Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

CTE Month: PCC Interior Design alum from Newberg earns national recognition

Story by Misty Bouse. Photos by Ric Getter.

When Newberg’s Emma K. Winn started Portland Community College’s Interior Design Program during the first months of the pandemic, she never expected the experience to lead her to national recognition, international travel and a leadership role in one of the design industry’s key associations.

Winn, who completed her associate degree in Interior Design and two certificates from PCC in 2022, was recently named to the National Kitchen & Bath Association’s (NKBA) Thirty Under 30 honor designation. The annual program celebrates emerging professionals shaping the future of kitchen and bath design.

It is the first time our NKBA chapter has ever had two Thirty Under 30 nominations in the same year with colleague Bethany Broussard, also a PCC Interior Design alum and Communications Chair for the NKBA Columbia River Chapter, being named to the same “Thirty Under 30″ cohort. Having two in one class is a record for any college in the country.

Interior Design faculty chair Robin Fisher said the recognition reflects both Winn’s accomplishments and the strength of PCC’s accredited program.

“I really get jazzed when I hear about our graduates’ success,” Fisher said. “Emma is the third graduate to earn the ‘Thirty Under 30’ distinction in the last three years. It’s a huge honor and business opportunity. They’ll spend the next year traveling to manufacturers and becoming spokespeople for the NKBA.”

Winn grew up watching home design shows but didn’t realize interior design could be a viable career until her mid-twenties. She chose PCC because it was affordable, accredited by the NKBA, and offered a clear path into the profession.

Her entire program shifted online due to COVID-19, but she said the support of dedicated instructors, especially Fisher, helped her stay on track.

“For the first time in my life, I was excelling academically because I loved what I was learning,” she said. “The instructors adapted quickly and pushed us to succeed. Robin gave me the confidence to think I could make it in this industry.”

Winn Highlights PCC’s Economic Impact

Community colleges have proven to be Oregon’s most practical, local engine for skills, mobility, and growth. PCC alone generates a concrete economic impact that shows up in paychecks, business receipts, and job openings filled thanks to graduates like Winn. PCC’s Lightcast-based impact analysis for FY 2021–22 reports $2.3 billion in added income across its primary economic region and 25,314 jobs supported. 

PCC students see $5.10 in higher earnings for every $1 they invest in their education. On the broader societal ledger, the gains are even stronger: for every $1 invested in PCC, society gains $8 through higher earnings, lower unemployment, and reduced social costs. Every public dollar invested pays back $1.60 through economic growth and stronger communities. 

The statewide picture is just as clear. Oregon’s 17 community colleges collectively generate $9.6 billion in annual economic impact and support 117,970 jobs. If Oregon’s goal is to stretch limited dollars, community colleges are among the smartest places to put them.

International Experience Building Skills

While in school, Winn worked retail and later joined Arizona Tile, which provided early professional experience. She then worked as a design assistant at C Change Design in Portland, supporting full residential remodels, creating construction documents, managing materials and specifications, coordinating clients, and facilitating photoshoots and digital content for the firm.

However, Emma recently took on a new challenge for 2026 as the designer and cabinet specialist with Crystal Remodeling in Wilsonville.

“Not only is this a great opportunity but it’s so close to home,” said Winn of her shorter commute. “I’m settling in and getting to know so much about Cyrstal and full-service remodeling from a design-build perspective.

“It’s been amazing so far and I’m very excited to see what the future holds for me here,” said Winn who has a near-obsessive gift for details. “Design is a language that most people don’t know how to speak, and my job is to translate it for my clients.”

This year, she will travel to Austria at the invitation of Blum, a manufacturer of hardware for high-quality kitchens and cabinetry, for a factory tour and then to Milan to attend EuroCucina, one of the industry’s most significant international exhibitions.

“It’s a dream for many designers to attend EuroCucina,” she said. “Being invited so early in my career is a huge honor.”

Local Design Star

Winn also serves the local design community. After joining the NKBA Columbia River Chapter as a student member, she moved into leadership roles and is now the Chapter President for the 2026–27 term, beginning early due to a leadership transition.

Winn encourages prospective students to consider PCC’s Interior Design program for its affordability, hands-on learning, and strong industry ties.

“If someone is interested in designing kitchens and bathrooms, PCC is the place to go in Oregon,” she said. “The instructors care about their students and the program prepares you for real work.”

Balancing full-time classes with multiple jobs was challenging, but she said the experience strengthened her time-management skills and helped her succeed in her career.

Outside of work, Winn enjoys knitting, she made the sweater in her photo, and loves spending time with her two cats. She and her electrician husband bought their first house in 2024 at the base of the Chehalem Mountains in Newberg, and are dreaming of remodeling their kitchen in the near future.

For more information, visit pcc.edu/programs/interior-design.

Newberg Center Classes And More

For the past decade, Newbergite Stephanie Romero has been the Newberg Center office assistant and helps coordinate ongoing courses and events.

The Newberg Center, located at 135 Werth Blvd., offers discounted event rentals for nonprofit groups, from public meetings to private gatherings such as community baby showers and club meetings. The building features a lobby with floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open onto an entry courtyard and the surrounding landscape. With free parking and an accessible facility, it is a convenient place for the community to gather near the hospital, senior living and the university. The adjacent PCC Learning Garden and acres of green space support seasonal gardening and activities.

“I just love to see people here and enjoying this beautiful, open space and its artwork,” said Romero. “PCC even offers senior discounts on free or reduced-rate classes.”

The center’s winter class schedule is available online and includes offerings ranging from retirement planning, Heart Savers First-Aid, CPR & AED training, to career-boosting project management and English for speakers of other languages (ESOL).

To inquire for more information, call (971) 722-8602 or visit pcc.edu/locations/newberg/ for the latest class information.