Vivian Nash, Founder of the International Judges Association

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With her keen visual sensibility and artistic nature, Vivian Nash, a professional stylist since 1973, has long sought to set standards of excellence in the grooming industry. As CEO of the Nash Academy, the rigorous curriculum she designed creates graduates at the pinnacle of their profession. She has been responsible for the creation of the first international student and instructor exchange programs in the pet grooming industry between the Nash Academy and the prestigious Sepia School of Japan. She continues to travel to introduce the Nash System of education and to organize exchange programs with schools around the world. 

She has similarly sought to standardize and democratize grooming competitions worldwide by developing the first judging manuals for dog grooming competitions, the International Judges Association in 1998, which remains the leader in judging the most prestigious grooming competitions in the world. 

Vivian has originated and championed grooming methods which always put compassionate, kind and safe treatment of all pets first and foremost, and the Nash Academy curriculum focuses on the love of dogs as much as it seeks to develop the creativity and artistic expression inherent in dog grooming.