2019 LAUNCH Cohort!

We’re so excited to announce our 2019 LAUNCH cohort!

1. Molly Edmondson & JoAnne Kennard – MOJO Advantage

Molly Edmondson is a Certified Professional Career Coach who loves helping people clarify their goals and gain confidence in their skills and abilities. Originally a high school teacher and coach, she transitioned to stay-at-home mom when her first child was born. Once her kids were in school, Molly was fortunate to have found a variety of flexible, part-time roles that included recruiting, sales, and meeting planning. These jobs allowed her to balance home, volunteer and work responsibilities, as well as gave her an outlet to put her professional skills to use. Her goal is to help other women and young adults gain self-awareness, clarity and confidence in themselves in order to utilize their talents in a role that is fulfilling. Molly earned both a Masters of Arts in Teaching, as well as a B.A. in History from Boston College. She lives in Cincinnati with her husband Paul and has two daughters who are 20 and 22 years old.

 

JoAnne Kennard is a Certified Professional Career Coach who understands the value of working on a flexible work schedule. For most of her 23-year career at IBM, JoAnne worked a flexible schedule in a variety of roles including sales, consulting, and project management. The flexibility allowed her to split her time between a positive career at IBM as a client executive and the cherished role of mom to her three children. JoAnne graduated from Miami University with a B.S. in Applied Sciences before being hired by IBM. JoAnne has a sincere interest in bringing value to those people who want to re-enter the work force. Having been a working mom and a stay-at-home mom gives her the unique view of the challenges in getting back to work and the benefits of successfully doing so. She lives in Cincinnati with her husband Tom. She has three children, and her youngest will be heading to college in August.

2. Melanie Cedargren – The Spicy Olive

I am a graduate of Boston College, worked in business to business sales and then pharmaceutical sales before staying home to raise children. In 2012, was involved with Bad Girl Ventures to help start an olive oil and balsamic vinegar tasting emporium with 2 partners. Opened the 1st Spicy Olive in West Chester, Ohio in September 2012, followed by a second location in Hyde Park in July 2013. Acquired sole ownership of The Spicy Olive in March 2014. Opened a 3rd location in Austin Landing in July 2015. Opened the Wine Cellar at the Spicy Olive West Chester in September 2017. Attended Olive Oil Sensory class and earned my certification from the University of California Davis in June 2016. Attended the Sommelier Guild Course in San Francisco in Feb. 2019 and earned Level 1 Sommelier Certification.

3. Megan Sullivan – With Grace B. Bold

My name is Megan Sullivan and I’m the Founder of With Grace B. Bold, a luxurious collection of post-mastectomy womenswear dedicated to women undergoing treatment for breast cancer. The core of the collection is designed around a system to hold the surgical drain(s) in place that women are sent home with following their surgery. The collection was inspired by my mom’s personal experiences with breast cancer, and offers several options to assist women through recovery and beyond.

Through our ‘Giveback Program’ and by recognizing needs spanning far beyond those associated with breast cancer, With Grace B. Bold encompasses a philanthropic, stylish, intentional, and luxurious collection of purposeful fashion. Cancer oftentimes strips women of their femininity, but With Grace B. Bold intends to help them regain their confidence and conquer their diagnosis with a reengaged sense of control. I’m so thrilled to be a part of Aviatra’s LAUNCH program, and look forward to all of the growth and success this summer will bring.

4. Missy De Groot – de Groot Mode, Ltd.

Missy S. De Groot Graduated from the University of Cincinnati’s DAAP (Design, Architecture, Art & Planning) design college with a Bachelor’s of Science in Fashion Design. Upon graduation, she worked as a designer in the product development department of Mercantile Stores Co., Inc. and later founded Mussio & De Groot, a high-end handbag company. Her designs caught the eye of numerous national fashion publications such as IN STYLE, Lucky, Women’s Wear Daily, Marie Claire, The New York Post and many more. She went on to sell her collection to Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Saks Fifth Avenue –and partnered with QVC to create curated, custom collection which was sold during four, on-air episodes. Missy has recently held freelance design and consulting positions for Isotoner Totes Corp., Procter & Gamble, R.G. Barry and Amazon.com.  In 2018 she was selected as a Finalist in the global competition, IHDA, The Independent Handbag Designer Awards.

5. Mindy Bailey – MND

Mindy Bailey is the founder of MND which connects people to memorable and shareworthy experiences. She does this by ideating, planning and executing events with a personal touch and attention to detail while motivating and empowering others to do the same.

After joining an experiential marketing agency in Chicago early in her career, she realized her passion was helping brands cultivate and drive awareness through experiences. Mindy’s mantra that she learned while interning at Walt Disney World was: “If you can dream it, you can do it” and this is seen in her work and personality.

She has assisted TriHealth, Beam Global Spirits and Wine, Diageo, Kellogg’s, McDonald’s, Philip Morris and Washington Mutual produce creative and authentic events that have had flawless execution.

Mindy graduated from the University of Kentucky with a Bachelors of Business Administration in marketing. She continues to bleed blue and sits on the board of the local UK Alumni Association. Mindy believes in paying it forward and serves as a mentor at Xavier University. In her free time she loves working out and chasing her two young boys. Mindy also likes listening to live music, travel and being with her friends and family.

6. Stacy Koenig – Zeal40: The Creative Agency

With two and a half decades of experience in the creative industry, Stacy Koenig turned her focus on Zeal40: The Creative Agency. As the co-founder and creative leader, Stacy strives to build a fun and innovative workplace delivering award-winning creative. She leads company operations, project & vendor management and the creative staff while partnering with business leaders to establish and grow their professional brands.

Stacy began her career and developed a passion for learning and management at Hobsons after earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Graphic Design from Eastern Kentucky University.

7. Karen Durbin – Prepped Girl

 

I am a wife of 20-something years and a mom to two teen daughters, a twenty-something year-veteran high school English teacher, a runner of marathons, a dog lover, and a health & fitness enthusiast trying to navigate her way through this crazy, busy life. I am also the proud founder/owner of Prepped Girl—a meal prep company making and delivering healthy breakfasts and lunches to busy people in the Greater Cincinnati area.

9. Wendy Klepcyk, AIA & Sarah Kleiner – Envisage Architecture LLC

Design matters at Envisage Architecture. We use your story to create a unique and meaningful experience for you and your clientele. We help you provide a beautiful, efficient and comfortable space for your staff and customers. We guide you through the construction journey, from site selection to flipping the open sign. We provide peace of mind that your new space will connect with your customers in a unique and meaningful way.

10. Kourtney Terry – Taste T Love Baby Food

 

Kourtney Terry started Taste T Love as a way to help provide convenience to other parents who prefer homemade, all-natural baby food for their little ones. As a wife, entrepreneur and mom of 3, Kourtney know’s just how important it is to have access to prepared food that is healthy for her family. Taste T Love Baby Food has no preservatives or additives and is made especially with Love.

 

11. Shannon Villalba – HIME Wellness

Shannon Villalba is the founder and CEO of HIME Wellness LLC, a social enterprise company comprised of holistic and complementary medicine practitioners who provide holistic therapy solutions. When Shannon was in treatment for small cell cervical cancer at an advanced stage, she used a variety of holistic therapies in addition to chemotherapy and radiation, causing the cancer to go into remission after only five months. Seeing the need in the community for a trusted source of holistic professionals coupled with her passion for helping and empowering others, she created HIME Wellness. Shannon is a business and intellectual property attorney, with a JD and LLM from the University of Dayton School of Law. Prior to being a lawyer, Shannon was a commercial artist in the music industry and ran her parents’ property management company. Shannon holds a BFA in electronic media art from the University of Florida. She is a lifetime member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity, and Phi Alpha Delta legal fraternity. She has one son, and enjoys crystal therapy, meditation, outdoor activities, music, traveling, and cooking.