The Creative Collaborative. SF.
A tight group of entrepreneurial, design-forward women, masterminding business ideas & challenges and bringing them to life. Bay Area change-makers with a purpose: to elevate unique ideas, innovate into new spaces and support one another in the process.
We are women who are passionate about sharing our ambition, compassion, and readiness to challenge the status quo. We unite this local community with our extended networks to create meaningful connection and collaboration.
This is the year of growth, development, change - and joy. We will workshop ideas, provide opinions and resources and hold each other accountable. Welcome to creating the triumph of your best self.
The Collaborators.
Kendra Frisbie, idea generator.
Serial creative with an entrepreneurial spirit and a lifelong desire to bring people together. A fiercely loyal friend and partner with a discerning eye for collected and tasteful interiors/products, a love of storytelling and an appreciation for discovering everyone’s own definition of living well. Passionate about changing the world through abundant creativity, meaningful connections and sparking joy.
Brand highlights: McGuire Furniture, Chairish, KonMari, HiNOTE, Outward Bound Board Member.
Shane Reilly, entrepreneur.
An entrepreneurial leader who thrives in building new experiences where brand matters and technology is a competitive advantage. A seasoned concept creator, brand builder, start-up founder, interior design lover, technology expert. Knowing details make the experience, thrives on the challenge of building something new - and helping others do the same.
Brand highlights: Decorati, Gilt, Guildery, Minted, Pinterest, Kiwi Crate, VistaPrint.
Alicia Garcia-Romero, creative.
A space shaper and visual storyteller— dedicated to sustainability and making product and spaces that spark inspiration, joy and feed the soul. Foundation in beauty: interior architecture, set design, fine art and styling. Lives with a belief that there’s always something new to say, that acceptance is the path forward and being kind to the earth is our generation’s most urgent challenge.
Brand highlights: Boyd Lighting, ARC Design, McGuire Furniture, Friday Coast.
Sheila Khan, connector.
A collaborator, mentor and connector first, marketer second. Passionate about cultivating more open minded, empathetic citizens of the world through representation in marketing and using technology to create safe spaces for community, education, and self-discovery. A favorite quote / dad’s words of wisdom: "Be friends with the person least like you...you will learn the most."
Brand highlights: PlaySkool, Hasbro, The Sims, Meta, Oculus, Board Member.
Tiffany Wheat, growth maven.
In the business of creating, manufacturing, merchandising & selling beautiful things, spaces, and experiences. Passionate about a good story well told and steadfast proponent of integrity, drive, character and experimentation. Advocate of inviting both goosebumps and good data to the table. A fan of collaboration, accountability and black ink, believes curiosity is one of the greatest navigational tools in life and work. Dedicated to life-long learning, mentoring and kindness.
Brand highlights: Gucci, Kate Spade, Co-Lab, Heath Ceramics, Ann Sacks.
Lucie Charkin, curator.
Global arts & culture powerhouse. Cultural innovator, educator, curator, and strategist - passionate about using art and culture to find common ground in how one experiences the world and the potential of our roles within it. Superpowers include building better teams, creating compassionate leaders, shifting culture and sparking creativity.
Brand highlights: (Founder) Artful Method, The Headlands Center for the Arts, Marin MOCA, New York Times Learning Network, ArtAngel, London Natural History Museum, China Now Festival.
Lisa le Duc, design visionary.
Dreams big, has an eye for the finest details and can transform any space into a modern masterpiece. Drop dead gorgeous: specializes in lifestyle-led design that combines a mix of modern European and mid-century design furniture, contemporary finishes, traditional craftsmanship, and elegant livability. Forever finding ways to draw from the beauty of what exists and enhance it - sustainability and style lead every design vision.
Brand highlights: Lisa le Duc Design
Victoria Jefferson, magic maker.
Has the magic touch to build amazing brands, music - and dessert. Global brand experience and marketing guru driving digital transformation. Has worked intimately with some of the world's leading brands to unite the powerful combination of ideas, innovation and people. Superpowers include: bringing clarity to complex challenges, connecting people, looking on the bright side, enthusiastically saying YES! And, dessert, don’t forget the dessert.
Brand Highlights: Time CO2, Apple, Adobe, Block.one, Emerson Collective, Nike and the office of Yo-Yo Ma
Diana Lyman, trailblazer.
Media & tech exec pivoting 20+ years of go-to-market power moves towards driving growth for social impact brands. CEO of Traction Advisory consultancy supporting emerging brands and daring founders to build innovative solutions across women’s health & wellness, reproductive rights and the future of (equitable) work. Passion for women’s wealth creation fiercely fuels propelling top-line business impact for female founders. Having launched 100s of products and services, superpowers include revenue generation, strategic partnerships, multichannel marketing and the operational glue across it all. Angel Investor. Founding Member of Kindred and CHIEF. Global Advisor to How Women Lead.
Brand highlights: IDEO, StyleSeat, Current TV, Helio, E! Entertainment.
Katie Monkhouse, problem solver.
Can do anything, really, but currently uses multi-faceted superpowers to create California-inspired interiors and custom furniture. Mixing a warm modern aesthetic with a love of fashion, antiques and elements taken from living in Europe, the result is a rare design (and life!) point of view that embraces patina and imperfection while also striving for balance. Usually found juggling many projects, and doing it in style.
Brand highlights: Reiss, Scoop NYC, Heidi Says, Katie Monkhouse Interior Design
Mary Harrington, cheerleader.
“We’ve got this!” - a favorite and frequent refrain. Endless enthusiasm and positivity - the key to a joy-filled life, building loyal teams and making a meaningful difference. Inspiration abounds - driving 20+ years in retail growth, steering trends and crafting strategy for design-forward brands.
Brand highlights: Hudson Grace, Williams-Sonoma, One Kings Lane, Z Gallerie
Shaina Kerrigan, innovator of chill.
On a mission to replace burnout with balance. Creative, powerhouse entrepreneur with a passion for wellness, curiosity, education and making a difference for women who do it all. Laser-focused on creating flexible, collaborative, and fulfilling environments; celebrating all successes big and small - and showing up with both laughter and chill every single day. Superpowers include development and management of start-up environments, sales teams and cool events - as well as fostering a new kind of work culture.
Brand highlights: Molly J cbd, Yelp, Allied PRA, Club Corp of America
Lara Hitchcock, cultural activator.
A culture & communications maven, employee engagement expert, dynamic speaker and modern changemaker. 25 years experience in the non-profit industry, a Visionary Activator. Driving social impact by understanding community need, building relationships, engaging partners, connecting dots, multi-tasking and creating systems to ensure sustainability. Changing culture seems natural when led by the most hard-working, positive person on earth. Personal motto: ‘Countless, unseen details are the difference between mediocre and magnificent.’ And this one aims for magnificent.
Brand highlights: YMCA, Columbia Land Conservancy, Farallones Marine Sanctuary Association, Forward Progress.
Adrienne LaBonte Liggett, word warrior.
A fifth generation San Franciscan - naturally enmeshed in the city’s culture, arts and people. Talented editorial director, board member, published children’s book author, expert copywriter and emerging creative strategist. An entrepreneur, outdoor adventurer and DIY enthusiast at heart - currently crafting a personal brand around creative strategy, marketing content and helping women support women.
Brand highlights: ‘Buglet Learns to Fly’ author, Leap Frog, Parasail Health and Board service at Pixie Park & The Ross Auxiliary to the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco.
Meredith Lamont, fire starter.
A lifelong Californian with fire in the belly for advancement of women in business, disability advocacy, inclusive education and challenging the status quo. Fueled by pouring the proverbial gas on the spark and seeing what alights.
Driven by intuition and experience, leads with a finger on the pulse creatively and culturally. Proud of the battle scars and victories of a rich career in corporate merchandising, strategic business consulting and start-up worlds; industry expertise in home furnishings, fashion, interior design, manufacturing & product development.
A keen eye for design; lover and collector of all things vintage. Believes listening is a magnetic and creative force that drives us to expand. Renaissance woman, indeed!
Brand Highlights: Levis, Gap, Inc., Pottery Barn Brands, Crate & Barrel, The Great, Parachute, Nonprofit Board VP, Member BAYS (Bay Area Young Survivors)
Creative is an understatement. Producer of film, TV and integrated marketing campaigns; writer of personal essay, memoir and tv/film scripts; content curator.
Advocate for women's rights and founder of the The Dear Amy Project -promoting reproductive justice and freedom for all - a plea to Justice Amy Coney Barrett as the sole female on the Supreme Court to sign the opinion overturning Roe vs. Wade; a passion project seeking change at the highest levels. Relentless believer in the transformative power of personal stories to spark change.
Superpowers include igniting dialogue, fostering empathy and championing action by influencing hearts and minds through storytelling. Creative and action-oriented - two of the very best superpowers being put to good use!
Brand Highlights: The Dear Amy Project, Telluride Film Festival, Google, Nest, Udemy, Sony Entertainment, Benziger Wines and Deloitte Consulting.