Experts

Victoria Mankoski is the owner and interior designer of Free Spirit Designs. She hopes to share her design expertise to inspire you in your home through Free Spirit Bundles. Her mission at Free Spirit Bundle is to surprise and delight you with unexpected, high quality, unique finds for your home. She believes there is something beautiful about every design style, and that is why you’ll always receive an inspiring collection of eclectic home décor every quarter. Each luxury home décor subscription box builds on the next creating a beautiful collection and sense of home. Elevating every room in your house is effortless with the Free Spirit Bundle. She sources and craft all of our products with care, ensuring that every treasure you receive is unique, and beautiful, just like you.

Raelina has worked as a designer and creative since 2012 specializing in branding and illustration. Her love of early childhood education inspired her to write and illustrate her first children's book "How to Train a Chicken" in 2014. She lives and works in Northern California with her partner and enjoys developing her pottery practice when she's not behind a computer.

Missy’s passion lies in creating fun, easy and unique ways for others to package their personalized gifts and sweet treats! Creator of the first cookie advent calendar designed specifically with cookie business owners in mind, and designer behind all Miss Cookie Packaging products, her shop offers both specialty packaging and digital products. Missy, the creative brain behind the biz is an award winning packaging graphic designer who took one cookie decorating class and never looked back. After two years of making decorated sugar cookies, she realized no one was making specialty packaging specifically for cookiers and the lightbulb went off - “why don’t I do it”? And so she combined everything she learned during her many years of designing packaging with her new found knowledge of making and selling cookies, to create new and exciting cookie packaging for everyone. Fast forward four years and now Missy and her husband run this small business together and are so thankful for the love and support that the cookie community shows their products!

Lex Evan is the Founder, CEO & Chef of LEXINGTON BAKES.He is focused on building the company into the next great American bakery brand rooted in empowering consumer choice, improving equitability, and inspiring radical change in the food world.Before founding LXB, Lex developed his expertise in design and brand strategy through a 15-year career working in CPG.Spending a decade of his career at Johnson & Johnson, Lex led the design, strategy, and creative direction of iconic global brands, products, and teams for some of the world's most impactful beauty, health and wellness brands.Alongside his career in design, Lex also founded three previous startups, including a digital publication, a design marketplace, an LGBTQ+ activism apparel brand, Alt Pronouns, and a subsequent digital platform, Queerist.He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from Montclair State University.

Born in Houston, TX, to Vietnamese immigrant parents and raised in Germany, Khanh grew up immersed in a blend of cultures, each shaping her appreciation for craftsmanship, aesthetics, and storytelling. After studying Psychology in Boston, a chance connection with the coffee world through Jaho Coffee sparked a new passion - one that merged community, experience, and design. As Director of Brand Development for Jaho Coffee, Khanh honed an eye for how branding and visual identity shape the way people experience coffee.With a deep love for design’s ability to elevate the everyday, Khanh founded CHEEBXDESIGN, a creative studio dedicated to capturing the beauty in design and how it enhances perception - because a well-crafted experience, much like a well-brewed cup of coffee, is greater than the sum of its parts. Now, as co-founder of Dekáf Coffee Roasters, that philosophy extends to redefining decaf. Caffeine-free should never mean flavor-free, and great coffee should look just as good as it tastes.When not shaping the future of decaf, Khanh enjoys traveling, discovering new foods, spending time with family, and doting on her cat, Jeffery (who, much like a great design, brings endless joy in the simplest of ways).

President and Creative Director Katie Blanchard is the creative visionary mind behind rockflowerpaper, shaping the brand’s distinctive designs and captivating products since its launch in 2010. From the beginning, Katie has been the driving force, infusing creativity and originality into every aspect of the brand.Her creative journey began early when she won a statewide art competition, which earned her a scholarship to the prestigious Savannah College of Art and Design. Graduating with a BFA in 1994, Katie was set on a path of artistic excellence. She began her career as a textile designer at Mulberry, a leading neckwear manufacturer founded by rockflowerpaper Founder Katie Smith. With her exceptional design talent, Katie Blanchard quickly rose to become Vice President of Design, leading a team of 20+. When rockflowerpaper was born, Katie Smith knew she needed Katie Blanchard’s creative expertise to bring the brand’s vision to life, marking the start of an extraordinary journey.Katie Blanchard has spent her entire career working alongside Katie Smith, forming a unique and lasting professional partnership. The two Katies complement each other perfectly: Katie Blanchard is the creative heart of the brand, blending artistry with sharp business instincts, while Katie Smith is the strategic business mind with a flair for creativity. Together, their synergy has been key to rockflowerpaper’s success.A versatile and gifted designer, Katie Blanchard is renowned for her vibrant color schemes and dedication to crafting one-of-a-kind pieces. Under her leadership, rockflowerpaper has gained widespread recognition for its striking textiles, home décor, and fashion accessories. Beyond her design talent, Katie is deeply committed to sustainability, ensuring eco-friendly materials are integrated into the brand’s production processes and advocating for environmentally conscious consumer choices.Outside of her work, Katie is also a talented painter, textile artist, and passionate gardener. She constantly pushes creative boundaries, inspiring her team to explore innovative materials and techniques, ensuring that every product leaves a lasting impression.

A long-time New Yorker now based in Bermuda and Paris, Kate Lessa is the creative behind the brand—responsible for Saint Holiday's design, images, and overall mood. A Philadelphia native and alumnus of Boston University, she started working as a stylist after graduation.  This work led to a fascination with design and a move to New York City.  After years of designing accessories for brands DVF, Vera Wang and J Crew, Kate teamed up with friend Vijay Paintal in 2018 and pivoted into resort wear. An avid traveler, she always shops for wearable souvenirs on her trips.  Exploring markets, hotel boutiques, and artisan shops for embroidered tops, crochet dresses, and beaded jewelry, she likes to find items that conjure memories of a specific place and time. Influenced by this hobby, the duo started making vacation-ready pieces at a small factory in New York City.  The first samples were inspired by a vintage tuxedo shirt bought in the South of France.  Barneys picked up the launch collection and many of these original designs are still core to the brand. 

A natural born creative, textile designer Jalene Kanani began her creative expression through hula, beginning at the age of 3, and within 3 years she was a regular keiki performer in Don Ho's iconic Waikīkī show. As a teenager she became a governor’s model who traveled the United States promoting Hawai'i as well as an international hula dancer for Tihati Productions. Her experience as a hula dancer provided a steadfast foundation to ignite her cultural curiosities while defining herself as an ambassador of aloha.Creativity was not only encouraged but modeled for Jalene, whose mother owned and designed Hawaiian fashion label Wailani Originals: Hula Girl Creations, a line of t-shirts and bags sold at Liberty House and McInerny in the early 1970s and became her first foray into design.Determined to develop her business acumen to complement her creative impulses, she earned a B.A. in Political Science which led her to a corporate job in furniture flooring and equipment supply. Working with textile manufacturers afforded her the unique opportunity to forge important relationships within the industry as well as realize the niche markets that had yet to be developed in Hawai'i and beyond. Her designs were well-received, and she began licensing designs to international manufacturers such as Duralee and Durkan.In 2008, she established Jalene Kanani Inc., designing commercial carpeting and flooring through ProSPEC contract fabric, where she continued to hone her skills and develop her unique brand aesthetic. Her experience inspired her to parlay her tribal prints into a collection of home goods in unexplored areas of Hawaiʻi's interior industry.In 2019, she launched NOHO HOME with a line of bedding featuring her distinguished patterns. With dreams of new textiles and product development on the horizon, Jalene's success in the world of coastal home decor has only just begun.

Giuliana Schwab is Chief Creative Officer of GoSili Inc. She is the creative visionary of the brand giving voice and visual direction to all aspects of GoSili’s brand messaging and product line up. Giuliana’s long experience in design comes from her early days in New York where she studied at Pratt Institute and majored in Art Direction. She then worked at notable businesses such as; Scholastic Publishing and Time Inc. After several years in New York, she moved to the west coast and continued to pursue art direction in publishing. While living in Los Angeles, Giuliana landed at Conde Nast Publishing and worked as Art Director for Bon Appétit magazine where she was leading teams of photographers, illustrators and designers to create the visual branding for the magazine. In 2007, Giuliana teamed up with Stacey Feeley to start Silikids. Her experience as a designer and art director helped Silikids establish a solid foundation in product assortment, style and appeal. It is also her experience at Bon Appétit that introduced her to the world of silicone and its’ superiority as a household material. As Silikids grew into GoSili, Giuliana guided the brand along the way creating a bold, passionate collection with a voice and mission to reduce the excessive consumption of plastic waste by looking to silicone as a sustainable alternative. Giuliana, know as “G” to most, is knick named “the mad scientist” at GoSili, which illustrates her curiosity and constant pursuit to create things that offer a solution… always with style, function and purpose.

Gina DeSantis is the lead creator behind her brand Gina DeSantis Ceramics. Gina has worked with clay since 1999 but founded her business in 2013. She began her ceramic studies at her local community college and by 2006 earned her MFA from Kent State University. You may have seen her work in Uncommon Goods, Anthropologie, McGee & Co, Shoppe Amber Interiors and the Sundance catalog as well as over 400 retailers around the country. Ms. DeSantis can share her insight on fine craft, home decor, running a small business as a female entrepreneur and life as a working artist. Prior interviews for reference:https://medium.com/authority-magazine/gina-desantis-on-five-things-you-need-to-be-a-highly-effective-leader-during-uncertain-turbulent-ae3fa5b79bachttps://canvasrebel.com/meet-gina-desantis/

Christman is a creative and SEO wizard. With a long and prolific career, Christman has lived many lives and developed many talents with his short 40-some years on earth (but who’s counting). As a former audio engineer, accomplished entrepreneur, and tech nerd, Christman is one of the driving forces behind Fun Fact Co. He oversees the day to day and the nitty gritty of the company, ensuring that manufacturing, operations and finance are all in order. As a proud parent of two human children and some furry companions, he enjoys spending time with his family, gardening and the occasional forrest bathing (aka hiking) when he’s not digging up new fun facts.

Christiane Lemieux is a designer, entrepreneur, investor, artist and author. Christiane introduced her European lifestyle brand LEMIEUX et CIE into the United States in late summer 2020, coinciding with the publication of her first business book “Frictionless: Why the Future of Everything Will Be Fast, Fluid, and Made Just for You" (Harper Collins Business), a 2020 Porchlight Business Book Awards Longlist title. Prior to starting her newest ventures, Christiane was the Founder/CEO of THE INSIDE, (acquired by Havenly in 2022), her direct-to-consumer (D2C) home furnishings brand. She was the Co-Founder of Cloth & Company and the Founder of DwellStudio, which was purchase by Wayfair, the world’s largest online home furnishings retailer, in 2013. Christiane served as the Executive Creative Director of Wayfair until 2016. Lemieux is an active investor in the Consumer and Tech Sectors. Christiane is a frequent contributor to Architectural Digest, Apartment Therapy, Editor At Large, Wired and other Media outlets. Lemieux authored her first book, “Undecorated” (Random House/Clarkson Potter) to critical acclaim in 2011; her second best-selling book (still #1 in Interior Decoration & Ornament on Amazon) “The Finer Things” also was published by Random House/Clarkson Potter in 2016. Christiane entered the television space as co-host and judge on “Ellen’s Design Challenge” - a furniture design competition show on HGTV. Lemieux was highlighted as one of Fortune’s 2012 "Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs”, Received House Beautiful’s Visionary award in 2020, Fast Company’s Most Innovative in 2020 and the House and Home 100 in 2024.  Christiane is a graduate of Parsons School of Design and Queen’s University in Canada. Christiane sits on the board of “Every Mother Counts,” the non-governmental organization (NGO) started by Christy Turlington Burns to fight maternal mortality and support women, babies and health care providers. Looking ahead, Christiane's third book and fourth books, “Provenance” and “The Everything Home,” are slated for publication in 2025.