North Las Vegas’s Kimberley Johnson Achieves Master Code Professional Certification

Kimberley Johnson first became interested in the building inspection industry while working as a licensed home inspector in Lexington, S.C. for nine years.

“After observing unsafe and substandard practices time and again, I would have liked to be able to prevent such deficient installations from ever being completed,” she recalled. “Ultimately, I wanted to help builders and homeowners create safer structures.”

Finding a Mentor in the Building Safety Industry

Now a Combination Inspector in North Las Vegas, Nev., Johnson is proud to be a new Master Code Professional (MCP), the highest level of designation the International Code Council offers. She was fortunate to find an experienced mentor within the local government to help her attain her many credentials.

Valarie Evans, a Building Official with Building Safety and Fire Prevention in the city’s Land Development and Community Services office, as well as the Code Council’s 2020 Code Official of the Year, hired Johnson – first as a trainee then as full-time employee in April 2023.

Evans first met Johnson at a city job fair. “I took a chance on Kim because she has a great personality and I saw someone who could be molded into an excellent inspector,” Evans said.

To that end, North Las Vegas helped Johnson achieve her MCP certifications both financially and practically, by making space and time for her to prepare. “The rest she did on her own,” Evans said.

“I took it and ran with it,” Johnson added.

“As with many before her, I gave Kim a list of certifications with ‘your path to Master Code Professional’ at the top,” Evans said. “She took test after test, weekend after weekend, to achieve her 16 certifications.”

Johnson’s certifications include:

• Residential Building on 9/1/22 
• Commercial Building on 3/7/23 
• Commercial Plumbing on 4/15/23 
• Commercial Mechanical on 4/21/23 
• Commercial Electrical on 4/29/23 
• Building Plans Examiner on 5/5/23 
• Accessibility Inspector/Plans Examiner on 5/13/23 
• Residential Energy Plans Examiner on 6/3/23 
• Commercial Energy Plans Examiner on 6/3/23 
• Plumbing Plans Examiner on 6/7/23 
• Mechanical Plans Examiner on 6/10/23 
• Electrical Plans Examiner on 6/23/23 
• Property Maintenance & Housing Inspector on 6/28/23 
• Fire Plans Examiner on 7/4/23 
• Legal Module on 7/7/23 
• Management Module on 7/29/23 

Military Upbringing and Deployment Support Code Career Motivation and Confidence

Johnson’s father was in the military, so she grew up in multiple places. She was an Army Sergeant Communications Specialist for four years after high school, including a stint with a helicopter unit for a six-month deployment in Bosnia. While at Fort Bragg between 1995 to 1997, she received Soldier of the Month, Quarter and Year certificates after competitions within each company and among different units.

Johnson then went on to complete a bachelor’s degree in business. She also flipped houses in Atlanta, Ga., and sold real estate in South Carolina and Nevada.

She credits self-motivation and a positive attitude for directing her to this current career achievement, along with courtesy, empathy, and, of course, code knowledge.

“During my tenure as a code professional, I discovered that building codes aren’t always black and white,” Johnson said. “Trusted members of the building safety department are given freedom to allow alterations and suggest alternatives. Every code cannot possibly apply to every situation, which allows inspectors like me to use creativity when forming a decision.”

Industry Trends in Building Efficiency and Gender Equality

Johnson is excited by several trends in the future of the building industry.

“The energy efficiency aspect of the building industry continues to grow year after year,” she said. “It’s interesting to see improvements in materials and in tighter buildings as new methods and products emerge.”

She’s also hopeful to see more women fill traditionally male-dominated building industry roles. She wants to become a mentor in the future to help create that change through education and empowerment.

Johnson is especially passionate about the residential aspect of the business, “because home is where we should feel the safest and I want to help create that secure space for my fellow citizens.”

Building Safety Benefits from Lifelong Learning

Ongoing education is key at any level. “Learning from others helps me become more proficient and confident, which leads to increased motivation, or vice versa,” Johnson said. “I want to serve my community, and this is the best way I know how.”

“I asked Kim how she did so well on her tests because they are difficult,” Evans recalled. “She said that she has always been good at studying and that this part of the journey came easily to her. Kim has been a willing and eager trainee. The city of North Las Vegas is proud of Kim Johnson and is lucky to have her on our team.”

The Code Council’s Southern Nevada chapter, in partnership with the Public Education Foundation, is offering approximately $35,000 in annual trade school scholarships for high school and college students to help combat these issues. Click here to learn more.