Our Instructors
Bobbi Wagoner owner of The Strand Beauty Ventures LLC, which consist of Strand Institute of Beauty & Esthetics and The Strand Hair Designs. She has over 30 years experience in the beauty industry.
Bobbi opened and started educating at Strand Institute of Beauty & Esthetics in September 2014, with a goal to better prepare the up coming students in the beauty industry with state board , practical knowledge, and salon professionalism.
Prior to operating The Strand Institute ,Bobbi was operating her salon that she began in 1996. Working behind the chair and building a business for the last 20years, from 3 employees to a present total of 14 employees.
Bobbi started working in her first salon in Miami , Fl., apprenticing and the n behind the chair for 10 years.
Bobbi has dedicated many years serving on community boards. From the year 2001-2013 Bobbi was Secretary, Treasure, Vice ,resident, and President of Rockport Downtown Merchants an organization to support the local businesses in Rockport. She has also been a member of Rockport Chamber of Commerce from 2001-2013 & a member of Portland Chamber of Commerce from 2013-2016.
Bobbi has also been a member of Aacs since 2013-2016.
I am a HairStylist, Makeup Artist and Editorial Stylist out of Portland Texas. I specialize in Bridal Hair and Hair extensions but do everything from Haircolor and cuts to Editorial work. I work on location as well as at my salon located on 1018 Hwy 181, Portland Texas. I am very passionate about my work and love what I do. I started doing hair in 2000 and makeup shortly after in 2004.
LaToya Johnson believes success starts with knowledge. As an Esthetics Instructor, her primary purpose is to focus on preparing her students to enter and succeed in the Esthetics field. She continuously prepares them by passing on her knowledge and expertise. LaToya attended Del Mar College in 1999 where she received her Cosmetology license.
In 2010, she attended Royal Beauty Careers where she received her Instructor license, and later joined the staff as a Cosmetology Instructor. After two years as a Cosmetology Instructor, she was promoted to the Esthetics department, which she found to be another passion of hers in this industry.
She is Dermalogica trained and certified, and is also a member or the Cosmetology Educators Alliance. By attending multiple trade shows and classes, LaToya is able to stay abreast of the latest trends. She likes to incorporate her salon and spa experiences as teaching tools.
When asked what she loves most about teaching, she will tell you: “It’s the satisfaction she feels when a student expresses their appreciation and when she is able to see them grow into a successful and talented Esthetician.
Linda Simpson received her cosmetology license in1975, from Penta county vocational high school in Ohio. In 1977 Mrs. Simpson received training from My Nail Inc. in Columbus Ohio.
Mrs. Simpson moved to Texas in 1978 and practiced nails in Victoria Texas until she opened her own salon in 1983 located Victoria Texas, NAILS BY LINDA. Mrs. Simpson participated in a hand commercial for Estee Lauder in 1992. Mrs. Simpson has worked in Rockport for over 20 years as a nail technician.
In 2012 she received her instructors license and substituted at Bella Beauty College. Linda has always felt she was meant to be an instructor because she loves doing nails and now has the opportunity to pass her years of training and knowledge on to others.
My primary goal is to assist students in their financial aid process making sure they understand what Title IV aid means, their rights and responsibilities towards federal aid, and how it works with regards to financing their education. Financial aid can be an important step in reaching your goal of a new and exciting career and I strive for this to be a positive experience for all students.
Prior to The Strand Institute of Beauty & Esthetics I worked for Career Centers of Texas later becoming Kaplan College giving me 14 years of experience working as a Financial Aid professional.
The Strand Institute is my first experience working with the beauty industry and I find it to be a fun and exciting environment as well as a positive place for potential students looking for this type of career institute.
Kelly Carson received her Cosmetology License in 1986 in San Antonio at Roosevelt High School. She has always had a passion for the Beauty industry. It’s an ever changing industry, with so many options. Her parents always told her “Do what you love & you’ll never work a day in your life”. She started her Cosmetology career in San Antonio at Hair System 7 & My Child’s Hair. She was a manager within 6 months. Always loved going to classes and Hair shows, learning as much as she could. Knowledge is power! Loves watching the Artist on Stage. This is when she realized she wanted to be in involved with Hair shows some how, some way. She moved to New Braunfels TX & then to Canyon Lake Tx, with her husband and worked behind the chair for many years. Where an opportunity presented itself. She bought her own salon where she had worked for many years. The Hair Affair in 1998. Had her two children, they were both raised in her salon.
In 2005 her dream had come true. She became a Farouk Systems/CHI Educator. Working with Farouk Systems/CHI, has given her opportunites to travel all over and to work Backstage with many stage Artists, sales floor and her favorite part, mentoring students from all over the US. Training them to be on stage with Stage Artist from all over the world at many Hair shows. This is where she realized she wanted to become a Instructor, working with the CHI School Department at Farouk Systems. She was able to travel more, going to visit & teach at CHI Schools all over the US. This is when she had the pleasure of meeting Bobbi Wagner, she was working with students from The Strand Institute of Beauty and Ethicists.
Kelly was finally able to go back to school to get her Instructors License at The Strand Institute. She started in July 2019, going to school one week, then traveled back to Canyon Lake to work behind the chair at her Salon for one week. While her husband was working in Corpus Christi, they moved to Rockport. She graduated in January 2020, started working at The Strand Institute of Beauty and Esthetics. She feels very Blessed to be a part of The Strand Family!