South Central Chapter

Kay Schlaefli AIFD, CFD, AAMF, AMF, is a dedicated and passionate floral artist  who has called Expressions Flowers in Fort Smith, Arkansas, her home for the last 16 years. She was inducted into the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD) in 2015, a dream realized alongside the shop owner, whom she encouraged to test as well. Both passed, marking a significant milestone in her career inspired by her first symposium experience in Chicago.

Since her induction, Kay has devoted countless hours to education, presenting programs, teaching classes, and mentoring aspiring florists. She is the immediate past president of the Arkansas Florist Association and past president of the  Teleflora Arkansas unit. She also chairs the Arkansas Cup, Iron Designer, and Mid-America Cup competitions and oversees education for the state association. Under her guidance, the Arkansas Master Florist program was rebooted in 2016, and in 2023, advanced classes were added, with more to come in 2024, including an introduction to floral design.

Education is Kay’s passion, and she loves sharing her knowledge and learning from others in return. She is proud of her students who have achieved their Certified Floral Designer (CFD) status and those being inducted into AIFD. Excited to serve as the 2024-2025 President of the South Central Chapter, she looks forward to continuing to bring education to the region and sharing the passion for flowers, both in person and on social media. Kay believes in the power of community and values the support and collaboration of her “village.”