Presenters, Moderators & Mentors

ALIZA LICHT is an award-winning marketer, bestselling author, podcaster, personal branding expert, and the founder of LEAVE YOUR MARK, a multimedia brand and consultancy. She advises businesses and mentors individuals on brand building and career development. Licht leverages over two decades of expertise in marketing, communications, and digital strategy in the fashion industry. She was named one of “America’s Next Top Mentors” by The New York Times and Business Insider’s “Top 20 Most Innovative Career Coaches.” As a social media pioneer and one of the first fashion influencers, Licht created and was the voice of the anonymous social media phenomenon DKNY PR GIRL. Licht is a sought-after keynote speaker and sits on several industry boards. Her first book, Leave Your Mark, was published in 2015. Her new book, On Brand: Shape Your Narrative. Share Your Vision. Shift Their Perception is a comprehensive roadmap to building your personal brand. She lives in New York City with her husband, two children, and two dogs. Find her online at alizalicht.com and @alizalichtxo.

A native of the Midwest, Sarah Wetenhall is a nomad by nature having lived in more than six cities during the first twenty years of her life. Her vagabond roots inspired a love of travel and developed storytelling skills that proved essential in molding this natural-born hotelier. A graduate of Vanderbilt University, she began her career in New York where she spent a decade-plus spearheading public relations efforts for major fashion houses including Calvin Klein, Dolce & Gabbana and Hugo Boss. Her experience in the fashion industry honed her keen aesthetic acumen and a strong sensibility for the luxury market. She currently serves as a board member of the Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce, the Worth Avenue Association, the Children’s Museum of the East End, and the Women’s Committee of the Central Park Conservancy, as well as the Brick Presbyterian Church in New York City. Sarah has also been recognized by Hotels Magazine as one of the top ten independent lifestyle operators in the world.

Lorene Agather co-founded L Marketing Collective with the goal of taking small to medium-sized brands to the next level – she’s done just that with clients like Lela Rose, Miron Crosby, Laude the Label, Coton Colors.

Paloma Contreras is an acclaimed interior designer based in Houston, Texas. Paloma’s design sensibility is a modern take on traditional style– gravitating towards classic silhouettes and timeless pieces paired with a touch of glamour and an infusion of color. Paloma has honed her distinct eye for style over more than a decade in the design industry. She has developed a reputation for designing beautiful interiors in her signature modern-meets-traditional aesthetic resulting in spaces that feel polished, refined, and effortless. Paloma’s interiors are at once timeless, yet fresh– balancing attention to detail and the intersection of form and function to enhance a well-lived life.

Paloma has repeatedly been named to the prestigious ELLE Decor “A-List” of the top interior designers in the world. She has also been recognized as a “Next Wave” interior designer by House Beautiful and has been named to LUXE Magazine’s “Gold List”. In 2017, Paloma was named #4 on the Forbes list of the Top Social Media Influencers in the Home category and has one of the Top 10 Instagram accounts to follow for interior design according to ELLE Decor. Paloma and her work have been featured in numerous publications and websites including ELLE Decor, Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, Vogue, Domino, Luxe, Traditional Home, Southern Living, Better Homes & Gardens, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal.

Paloma recently debuted a lighting collection with Visual Comfort & Co. She is a sought-after speaker on the topic of design and frequently participates in keynote and panel discussions. Paloma’s first book, Dream Design Live was published by Abrams in September 2018. Her second book, The New Classic Home is slated for an October 2023 release. Her curated retail shop, Paloma & Co opened in Houston’s River Oaks neighborhood in January 2019 and has expanded to include a robust online platform. Paloma is currently working on projects in Houston and beyond with clients in Palm Beach, Key Largo, Atlanta, and New York.

Sophia Demirtas is the Haitian-born designer of the womenswear label, Fanm Mon. Fanm Mon is a line of made-to-order dresses and knitwear that celebrate the bounty of nature through a vibrant color palette and hand-stitched embroidery. Each garment is made-to-order by artisans in the community and takes up to two weeks to produce from the brand’s atelier in Fethiye, Turkey. Sophia moved to New York City from Haiti as a young woman where she earned a Masters in Social Work, and spent several years serving as the director of a homeless shelter in Brooklyn.

She always used fashion as a form of self expression, and after a move to Turkey with her husband and two young boys, she couldn’t find any dresses that felt effortless and easy to wear, yet thoughtfully-made, in feminine silhouettes. She started to design and sew her own collection, and after success selling them online, she began to build her own atelier to produce her cut-on-demand collection.

The name Fanm Mon refers to a woman who is one with nature – one who creates and manifests beauty from her natural surroundings. Through her consciously crafted line, Sophia seeks to create cycles of better buying habits.

A Charleston native, Megan Pinckney Rutherford left the Lowcountry to attend the University of South Carolina where she earned a degree in fashion merchandising. She began developing her social media skills during her reign as Miss South Carolina USA when she was tasked with managing the title’s accounts across relatively new social media platforms. In 2013 she competed in the Miss USA pageant where she finished in the Top 5. The following year she established her blog, which eventually developed into “Shades of Pinck”— a social media moniker and lifestyle blog that promotes local businesses, global travel, her Southern traditions, classic style and timely topics that affect her + her community. Since then, she’s founded a business in creating memorable images for brands like Banana Republic, Toyota, Gap, Crate & Barrel and Macy’s to use across all major platforms as a Digital Content Producer and is now the proud mom of a boisterous toddler boy.

Kendra Bracken-Ferguson is an internationally acclaimed thought leader. In demand for her strategic vision and attention to brands that want to grow to scale quickly and sustainably, she is a sought after speaker and c-suite/board advising powerhouse. Kendra’s ecosystem of leadership is rooted in her global conglomerate BrainTrust where she is the Founder, CEO and General Partner.

BrainTrust is an award-winning, global force created by Kendra in 2015. It was the first of her suite of BrainTrust enterprises leading to her founding BrainTrust Founders Studio in 2021, now the largest platform dedicated to Black founders of beauty and wellness companies that has not only changed the face of beauty but also empowered Black business owners to enter the room and sit at the tables of capital and wealth generation.

She also is a General Partner in the adjacent BrainTrust Fund I, dedicated to investing in breakthrough Black-founded beauty and wellness brands. A transformative brand builder, Kendra is the secret ingredient in guiding and monetizing more than 200 influencer-driven brands that have collectively generated more than $100MM in revenue. Kendra has created and launched seven brands in partnership with celebrities and influencers. Among her firsts, Kendra has the distinction of being one of only 200 Black women ever to have raised more than $1MM in investment for her first company.

Not only has she innovated and partnered into the worlds of celebrity and influence, she has also been early to the power of technology to open new gates of opportunity as the youngest Vice President at Fleisham-Hillard New York, the first Director of Digital Media at Ralph Lauren and the first Chief Digital Officer at CAA-GBG (Creative Artists Agency – Global Brand Groups) when her company was acquired. She also developed Influencer Data MappingTM, a proprietary advertising marketing solution to drive ROI (return on influence).

As much as she does, she also gives. A noted philanthropist, mentor and advisor, Kendra has received numerous awards and has an endowment at her alma mater, Purdue University for a Black female student in the School of Liberal Arts.

minnow is a reflection of the life and style of its founder, Morgan Smith, a mother and entrepreneur with a background in premium product marketing. After working in New York and Los Angeles, she returned to her hometown of Laguna Beach, California where minnow was born. She now lives on the other coast in Charleston, SC with her husband and three children.
With the beach inspiring her daily life, Morgan envisioned a children’s swimwear collection with an elevated approach—sun-kissed color palettes, purposeful details, custom prints and high quality, hand-finished production—and minnow was born.

Jennifer is the founder and CEO of Dogwood Hill, a purveyor of luxurious, artfully driven holiday cards, stationery, and wedding paper. Hailing from northwest Alabama, Jennifer graduated with a Master of Accountancy from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa and made her way to Birmingham. She led successful careers first as a Certified Public Accountant and then as an art gallery owner. Not one to be pegged down, Jennifer launched Dogwood Hill in 2015 to offer a space where artfully created paper and accessibility could meet. With its collective of more than 30 artists and its team of graphic designers who bring the art to life through thoughtful product design, Dogwood Hill has established itself as a leader in the premier paper goods industry. Dogwood Hill has been featured in top print publications including Better Homes & Gardens, House Beautiful, Southern Living, and Veranda, as well as on Brides.com, EW.com, Glamour.com, Inc.com, MarthaStewart.com, People.com, RealSimple.com, Vogue.com and a highlight on the TODAY show. Jennifer was selected as a Tory Burch Fellow in 2019. Her husband, Buddy, joined Dogwood Hill in 2018 and now leads the company’s Wholesale division. They have two young boys who keep their free time occupied with lots of fun activities.

Samantha Saunion is a social media strategist with 7+ years of experience. Prior to joining Real Simple as their Social Media Editor, she managed social media content at brands like People, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Taste of Home, Reader’s Digest, and Family Handyman. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University and her Master’s in Media Studies from The New School in New York City.

Lauren Finney Harden is a veteran magazine editor and writer who focuses on lifestyle verticals like fashion, beauty, parenting, travel and food. Since graduating from the University of Georgia, she’s held positions at Cosmopolitan, Lonely Planet, Modern Luxury and more. Now, she writes for brands and publications such as Southern Living, Garden & Gun, InStyle, Today’s Parent, and Atlanta magazine with a focus on commerce and trends. She lives in Atlanta with her husband and daughter.

Brian Hart Hoffman is President/Chief Creative Officer at Hoffman Media, LLC

Brian Hart Hoffman is President/Chief Creative Officer at Hoffman Media, LLC, where he oversees the editorial planning and brand direction for all publications, as well as the public relations and special events divisions. Since joining Hoffman Media, Brian has been the driving force behind the launch of The Cottage Journal, Bake from Scratch, Southern Cast Iron, and Southern Home. His special-event leadership with the company includes planning and executing major consumer events. Prior to joining the company in 2007, Hoffman worked in the airline industry, which allowed him to live in six cities throughout the United States. He has visited all 50 states.

Kelsey Ogletree is the founder of Pitchcraft, a tech platform connecting writers, editors and PR professionals, and an occasional freelance writer for outlets including The Wall Street Journal, AARP, Travel + Leisure and more. She specializes in helping business owners identify and hone their brand stories to pitch to the press, making introductions to relevant writers and editors, and building relationships with the media. She lives in Florence, Alabama, with her husband, 9-month-old son and kitty.

Laura Cox Kaplan is the creator of She Said / She Said — a multimedia platform for women who strive to live their best lives with intention and who are seeking insight and inspiration through thoughtful conversation and content focused on women.
Laura’s 30-year career spans some of the highest institutions in Washington, DC — a place of constant change. She spent ten years on the executive management team of global professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, where she served as Principal-in-Charge of Government, Regulatory Affairs and Public Policy, coordinating strategies across more than 150 countries. Before that Laura held senior positions at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. Department of the Treasury, after getting her start as a Press Secretary on Capitol Hill.
A common thread for Laura has been not only navigating change, but understanding and mastering the art of influence — in government, business, communications, advocacy, and in navigating family life.

Natasha Murphy is the Founder/Principal of Built Best, a technical consultancy with sharp execution capabilities geared towards empowering small business owners in the rapidly changing technology industry through expert technical assessment and hands-on implementation. Built Best has helped major brands and retailers grow smart and scale quickly via calculated digital transformation and business modernization practices.

Previously, she served as Director of Digital at Acadia, leading a team of technologists and creatives in planning and implementing innovative solutions for enterprise companies and SMBs. Prior to Acadia, she spent a decade as the Founder and Managing Director of Nicely Built, a boutique web development and marketing agency focused on e-commerce.

Natasha is a Georgia native, UGA double dawg, and current Atlanta resident. She lives in Kirkwood with her family in an over-one-hundred-year-old house and enjoys reading.

Annette Joseph is an expert on entertaining, cooking, and styling. She regularly appears on the Today show and Martha Stewart Living Radio. Her recipes and party ideas have been featured in Better Homes and Gardens, Epicurious, Vogue, MSN, Elle Decor, Southern Living, and goop, among others.

Annette has over twenty years of experience working in media, and on television, her expertise includes photo styling for interiors, food propping and styling, cooking, and gardening and lifestyle tips, Italian travel tips, and she shares all of it on this channel. She conducts flea market shopping, styling, photography, and slow food, and cooking and yoga and wellness retreats in northern Tuscany. Where she has renovated and lives in a 12th-century fortress with a vineyard. Follow her crazy adventures in the Italian countryside.

She is the author of many books, including: Picture Perfect Parties, Cocktail Italiano, Italy Is My Boyfriend, and My Italian Guestbook, At the Table of La Fortezza and The Killer Menu

Mignonne Gavigan founded her namesake accessories brand in 2014 with hopes that each piece would bring joy and happiness to the wearer. Ultimately what she’s discovered is that women develop a significant amount of confidence when wearing an MG piece, which is so important to the brand- that we are building a community of confident and joy-filled women.  Mignonne’s approach stems from her love of art, nature, architecture, and textiles bringing them all together in jewelry. At Mignonne Gavigan, accessories are the perfect finishing touch. Maggie’s philosophy is that sophistication and playfulness can coexist, and she aims to thoughtfully design one-of-a-kind pieces that tell a story of handmade craftsmanship and faraway travels.

With partners in India and Asia, Mignonne creates modern designs, informed by 100-year-old heritage techniques. Signature styles include embroidered and beaded scarf necklaces, meaningful charms, decadent statement earrings, intricately detailed brooches, and bracelets.

With over 15 years of experience in the fashion and retail industry, Jade Sperling is currently the Vice President of Ecommerce and Marketing at Mignonne Gavigan. She has spent the last two years with the company, spearheading transformative initiatives that have redefined the brand in the digital landscape. Under her leadership, they successfully launched their subscription box program, resale platform, and a customer-centric loyalty program, among others. These initiatives elevated the brand presence and significantly contributed to driving incremental growth. Prior to joining Mignonne Gavigan, she held various positions at Saks Fifth Avenue, Lord & Taylor, Hudson’s Bay Company, and PVH, where she played instrumental roles in shaping and executing strategic initiatives.

Abbey Glass is an attainable luxury womenswear brand that helps women explore the art of dressing up. Abbey started designing dresses when she was 10 years old, sewing with her grandmother on a vintage Singer sewing machine. She went on to become a classically trained fashion designer, graduating from Rhode Island School of Design, and launching her business creating playful couture gowns for women across the country. Abbey is inspired by mid-century design, creating attainable luxury pieces through luxurious fabric selections and timeless silhouettes. Her mission is to lend a playful elegance to women’s wardrobes, giving them effortless confidence for every occasion. The namesake brand operates out of the flagship store in Abbey’s hometown of Atlanta, GA.

Alexandra Dillard is the Vice President and General Merchandise Manager for Dillard’s, Inc. Born in Fort Worth, Texas but raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, Alexandra spent her early years immersed in retail.  Her father, Alex Dillard, is the son of Dillard’s founder, William T Dillard and currently serves as President of the company.  He has significantly contributed to growth, success, and modernization of the company.  Alexandra often shares fond memories of attending new store ribbon cuttings with her grandparents as a child, joining her father on store visits, and attending buying markets throughout her formative years.  This exposure into retail from an early age and witnessing her family work incredibly hard day after day is something that shaped Alexandra both personally and professionally.  Alexandra and her two sisters, Annemarie and Michelle, all work for the company in impactful roles that inspire evolution and maintain relevance for the 84 year old department store.  However, Dillard’s is not Alexandra’s only exposure to the industry.  As a business graduate from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, Alexandra spent the summer after graduation working for an apparel factory in China to better understand the production line and working for Connor Sourcing, one of the world’s most renowned product sourcing agencies, based in Hong Kong to understand sourcing techniques and strategies.  She then moved to Los Angeles, California to pursue a career with BCBGMaxazria as a merchandiser.  Today, Alexandra carries a wealth of knowledge from this diverse range of experiences and applies that foundation in how she manages and operates her growing businesses within the Dillard’s corporation.  Through the duration of her “official” 15 years (and counting) in this role, Alexandra has gone from brand manager of ladies private label brands, to Divisional Merchandise Manager over a team of ladies apparel buyers, to her current role as General Merchandise Manager and Vice President.  She oversees $1 billion in annual sales and 50+ departments across ladies apparel, swimwear, outerwear and activewear, designer brands, kids, and juniors directly managing Dillard’s buying, product development, and design teams located in the corporation’s Saint Petersburg, Florida office as well as the Little Rock, Arkansas headquarters and indirectly managing our joint partnership with several design partners. An inspiration to her team, she is an advocate for always thinking outside of the box when it comes to problem solving and staying on the forefront of trends and social evolutions when it comes to her approach to product offering.  She has launched a plethora of new brands and spearheaded countless initiatives within the corporation, most recently including Dillard’s growing influencer collaborations and college campus ambassador partnerships.  Residing in Atlanta, Georgia as a mom of two young children and wife to an entrepreneur, to say her life is busy is an understatement, but there is a way to have it all and that is what life is all about!

ALIZA LICHT is an award-winning marketer, bestselling author, podcaster, personal branding expert, and the founder of LEAVE YOUR MARK, a multimedia brand and consultancy. She advises businesses and mentors individuals on brand building and career development. Licht leverages over two decades of expertise in marketing, communications, and digital strategy in the fashion industry. She was named one of “America’s Next Top Mentors” by The New York Times and Business Insider’s “Top 20 Most Innovative Career Coaches.” As a social media pioneer and one of the first fashion influencers, Licht created and was the voice of the anonymous social media phenomenon DKNY PR GIRL. Licht is a sought-after keynote speaker and sits on several industry boards. Her first book, Leave Your Mark, was published in 2015. Her new book, On Brand: Shape Your Narrative. Share Your Vision. Shift Their Perception is a comprehensive roadmap to building your personal brand. She lives in New York City with her husband, two children, and two dogs. Find her online at alizalicht.com and @alizalichtxo.

Annette Joseph is an expert on entertaining, cooking, and styling. She regularly appears on the Today show and Martha Stewart Living Radio. Her recipes and party ideas have been featured in Better Homes and Gardens, Epicurious, Vogue, MSN, Elle Decor, Southern Living, and goop, among others.

Annette has over twenty years of experience working in media, and on television, her expertise includes photo styling for interiors, food propping and styling, cooking, and gardening and lifestyle tips, Italian travel tips, and she shares all of it on this channel. She conducts flea market shopping, styling, photography, and slow food, and cooking and yoga and wellness retreats in northern Tuscany. Where she has renovated and lives in a 12th-century fortress with a vineyard. Follow her crazy adventures in the Italian countryside.

She is the author of many books, including: Picture Perfect Parties, Cocktail Italiano, Italy Is My Boyfriend, and My Italian Guestbook, At the Table of La Fortezza and The Killer Menu

Emily Lassiter: Emily Lassiter is a financial advisor at Somerset Advisory, a full service wealth management firm that has offices in Alabama, South Carolina and Virginia. Emily is also the co-owner of The Wealth Edit, an online community designed to help women become good with money. In addition to her financial advising skillset, Emily Lassiter brings to her clients 14 years of experience as an attorney before pivoting at age 43 to help and serve women throughout their financial journeys at Somerset Advisory in Birmingham, Alabama.

Emily unexpectedly lost her husband in an accident in 2014, and, in the aftermath of this tragedy, sought out a support group for widows that she spoke with regularly. Over and over again, these women brought up questions regarding personal finance and wealth. Through this, Emily realized there was an unmet need for women seeking out wealth advisors who understood each woman’s individualized needs and trajectories and, in researching how to fill this void, found Lauren Pearson, her cofounder at The Wealth Edit. Their mutual passions of serving and helping women through their financial journeys pushed Emily to shift careers and for the pair to establish The Wealth Edit in 2020. Emily finds fulfillment in establishing relationships with her clients, learning about their goals and dreams, and empowering them each to craft and implement a plan to achieve their goals.

Lauren Pearson: Lauren is the Founder of Somerset Advisory a boutique wealth management practice serving women and families in the southeast. In addition Lauren founded The Wealth Edit a national platform teaching women and many creatives how to be good with money.  Since graduating from University of Georgia she has built both firms and raised a family. Lauren currently resides on a farm in Virginia with her husband and girls.

Emily McCarthy doesn’t believe in boring. She immerses herself in bright bursts of color and vibrant prints. Even her middle name, Joy, reflects her optimistic point of view. Emily grew up in a small town and dreamed of living on the coast. She received her BA in Graphic Design and Photography from LaGrange College in LaGrange, Georgia. After spending part of her career in the stationery and gift industry, she turned her eye for prints and patterns into her design business, bringing explosions of delight to your closet season after season. Emily believes that when you look good, you feel good — and you do good. While confidence comes from within, a bold color and flattering fit can truly dress you up in joy. She is also inspired by the sophistication of home interior fabrics and wall coverings in her print design. Emily resides in Savannah, Georgia with her college husband and two children.

A creative leader for more than 25 years, Haile McCollum supercharges teams and brings focus to marketing efforts. She can see patterns and connections and understands how to leverage a sense of place to build beloved, recognizable and valuable southern brands.

Haile and her small but mighty team at Fontaine Maury worked with Explore Georgia to create a strategic, new brand identity for the state of Georgia’s tourism efforts. Fontaine Maury has also worked with iconic southern businesses, including Flowers Foods, Blackberry Patch, Condor Chocolates, Sweet Grass Dairy, James Farmer, Southern Baked Pie, and Schermer Pecans. Fontaine Maury’s work builds stronger communities, one brand partner at a time.

Haile earned a BS in Human Development from Vanderbilt University and an MFA in Graphic Design from SCAD.

Hannah Groseclose is the founder of Hinge Creative Co., a branding house in Athens, Ga that specializes in brand identity for women-led businesses. As a designer and entrepreneur, she’s passionate about the impact of branding on the bottom line for women in business. She’s a mom to two little girls Tate and Reese, and as a UGA alumna, she and her husband call the Dawgs every Saturday in the fall.

Jackie Thomson founded of Counsel in early 2022 after co-owning and expanding the Charleston-based lifestyle pr firm, leapfrog, for 13 years. Her consultancy focuses on promoting female founders in the design and style space with a focused approach on brand development through media and influencer relations, events and strategic partnerships. The term of Counsel refers to her team’s hands-on approach to brand building and the partnerships that she builds with long-term clients.

Jackie earned her undergraduate degree from the College of Charleston, then moved to New York for a buying position at GUCCI, and then to grow the wholesale business for bridal and evening wear designer Reem Acra. She later returned to Charleston to join, and later take over leapfrog’s design-related projects. Her wide-ranging interests in lifestyle-related categories drives of Counsel’s expertise in the fields of fashion and design. Beyond the realm of traditional PR, Jackie enjoys honing brand strategy, content creation, and developing market positioning for her clients.

With over 15 years of experience in the fashion and retail industry, Jade Sperling is currently the Vice President of Ecommerce and Marketing at Mignonne Gavigan. She has spent the last two years with the company, spearheading transformative initiatives that have redefined the brand in the digital landscape. Under her leadership, they successfully launched their subscription box program, resale platform, and a customer-centric loyalty program, among others. These initiatives elevated the brand presence and significantly contributed to driving incremental growth. Prior to joining Mignonne Gavigan, she held various positions at Saks Fifth Avenue, Lord & Taylor, Hudson’s Bay Company, and PVH, where she played instrumental roles in shaping and executing strategic initiatives.

Jennifer is the founder and CEO of Dogwood Hill, a purveyor of luxurious, artfully driven holiday cards, stationery, and wedding paper. Hailing from northwest Alabama, Jennifer graduated with a Master of Accountancy from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa and made her way to Birmingham. She led successful careers first as a Certified Public Accountant and then as an art gallery owner. Not one to be pegged down, Jennifer launched Dogwood Hill in 2015 to offer a space where artfully created paper and accessibility could meet. With its collective of more than 30 artists and its team of graphic designers who bring the art to life through thoughtful product design, Dogwood Hill has established itself as a leader in the premier paper goods industry. Dogwood Hill has been featured in top print publications including Better Homes & Gardens, House Beautiful, Southern Living, and Veranda, as well as on Brides.com, EW.com, Glamour.com, Inc.com, MarthaStewart.com, People.com, RealSimple.com, Vogue.com and a highlight on the TODAY show. Jennifer was selected as a Tory Burch Fellow in 2019. Her husband, Buddy, joined Dogwood Hill in 2018 and now leads the company’s Wholesale division. They have two young boys who keep their free time occupied with lots of fun activities.

Katy Bader: Katy Bader has founded a successful group of companies including boutique hotels, a European home furnishing venue in Round Top Texas, real estate development company, a civil construction company, and commercial ranch operations. Although each company is a different industry, Katy has brought an element of her own unique brand across them all. Details are her deal breaker.

Kristin Light: SISSY LIGHT is the founder of a hat and accessories brand based in Round Top, Texas. Her brand is inspired by the west coast style she cultivated while studying at FIDM in L.A., blended with her West Texas roots.
The SISSY LIGHT fusion: West Texas meets Palm Beach. Her hats are designed in Texas and handmade in Ecuador from the palm fronds of native coastal plants. In addition to hats, SISSY LIGHT offers carry-on hat baskets that are handwoven in Mexico, and scarves with custom designs hand painted by New York artist Lauren Bisaccio.

Kristin has worked with hundreds of designers, influencers, and shoppers who frequent her pop-up space in Round Top, TX. Twice a year during the world-renowned antique show designers and vendors from all over the globe meet to shop, collaborate and get inspired.

With a degree in Fashion Design from FIDM in Los Angeles, CA, Kristin has a decade of photographing and interior design under her belt. She has been featured on platforms like Style Me Pretty and Southern Weddings Magazine. Since 2015, Kristin has executed major design projects like The Frenchie Boutique Hotel, which has become Round Top’s most desired place to stay by designers and influencers all over the U.S.

Kelsey Ogletree is the founder of Pitchcraft, a tech platform connecting writers, editors and PR professionals, and an occasional freelance writer for outlets including The Wall Street Journal, AARP, Travel + Leisure and more. She specializes in helping business owners identify and hone their brand stories to pitch to the press, making introductions to relevant writers and editors, and building relationships with the media. She lives in Florence, Alabama, with her husband, 9-month-old son and kitty.

Kendra Bracken-Ferguson is an internationally acclaimed thought leader. In demand for her strategic vision and attention to brands that want to grow to scale quickly and sustainably, she is a sought after speaker and c-suite/board advising powerhouse. Kendra’s ecosystem of leadership is rooted in her global conglomerate BrainTrust where she is the Founder, CEO and General Partner.

BrainTrust is an award-winning, global force created by Kendra in 2015. It was the first of her suite of BrainTrust enterprises leading to her founding BrainTrust Founders Studio in 2021, now the largest platform dedicated to Black founders of beauty and wellness companies that has not only changed the face of beauty but also empowered Black business owners to enter the room and sit at the tables of capital and wealth generation.

She also is a General Partner in the adjacent BrainTrust Fund I, dedicated to investing in breakthrough Black-founded beauty and wellness brands. A transformative brand builder, Kendra is the secret ingredient in guiding and monetizing more than 200 influencer-driven brands that have collectively generated more than $100MM in revenue. Kendra has created and launched seven brands in partnership with celebrities and influencers. Among her firsts, Kendra has the distinction of being one of only 200 Black women ever to have raised more than $1MM in investment for her first company.

Not only has she innovated and partnered into the worlds of celebrity and influence, she has also been early to the power of technology to open new gates of opportunity as the youngest Vice President at Fleisham-Hillard New York, the first Director of Digital Media at Ralph Lauren and the first Chief Digital Officer at CAA-GBG (Creative Artists Agency – Global Brand Groups) when her company was acquired. She also developed Influencer Data MappingTM, a proprietary advertising marketing solution to drive ROI (return on influence).

As much as she does, she also gives. A noted philanthropist, mentor and advisor, Kendra has received numerous awards and has an endowment at her alma mater, Purdue University for a Black female student in the School of Liberal Arts.

Lauren Finney Harden is a veteran magazine editor and writer who focuses on lifestyle verticals like fashion, beauty, parenting, travel and food. Since graduating from the University of Georgia, she’s held positions at Cosmopolitan, Lonely Planet, Modern Luxury and more. Now, she writes for brands and publications such as Southern Living, Garden & Gun, InStyle, Today’s Parent, and Atlanta magazine with a focus on commerce and trends. She lives in Atlanta with her husband and daughter.

Laura Cox Kaplan is the creator of She Said / She Said — a multimedia platform for women who strive to live their best lives with intention and who are seeking insight and inspiration through thoughtful conversation and content focused on women.
Laura’s 30-year career spans some of the highest institutions in Washington, DC — a place of constant change. She spent ten years on the executive management team of global professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, where she served as Principal-in-Charge of Government, Regulatory Affairs and Public Policy, coordinating strategies across more than 150 countries. Before that Laura held senior positions at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. Department of the Treasury, after getting her start as a Press Secretary on Capitol Hill.
A common thread for Laura has been not only navigating change, but understanding and mastering the art of influence — in government, business, communications, advocacy, and in navigating family life.

Leah Melby Clinton is a writer, editor, and brand storyteller who’s the editor-in-chief and co-founder of In Kind magazine. She’s worked at ELLE, Glamour, and led branded-editorial strategy for Harper’s BAZAAR and Town & Country before driving brand marketing and content for Ralph Lauren and Margaux. A native North-Central Floridian, she started her first ‘zine on AOL when she was 11 and has wanted to be a magazine editor ever since. She currently lives in Bucks County, PA with her family.

Over her tenure at Leapfrog PR, Libba guided many of her clients, both large and small, to become prominent brands among the shelves of national retailers. A storyteller at heart, she looks for common threads – pride in the process and an authentic history – in all of the companies she works alongside. Now as a founder of the creative consultancy Add Lib, she focuses on only a handful of carefully selected clients who have a truly great story – business owners in the south who have products and services that are inspired by heritage (a recipe, an orchard, a kettle built to last, kinship) and built on people’s need to gather, connect and foster relationships. She advises some of the South’s best-loved brands including Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit, Caroline’s Cakes, Sea Island Forge, Schermer Pecans, and The Southern Coterie #tscsummit. She thrives on mentoring entrepreneurs and small business owners. To celebrate these relationships, she offers a pro bono Small Business Mentorship program with three to five women participating each year.

An Atlanta native, Libba found her passion for all things edible as a post-grad student at New York’s French Culinary Institute (International Culinary Center). She segued into restaurant public relations at Baltz & Co. and the Dunn Robbins Group, promoting brands in the food, wine, and spirits industries. Following a move to her husband’s hometown of Charleston, Libba joined Leapfrog to continue her craft, as an owner from 2009 to 2021. She recently founded Add Lib in 2022.

Libba is a graduate of the University of the South, Sewanee. Libba and her husband, Chris, are raising their two sons a stone’s throw from the Ashley River.

Lorene Agather co-founded L Marketing Collective with the goal of taking small to medium-sized brands to the next level – she’s done just that with clients like Lela Rose, Miron Crosby, Laude the Label, Coton Colors.

A Charleston native, Megan Pinckney Rutherford left the Lowcountry to attend the University of South Carolina where she earned a degree in fashion merchandising. She began developing her social media skills during her reign as Miss South Carolina USA when she was tasked with managing the title’s accounts across relatively new social media platforms. In 2013 she competed in the Miss USA pageant where she finished in the Top 5. The following year she established her blog, which eventually developed into “Shades of Pinck”— a social media moniker and lifestyle blog that promotes local businesses, global travel, her Southern traditions, classic style and timely topics that affect her + her community. Since then, she’s founded a business in creating memorable images for brands like Banana Republic, Toyota, Gap, Crate & Barrel and Macy’s to use across all major platforms as a Digital Content Producer and is now the proud mom of a boisterous toddler boy.

Mignonne Gavigan founded her namesake accessories brand in 2014 with hopes that each piece would bring joy and happiness to the wearer. Ultimately what she’s discovered is that women develop a significant amount of confidence when wearing an MG piece, which is so important to the brand- that we are building a community of confident and joy-filled women.  Mignonne’s approach stems from her love of art, nature, architecture, and textiles bringing them all together in jewelry. At Mignonne Gavigan, accessories are the perfect finishing touch. Maggie’s philosophy is that sophistication and playfulness can coexist, and she aims to thoughtfully design one-of-a-kind pieces that tell a story of handmade craftsmanship and faraway travels.

With partners in India and Asia, Mignonne creates modern designs, informed by 100-year-old heritage techniques. Signature styles include embroidered and beaded scarf necklaces, meaningful charms, decadent statement earrings, intricately detailed brooches, and bracelets.

Mollie Burch is the CEO and Creative Director of CROSBY by Mollie Burch, a women’s fashion line known for its imaginative use of color, original prints, and effortless vibe. Since founding CROSBY in 2015, she has grown her small business into an established and recognizable brand that is thriving on all fronts with over 300 wholesale accounts across the country and an ever-growing e-commerce presence. CROSBY believes in ultimate inclusion — advocating for women from various backgrounds and stories and creating pieces for all personalities. From sizes XXS to XXL, CROSBY creates flattering fits that can be worn by any generation!

Mollie hand-designs every style and print based on inspiration from unexpected color palettes, vibrant cultures, and the wonders of nature. As she dives into her ninth year of business, her mission remains the same: celebrate who you are through what you’re wearing. She is fiercely dedicated to her craft and passionate about helping women feel like their boldest, brightest selves.

CROSBY’s Shine Your Bright mantra is anchored in the company’s dedication to the fight against human trafficking. Every year, Mollie designs two special prints inspired by a survivor’s journey. The proceeds from these pieces are donated directly to Wellspring Living, an organization whose mission is to transform the lives of those at-risk or victimized by sexual exploitation. Learn more about the brand’s social mission here.

Born and raised in Newnan, GA, and a graduate of the University of Virginia, Mollie currently resides in Atlanta with her husband, Evan, and the newest (and sweetest!) CROSBY gal, Baby Burch.

minnow is a reflection of the life and style of its founder, Morgan Smith, a mother and entrepreneur with a background in premium product marketing. After working in New York and Los Angeles, she returned to her hometown of Laguna Beach, California where minnow was born. She now lives on the other coast in Charleston, SC with her husband and three children.
With the beach inspiring her daily life, Morgan envisioned a children’s swimwear collection with an elevated approach—sun-kissed color palettes, purposeful details, custom prints and high quality, hand-finished production—and minnow was born.

Natasha Murphy is the Founder/Principal of Built Best, a technical consultancy with sharp execution capabilities geared towards empowering small business owners in the rapidly changing technology industry through expert technical assessment and hands-on implementation. Built Best has helped major brands and retailers grow smart and scale quickly via calculated digital transformation and business modernization practices.

Previously, she served as Director of Digital at Acadia, leading a team of technologists and creatives in planning and implementing innovative solutions for enterprise companies and SMBs. Prior to Acadia, she spent a decade as the Founder and Managing Director of Nicely Built, a boutique web development and marketing agency focused on e-commerce.

Natasha is a Georgia native, UGA double dawg, and current Atlanta resident. She lives in Kirkwood with her family in an over-one-hundred-year-old house and enjoys reading.

Paloma Contreras is an acclaimed interior designer based in Houston, Texas. Paloma’s design sensibility is a modern take on traditional style– gravitating towards classic silhouettes and timeless pieces paired with a touch of glamour and an infusion of color. Paloma has honed her distinct eye for style over more than a decade in the design industry. She has developed a reputation for designing beautiful interiors in her signature modern-meets-traditional aesthetic resulting in spaces that feel polished, refined, and effortless. Paloma’s interiors are at once timeless, yet fresh– balancing attention to detail and the intersection of form and function to enhance a well-lived life.

Paloma has repeatedly been named to the prestigious ELLE Decor “A-List” of the top interior designers in the world. She has also been recognized as a “Next Wave” interior designer by House Beautiful and has been named to LUXE Magazine’s “Gold List”. In 2017, Paloma was named #4 on the Forbes list of the Top Social Media Influencers in the Home category and has one of the Top 10 Instagram accounts to follow for interior design according to ELLE Decor. Paloma and her work have been featured in numerous publications and websites including ELLE Decor, Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, Vogue, Domino, Luxe, Traditional Home, Southern Living, Better Homes & Gardens, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal.

Paloma recently debuted a lighting collection with Visual Comfort & Co. She is a sought-after speaker on the topic of design and frequently participates in keynote and panel discussions. Paloma’s first book, Dream Design Live was published by Abrams in September 2018. Her second book, The New Classic Home is slated for an October 2023 release. Her curated retail shop, Paloma & Co opened in Houston’s River Oaks neighborhood in January 2019 and has expanded to include a robust online platform. Paloma is currently working on projects in Houston and beyond with clients in Palm Beach, Key Largo, Atlanta, and New York.

Samantha Saunion is a social media strategist with 7+ years of experience. Prior to joining Real Simple as their Social Media Editor, she managed social media content at brands like People, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Taste of Home, Reader’s Digest, and Family Handyman. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University and her Master’s in Media Studies from The New School in New York City.

A native of the Midwest, Sarah Wetenhall is a nomad by nature having lived in more than six cities during the first twenty years of her life. Her vagabond roots inspired a love of travel and developed storytelling skills that proved essential in molding this natural-born hotelier. A graduate of Vanderbilt University, she began her career in New York where she spent a decade-plus spearheading public relations efforts for major fashion houses including Calvin Klein, Dolce & Gabbana and Hugo Boss. Her experience in the fashion industry honed her keen aesthetic acumen and a strong sensibility for the luxury market. She currently serves as a board member of the Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce, the Worth Avenue Association, the Children’s Museum of the East End, and the Women’s Committee of the Central Park Conservancy, as well as the Brick Presbyterian Church in New York City. Sarah has also been recognized by Hotels Magazine as one of the top ten independent lifestyle operators in the world.

Sarah Slaughter joined Atlanta-based public relations and marketing consultancy agency Domino Media Group in August 2016 as Domino’s first hire when she moved to Atlanta after living in New York City. Her time there was spent at a public relations agency working on a variety of luxury beauty and lifestyle accounts, including Bioré, KORRES, L’Occitane, DreamDry, and more. During her time at Domino, Sarah has been the lead on accounts of various sizes, including leading Atlanta real estate developments and nationally recognized e-commerce brands and designers. As of early 2021, Sarah is now President of Domino, overseeing each of the company’s accounts and overall strategy and execution.

Sophia Demirtas is the Haitian-born designer of the womenswear label, Fanm Mon. Fanm Mon is a line of made-to-order dresses and knitwear that celebrate the bounty of nature through a vibrant color palette and hand-stitched embroidery. Each garment is made-to-order by artisans in the community and takes up to two weeks to produce from the brand’s atelier in Fethiye, Turkey. Sophia moved to New York City from Haiti as a young woman where she earned a Masters in Social Work, and spent several years serving as the director of a homeless shelter in Brooklyn.

She always used fashion as a form of self expression, and after a move to Turkey with her husband and two young boys, she couldn’t find any dresses that felt effortless and easy to wear, yet thoughtfully-made, in feminine silhouettes. She started to design and sew her own collection, and after success selling them online, she began to build her own atelier to produce her cut-on-demand collection.

The name Fanm Mon refers to a woman who is one with nature – one who creates and manifests beauty from her natural surroundings. Through her consciously crafted line, Sophia seeks to create cycles of better buying habits.

Sue Sartor is an independent designer with a deep admiration for fashion, textiles, art & flowers. A student of art history and lover of the visual world, Sue’s inspiration for her exclusive block prints and original embroideries include an array of sources from art & nature to architectural details & furniture design.

In the prolific 90’s, Sue worked for Calvin Klein’s iconic luxury brand, Calvin Klein Collection, in fashion merchandising. Sue had long dreamed of designing an artisan luxury line dresses & kaftans. After 20 years of raising her family, painting original artwork, and rewarding community volunteering, she realized it was never too late to follow her dream.

In 2019, she launched the “Paloma” dress— named for Paloma Contreras— when she unveiled the first of the dresses at Paloma’s door front in Houston. Now known as the Sue Sartor Flounce™️ Dress, it is a workhorse wear-everywhere dress and the hero of her brand.

Based on a comfy kaftan concept, the Flounce™️ allows ease of movement and absolute comfort while still offering a put-together and sophisticated look. It is known for its versatile easy style, signature hand-piped placket front, 3/4 balloon sleeve, pockets, banded collar, and a joyous textural print mash up.

Sue’s line exemplifies joy & femininity through and through. The dresses are for everyone and made to make the wearer feel like her best self. All of Sue’s designs are made in 100% cotton and or 100% silk, and whenever possible, her fabrications are hand-loomed, preserving a dying art form.

SUE SARTOR is currently found online at suesartor.com, in New Orleans at the flagship location on Magazine Street, and soon in a new Dallas storefront across from SMU in Snider Plaza. Sue is in her third season designing an exclusive capsule for Anthropologie and is launching an exclusive silk kaftan collection with Blackberry Farm this spring. Sue is a Southern Living Tastemaker and was recently interviewed by Laura Vinroot Poole for the “What We Wore” Podcast.

Sue currently has 4 block printing artisan workrooms in Jaipur and Delhi, India, that hand-stamp each one of the brand’s custom prints. Her sewing, pattern making, and embroidery workrooms in Delhi are run by her production family, lead by a husband and wife team consisting of over 30 talented team members.

The small batch brand continues to grow mindfully and thoughtfully. She and her husband Walter, a General Surgeon, met at Tulane University and spend their time between Monroe Louisiana and New Orleans. They have 3 amazingly supportive and creative grown children. Sue attributes The Southern Coterie as being one of the key inspirations that gave her confidence early-on to, in her late 40’s, grow her brand, be the brand, dive in, always reach out and collaborate and have fun doing what you are passionate about!