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Our Team
Get to know our exceptional team at Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath. From initial consultation to final installation, our team collaborates seamlessly to ensure your vision is brought to life with precision and care.
When Jennifer Gilmer was 12 years old, she begged her parents for a singular Christmas gift - her own subscription to Architectural Digest. She’d grown up in a home filled with antiques, and spent her childhood studying their design, details, and craftsmanship. She was besotted by the beauty that functional objects could hold, and the feelings they could evoke.
In addition to studying it, Jennifer also loved creating beauty with her own hands. Throughout her education, she delved into tactile mediums like art, quilting, and drafting. And every single thing she touched, she had learned - as the youngest of eight children - to do right by it.
In 1992, Jennifer became a Certified Kitchen Designer. Five years later, she opened her primary design showroom, Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath, in Chevy Chase, Maryland, where it still stands in its original space. Jennifer has since collected countless industry awards and accolades, and remains a leading voice in the field nationwide.
When Jennifer Gilmer was 12 years old, she begged her parents for a singular Christmas gift - her own subscription to Architectural Digest. She’d grown up in a home filled with antiques, and spent her childhood studying their design, details, and craftsmanship. She was besotted by the beauty that functional objects could hold, and the feelings they could evoke.
In addition to studying it, Jennifer also loved creating beauty with her own hands. Throughout her education, she delved into tactile mediums like art, quilting, and drafting. And every single thing she touched, she had learned - as the youngest of eight children - to do right by it.
In 1992, Jennifer became a Certified Kitchen Designer. Five years later, she opened her primary design showroom, Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath, in Chevy Chase, Maryland, where it still stands in its original space. Jennifer has since collected countless industry awards and accolades, and remains a leading voice in the field nationwide.
As a master artisan, Jennifer drafts all her designs by hand, with pencil and paper. She sits across from a client, drawing their home plans in exquisite detail. Then she flips the paper around to face them, and continues drawing. Jennifer draws just as flawlessly upside down as she does right side up. In fact, the change of perspective often opens up new solutions.
When asked to identify the signature look of a Jennifer Gilmer kitchen or bath, she explains that there simply isn't one. Many designers are attached to particular styles, eras or elements, which they repeat in their creations. Or they follow trends, something Jennifer has never done, either professionally or personally. Rather than a signature look, what a Jennifer Gilmer room has is a signature feeling: it’s a calm, seamless living space.
Jennifer intuitively understands composition, proportion, and how elements come together. When she first walks into a client’s existing kitchen or bath, she absorbs its general sense of style. Then her eye zeroes in on what’s wrong. Aesthetically and functionally, what’s not working right - what’s clunky or disjointed, even when it appears to follow standard guidelines for layout. Next Jennifer begins to visualize what the space could be. This starts as a mental exercise, but fairly quickly, she can physically feel it in her body.
Jennifer maintains the deepest respect for axis, balance, and composition - a philosophy she likens to Western Feng Shui. She places items in relationship to one another. An element might feel right in one area because it connects with another across the room, or mirrors an opposite wall. Colors and patterns are evenly distributed. Each wall, in its own way, becomes a focal wall.
Yet, Jennifer can also be a bit of a scofflaw when a situation calls for it. She isn’t afraid to break traditional rules of symmetry and placement. She’s willing to consider angles others might not, or, as in one design she recalls, placing a range hood in front of a window.
For Jennifer, purposeful design is important. But what’s equally important is personal design - fitting each space around the people who will inhabit it. Even if clients claim to not be naturally visual people, Jennifer spends all the time it takes to help them identify what they enjoy, and what their eyes feel good resting upon. She’s most gratified when clients later share that her design has brought new life into their home; that the energy in their home feels uplifted.
Jennifer’s designs have a tangible impact on a client’s holistic experience of their home, and also on their resale value. Realtors highlight the presence of a Jennifer Gilmer design in their property descriptions. Clients report that her kitchens cause bidding wars on their home’s first day on the market.
In addition to working with clients individually, Jennifer shares decades of her design wisdom and experience in her visually stunning book, The Kitchen Bible: Designing the Perfect Culinary Space. Her work and words are featured in publications like Better Homes & Gardens, This Old House, and Southern Living. Jennifer’s own home - which holds some of her most beloved antiques from childhood - has been featured in The Washington Post and Washingtonian, as well as on TLC.
Melissa Reyes has always had a passion for design, blending form and function in everything she does. While earning her Bachelor of Science in Biology and completing a double major in Fine Art at Duke University, she began to explore how the world around her was designed and how she could contribute to that design.
After graduation, Melissa gained valuable experience working for various design-oriented firms in Durham, NC. At the Bio-Design Studio, she managed the lab and designed biological research models. At the Center for Inquiry-Based Learning, she administered hands-on science education programs, and at Seesaw Studio, she played a key role in developing a youth-run design and entrepreneurial initiative. Additionally, she launched Galleria d’Artiste, a fine art gallery specializing in home décor and gifts.
Melissa’s growing passion for design led her to pursue formal education at Montgomery College. While there, she began as an intern at Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath, where she continues to be inspired by innovative, custom designs, superior product quality, and a commitment to excellence in every project.
Nancy McCarren, AIA, LEED AP, joined Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen and Bath in 2019. Previously she worked as lead designer for prominent architectural firms in Washington and Maryland. She is the first licensed architect on the company’s staff.
Nancy holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Oregon School of Architecture. In 2007 she became a LEED Accredited Professional. Her experience spans high-end residential, historic restoration projects, and includes prestigious awards from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the American Institute of Architects (Washington Chapter) and Montgomery Preservation Inc.
Nancy brings her depth of knowledge to designing and detailing beautiful and functional rooms in the spaces we use most in our homes. She enjoys collaborating closely with clients, other design professionals, and contractors.
Meghan is a native of the Washington, DC area. After graduating from James Madison University with a BBA in Marketing she began her professional career with a local experiential marketing and advertising agency. As a project manager, Meghan specialized in event sponsorship and social media marketing, developing a strong foundation in event set design and logistics.
Meghan has always held a passion for design and decided to pursue that passion when she joined JGKB. Leveraging her project management background, Meghan now provides end-to-end management of a wide range of kitchen and bath designs. With her exceptional organizational skills and tireless commitment to client satisfaction, Meghan ensures all the various aspects of the design project come together to create a unique and beautiful JGKB kitchen or bath.
Meghan has won 2 consecutive NKBA kitchen design awards and her projects have been featured online by Kitchen and Bath Business.
Noelia discovered her passion for design early in life. Originally from Argentina, she studied Environmental Engineering in Bolivia before redirecting her career toward kitchen and bath design. After a year interning at the Northern Virginia Soil & Water Conservation District, Noelia pursued her artistic passion by working at a large retailer, where she mastered design principles, sales, and project management.
Eager to grow creatively, Noelia sought out a design-focused firm and joined Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath in 2017. She began by assisting senior designers Meghan Browne and Marie Josée and now leads bathroom design projects while also working closely with Jennifer Gilmer on project management.
Noelia’s expertise continues to expand through ongoing education and industry events, allowing her to bring innovative, custom designs to life.
Marie-Josée, a French Canadian from Toronto, Canada, graduated from Queen’s University and initially pursued a career in banking, where she became Director of Training and Development, leading national teams and training hundreds of employees. Despite her success, her passion for design remained strong. After remodeling her own kitchen in the U.S., the design firm she hired recognized her talent and invited her to join their team, launching her career in kitchen and bath design.
As her expertise and design sensibility grew, she was recruited by JGKB. Marie-Josée is dedicated to creating spaces that reflect her clients' individual personalities and styles. In her free time, she enjoys tennis, running, and spending time with her family.
Originally from Texas, Ronda Royalty moved to the Washington, DC area to collaborate with both local and international leaders, including those in the UK and South Africa. After several years in this field, Ronda returned to her roots in architecture and design, focusing on kitchen design. With over 30 years of experience, she has worked with several premier local design firms and managed the successful completion of hundreds of kitchen and bath projects. Ronda's exceptional work has earned her recognition from both clients and colleagues, and her projects are frequently highlighted on Houzz for their outstanding design and client satisfaction.
Hailing from Maryland’s picturesque Eastern Shore, Alison brings a deep passion for design to her role at Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath.
From a young age, Alison has been captivated by design, antiques, textiles, and furniture. Her enthusiasm for these elements grew through her hands-on experience remodeling her own homes, fueling her drive to further immerse herself in the world of design.
Helen Maga is the General Manager of Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath. For the last two decades, Helen has ensured the seamless execution of all design and installation projects, from procurement through completion. No detail leaves her desk without being checked in triplicate.
Helen has a deep admiration for the creative design team she’s surrounded with. Her cozy home in Fairfax, Virginia is where she highlights her own personal style, a mix of both practical and whimsical, with lots of her favorite color, blue, throughout. Her favorite part of her home is her big kitchen island - the gathering spot for her family, which includes her beloved son, husband, and pup.
Helen’s kitchen is where she spends much of her free time - especially in the fall season - indulging in her favorite hobby, baking. She loves delighting her family with her homemade confections - especially her famous sweet potato pie.
Shaun, a native of Kingston Jamaica, moved to Washington DC in his mid-teens. After graduating in the field of Electrical Engineering, he chose to explore his more creative side, which led him to the arena of kitchen design.
He spent some 20 years, working as both a drafter and designer before taking a sabbatical to pursue other interests. During which time he traveled, focused on rekindling his artistic side, illustrating and creating original canvas oil paintings, along with penning 7 fictional novels.
After nearly a 13 year absence from the kitchen design field, he returned and joined Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen and Bath Design, functioning as a Technical Detailer for the multiple design teams on staff.
Brooke grew up in a small town in southern Ontario, Canada. Her love for design was sparked at a young age, as she watched her father design and construct her childhood home. She is pursuing a bachelor's degree in interior design at Yorkville University and is most inspired by transitional designs with French and antique elements. She enjoys the process of creating unique spaces meant to last forever.
Dunbar Stewart is a seasoned Brand Ambassador and Public Relations professional, currently working to promote Jennifer Gilmer in collaboration with interior designers, architects, and builders. With a decade of experience in the interior design industry, Dunbar has built a strong foundation in sales, public relations, and branding. Having a background as both an interior designer and artist, Dunbar's passion for creativity extends to furniture and clothing design. His natural ability to network and foster relationships helps him connect professionals and drive collaboration on innovative projects.
Chris grew up in Canoga Park, California. After graduating high school he went to trade school to learn about the stone industry. He moved to the DC Metropolitan area in 1977 where he started working for Boatman & Magnani as a helper in the stone trade. After many years of working on projects like the Ronald Regan Building and countless other buildings in the DC area, he attained the title of a Master Stone Mason.
In 2002 he started working for R. Bratti Associates, measuring, fabricating and installing many beautiful counter tops for customers in the DMV area including Jennifer Gilmer's customers.
After retiring from the Stone Industry in 2020, Chris came to us as our Service and Delivery Manager. He loves his work as well as the JGKB team and their clientele. Chris meets delivery trucks at jobsites when the cabinetry arrives, inspects the cabinets to make sure all have arrived in good condition. He also delivers all the kitchen and bath plumbing fixtures and ensures all of the parts and pieces are complete. He takes care of our designer's requests to pick up materials and deliver them to jobsites or to any one of our 3 showrooms. He also takes care of our clients if minor repairs are necessary.