity and opportunity, leadership development must grow with it. By creating visibility, access, and connection earlier in a professional’s journey, we’re strengthening long-term career sustainability across the beauty ecosystem,” she added.
In 2026, The PBA Future Leaders will “modernize its engagement structure under one unified umbrella,” according to a release. The expanded platform includes:
- Interviews with industry leaders
- Guided roundtables on leadership and career growth
- Masterminds: Application-based, small-group cohorts organized around key industry themes
- Live experiences aligned with major industry events
This new model evolves traditional mentorship into visible leadership moments, while preserving deeper engagement through curated Mastermind cohorts. PBA Future Leaders programming will continue throughout 2026, culminating in visible industry moments at PBA’s Executive Summit.
“PBA Future Leaders is a key pillar of PBA’s commitment to strengthening the professional beauty industry,” said Emily Hegdhal, Director, Programs & Events, PBA. “By providing a dedicated platform for early- and mid-career professionals to learn, connect, and grow, we are investing in long-term leadership, workforce retention, and the continued credibility of licensed beauty professionals.”
For more information, on the 2026 PBA Future Leaders program, visit probeauty.org.
