Experts

When brands and institutions want to connect meaningfully with stakeholders, they consult Cheryl Overton, a transformational integrated marketing communications executive with over 20 years of experience across audience types, verticals and media platforms. She is an insights-inspired content innovator and entrepreneur who counsels brands, C-suite leaders and boards on ownable ways to tell brand stories that strategically align organizational purpose and growth. Cheryl delivers culturally nuanced, data-driven strategies that lead companies toward innovation, inclusivity, effectiveness and profitability. She is an experienced cross-functional orchestrator and collaborator adept at assembling teams that work optimally toward common goals. Cheryl was an integral force behind influential, culture-shaping campaigns such as Procter & Gamble’s “My Black is Beautiful,” American Express’ UNSTAGED, (Unilever) Dove’s “Campaign for Real Beauty” and the American Heart Association’s “Go Red for Women.” It was her strategic insight that lifted P&G’s award-winning short film, “The Talk” to deeper dialogues about racial bias that resonated around the world. Prior to entrepreneurship, she held leadership roles at notable global agencies providing strategy, creative, business development and relationship management for a spectrum of brands targeting consumer, corporate and professional audiences. Industry recognition of her brand work includes an Emmy, three Cannes Lions (including the Grand Prix), Silver Anvil, Adcolor, Gold Pencil, Gold Sabre, IPRA, Shorty, PR Week and PRSA Big Apple “Best of the Best,” among others. She has lectured for the Association of National Advertisers, PR Council and Public Relations Society of America as well as private corporations on the topics of multicultural marketing, DEI and cultural storytelling. She serves on the Executive Committee for The Advertising Club and chairs its entrepreneurship committee. She was named “New Yorker of the Year” by The Advertising Club and was inducted as a PR Week Woman of Distinction. She was named to the PRovoke Media Innovator 25 and has served on the PR Jury of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. In 2023, she holds jury position for both the CLIO and Festival of Media awards. She also serves on the Boards of Directors of viBe Theater Experience and Heroic Gardens, helping to grow their reach and impact in multicultural communities.She holds a Master of Journalism with honors from Temple University and a bachelor’s degree from Barnard College. She is a graduate of the Herndon Director’s Institute, a program to expand minority participation on governing boards.

Finding Balance, Beauty, and Purpose: How Cheree Ashley is Redefining Wellness Through Osier and Skincare.As a prominent figure in the substance rehabilitation industry and 13 years in recovery, I’ve spent the last decade building recovery programs that have helped thousands reclaim their lives. But something I often saw in my clients—and experienced myself—was the deep emotional toll that addiction takes on one’s physical appearance and self-worth. From rosacea, puffiness, and dehydration to the effects of skin picking and nutritional neglect, the journey to recovery can also be a journey back to self-love. That’s why I created Osier—a skincare and wellness brand rooted in balance, healing, and new beginnings.Osier has such a beautiful meaning as it stands for the willow tree and Willow tree means new beginnings.The philosophy behind Osier is simple: to be a safe, welcoming space where women can reconnect with themselves—mind, body, and spirit. For many coming out of addiction, basic self-care can feel overwhelming or foreign. I wanted to strip back the intimidation and offer something gentle, nurturing, and effective. That’s how our first two products were born: a moisturizer and a 3% vitamin C serum—a duo designed to hydrate, brighten, and restore skin without harsh ingredients.I chose to work with Korean manufacturers because of their reputation for clean, vegan, and cruelty-free skincare. I personally tested these products for a year on my own very sensitive skin. I wanted something accessible, something that worked for beginners or those just stepping into skincare for the first time—and these products deliver just that. The feedback has been incredible: clients tell us they see and feel the difference almost immediately.But Osier is more than just skincare. It’s a wellness movement. In a world where wellness often gets reduced to yoga classes and meditation apps—which are wonderful, but not always approachable—Osier aims to be something deeper. We’re here to remind women who have spent years putting themselves last that what they eat, how they move, how much water they drink, and what they put on their skin all matter. Wellness is not just a lifestyle—it’s a full-circle healing process: mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.Starting this brand wasn’t easy. I don’t come from money. I launched my first rehab center at 24 years old with no loans, no investors, just vision and a heart for helping others. It felt impossible. But I believed in it, and I built a multi-location recovery program on the Central Coast through passion, perseverance, and community. Now, I’m entering the beauty and wellness industry—a space I’ve loved from afar for years. I’m not an aesthetician. I’m not a beauty insider. I often feel like a small fish in a vast ocean. But I’ve been here before: an underdog with a dream.Osier stands for more than beauty. It stands for openness, support, and awareness. It’s a place where people can ask questions about recovery and wellness without shame. It’s about rebuilding confidence from the outside in. It’s about connection.One of the elements I’m most excited to showcase through Osier is our giving back initiative—a part of the brand that gives back directly to individuals battling substance abuse and mental health challenges. This is my way of keeping the heart of what I do at the center of everything, making sure that even as we expand into skincare and wellness products, we never lose the core mission: to help people heal.In the future, I see Osier growing into a full-fledged wellness brand—offering clean supplements, expanding our skincare line, and building a supportive community for women looking to find balance and peace. I want to continue creating products I believe in, inspired by my own recovery journey, and the thousands of others I’ve been honored to walk alongside.At the end of the day, Osier is about new beginnings—for your skin, your body, and your life.

Chelsea Werner combines her love of people and strategic thinking. In real estate since 2011, Chelsea brings two complementary skills to her work: creating profound personal relationships and comprehensively analyzing the market. She deeply invests herself in her clients, becoming a part of their lives, delving into their goals and tailoring her approach to their specific needs. Chelsea would rather work with someone for years before they buy or sell if it means that they ultimately find their perfect home.Because of this personal investment in her clients, she can hone in on her clients’ needs in a way that they might not. Chelsea is humbled by the opportunity to be part of such an important moment in her clients’ lives, whether helping someone with their first purchase or downsizing empty nesters. Chelsea knows that real estate is never just a transaction, and she always goes the extra mile.Chelsea brings a keen, analytic understanding of the market, not just in Miami, but nationally and globally. She prides herself on her micro- and macro-level expertise in all aspects of real estate, from pulling comps to understanding the impact of local laws. Chelsea sees herself as a guide and advocate for her clients, fielding the strongest support team during the entire process, from the title attorney to the home inspector.Chelsea went to Boston University, where she studied business and communications with a focus on marketing. She finds real estate to be the perfect marriage of these skills, with the added bonus of interior design.Chelsea was born and raised in Miami. She is also licensed in New York. In her spare time, you’ll find her exploring neighborhoods, playing tennis, attending a show or enjoying a meal at her favorite restaurants.

As co-executive chef at Atlanta’s top destination for sushi, Todd Dae Kulper unites classic and modern Japanese flavors with two decades of experience as a sushi chef. At Umi, he creates an assortment of sashimi, nigiri and specialty rolls as well as a selection of “aburi” or slightly cooked sushi-grade fish, hot items such as black cod miso and smoked duck breast tataki, and desserts like the “donut touch my donut.”Kulper spent two years working for Nobu Matsuhisa, honing his skills as a sushi chef at NOBU in Miami Beach, Florida. During this time, he was able to stage at The French Laundry in Yountville, California. Before arriving at Umi in 2017, his career path also has taken him to Kansas City, Missouri, Honolulu and Ho Chi Minh City.Kulper was born in Seoul, South Korea but grew up on a dairy farm in Northeast Iowa. A self-taught chef who got his start in the industry right after college working as a dishwasher and expediter, he has since made a name for himself developing skills in French, Japanese, Vietnamese, Italian, Mexican, Korean and Sichuan Chinese cuisines, in addition to holistic vegan and vegetarian fare. He also is a trained pastry chef.

Chef Matt Vawter was raised in Summit County, Colorado, where his first exposure to the culinary arts occurred as an underclassman at Summit High School.  Before his senior year, Vawter was invited to the Colorado Mountain College Culinary Apprenticeship Program in Keystone. After completing the program at CMC while fulfilling coursework for high school graduation, he was encouraged by mentors to explore beyond Summit County and gain experience in the burgeoning Denver restaurant scene. In 2007 Vawter joined the culinary team at Fruition restaurant under Chef Alex Seidel. Seidel and Vawter proved powerful collaborators, leading Fruition to nationwide prominence, and then, in 2014 opening Mercantile Dining & Provision at Union Station. During Vawter’s time at Fruition and Mercantile, he developed his cooking style and honed his culinary ethos with a focus on intentional sourcing. Vawter has maintained a commitment to local purveyors, to utilize the best ingredients available, and to nurture relationships with Colorado’s farmers, ranchers, and artisans. The challenges of seasonality with the elevated mountain environment have expanded relationships nationwide with a network of small, independent partners. Rootstalk has dedicated its efforts to using techniques to highlight these ingredients in a sustainable manner.Amidst the collective successes of Mercantile and Fruition, Vawter was drawn to return to his mountain roots and to raise his children at home in Summit County. In December of 2020, he opened Rootstalk in Breckenridge intending to provide an approachable, technique-focused, ingredient-driven dining experience to the local community. Rootstalk was designed to feel like coming home, evoking Vawter’s own nostalgic return to the place that he loves dearly. With a steadfast commitment to fostering an environment where hospitality professionals can feel empowered and flourish amidst the backdrop of mountain living, Vawter envisions Rootstalk as more than just a dining destination—it's a place where guests are welcomed, embraced, and invited to savor exceptional food, drink, and genuine hospitality. Eighteen months after Rootstalk’s opening, Vawter and his partners opened Radicato in the heart of Breckenridge. Radicato celebrates the rich heritage of Italy and speaks to feeling deeply rooted in a place and the desire to embrace the energy there, while also echoing Rootstalk’s commitment to intentionality and excellence on every level.Both of Vawter’s restaurants are gathering places for the Summit County community and visitors alike, providing a welcome home to this special place and a memory in the making.    Milestones, Awards, and Accolades 2005 | Completes CMC Culinary Apprenticeship Program 2007 | Begins career at Fruition Restaurant in Denver, CO 2014 | Zagat 30 Under 30 Culinary Game Changers 2014 | Eater Young Guns 2014 | Opening of Mercantile Dining & Provision in Denver, CO 2017 | Starchefs Rising Star 2020 | Opening of Rootstalk in Breckenridge, CO 2022 | Opening of Radicato in Breckenridge, CO  2023 | Best of Summit Awards ‘Best Chef’  2024 | James Beard Award Semifinalist ‘Best Chef: Mountain’

Chef Kylian Goussot is the Executive Chef of Lafayette Steakhouse in Miami, Florida. He has served in Michelin-starred restaurants and prestigious 5-Star palace hotels including the Eden Rock St. Barts, Airelles, L'Apogée Courchevel, Château Saint-Martin & Spa, etc. At Lafayette Steakhouse, Kylian's culinary artistry shines through meticulously curated menus featuring prime cuts of USDA dry-aged beef and succulent seafood delicacies

Chef Brian Malarkey is a celebrated chef-restaurateur and entrepreneur with a passion for creating memorable dining experiences and innovative culinary products. Throughout his career, he has developed over 15 successful restaurant concepts, including beloved brands like Searsucker and Herringbone, which he sold to the Hakkasan Group in 2012 for $25 million, leading to an expansion across the U.S. and internationally.Raised on a ranch in Central Oregon, Malarkey’s love for food began early, inspired by fresh, local ingredients and summers spent near the coast. He refined his culinary skills at the prestigious Citrus in Hollywood, working alongside legends like Julia Child, which shaped his vision of bringing together fine cuisine, hospitality, and unforgettable dining experiences—a philosophy he later encapsulated in his cookbook, Come Early, Stay Late.In addition to his restaurant ventures, Malarkey co-founded the Puffer Malarkey Collective, launching 10 diverse dining concepts in San Diego, including the acclaimed Herb & Wood, Herb & Sea, and Animae. His latest endeavor, Hawkeye & Huckleberry Lounge in Bend, Oregon, showcases his love for his hometown with a modern cowboy-inspired concept.Malarkey’s culinary expertise extends beyond the kitchen to his latest venture, Chefs Life, a line of premium cooking oils designed to simplify the cooking process and elevate everyday meals. Developed with the home chef in mind, Chefs Life offers oils that are tailored for different cooking needs, from sautéing and roasting to finishing dishes with a professional touch. Inspired by his experiences hosting virtual cooking classes during the COVID-19 pandemic, Malarkey sought to create versatile, high-quality oils that make gourmet cooking accessible to all.Known for his charismatic presence, Malarkey regularly appears on television as a judge on the Food Network’s Guy’s Grocery Games and Tournament of Champions and as host of Beachside Brawl. He has been a finalist on Top Chef and a mentor on ABC’s The Taste, showcasing his expertise to audiences nationwide. His media appearances also include segments on the Today Show, Good Morning America, and headlining food festivals across the country.Outside of his culinary endeavors, Malarkey is a dedicated philanthropist, supporting organizations such as Golden Rule Charity, Rady Children’s Hospital, and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Balancing his time between San Diego and Central Oregon, he continues to innovate and share his love for food through every project, including Chefs Life, which embodies his mission to bring professional-quality cooking to home kitchens everywhere

Chef Brian Malarkey has created 15 wildly successful restaurants across the United States. He serves as the Partner of four concepts in Southern California, including San Diego's Herb & Wood, Herb & Sea, Animae, and Orange County's Herb & Ranch.He was the founding executive chef/partner of Searsucker and Herringbone restaurants, which sold a majority stake to Hakkasan Group in 2014. Under his guidance, the brands expanded both across the country and internationally to 10 locations. Brian has been a contestant on Bravo's Top Chef All-Stars and past Top Chef finalists. He has also appeared in Guy's Grocery Games, the Today Show, and Good Morning America.He was a Top Chef season 3 finalist and winning mentor on ABC’s The Taste, which he co-hosted alongside Anthony Bourdain, Nigella Lawson, and Ludo Lefebvre. Malarkey has judged a variety of television cooking programs, including Rachael vs. Guy: Kids Cook-Off, Chopped All-Stars, and Cutthroat Kitchen, and can be seen headlining food and wine festivals around the country.

Charlotte Dales (She/Hers) is the Co-Founder and CEO of Inclusively, the workforce inclusion platform empowering employers with accommodation insights, access, training and the support they need to attract and retain previously hidden talent. Charlotte’s cousin Cameron became the first licensed aesthetician in the state of Florida with Down syndrome and after witnessing Cameron’s career fulfillment, she became passionate about replicating her employment success story for disabled talent and started Inclusively. Before launching Inclusively, Charlotte started her career in finance with Deutsche Bank in London working with trading desks around the world. After five years, she left her bank job and co-founded her first company, CAKE Technologies, a mobile payment and reservation application for restaurants and bars which scaled to over 200 restaurants in London and was acquired by American Express. Charlotte’s experience in technology and startups has allowed Inclusively to provide a new technology solution to drive authentic diversity and inclusion in the workplace–helping employers acquire and retain top talent based on job seekers' needed accommodations to build sustainable livelihoods and careers. Under Charlotte’s leadership, Inclusively is proud to be modernizing recruitment by creating structure and transparency around accommodations, benefitting all job seekers. Charlotte graduated from University of Colorado, Boulder and lives in Richmond, Virginia with her husband, daughter, and son.

Charles Joly is a James Beard Award Winner and lifelong food and beverage professional. The Chicago-native is a certified mixologist who focuses on a balance between the classics and his own seasonal cocktails. With a strong emphasis on knowing the roots of the craft along with a progressive vision for the future, the menus he’s created are a glimpse at mixology in the second golden age of the cocktail.

Charles is an independent filmmaker and founder of Circuit Cinema, a startup SVOD service streaming a curated collection of contemporary arthouse, festival films, and world cinema.Previously he was a software developer turned product manager at DIRECTV, where he headed the Lean-Agile Center of Excellence working to modernize the company's development practices.His next project "Perspective" is a live-action dramatic series shot in 360° virtual reality, premiering in May 2025.

I have been providing clients within the fashion, beauty, lifestyle, ecommerce, travel, wedding, and wellness industries with high converting media services for more than 12 years. These services include (but are not limited to), editorial management, content strategy, content marketing, copywriting, content optimization, and content writing.I am the managing editor for Exhibit A Magazine, who has been one of my clients since 2017. They have become a popular women's lifestyle magazine, and I am always looking to help products grow through discovery in the magazine.This year I will be launching an entrepreneur lifestyle magazine, which will also be an incredible opportunity for products to get discovered! More details on that soon! I look forward to working with all brands here, and helping in your growth journey!