LEADING LADIES

inspiring, passionate, determined leaders who are making a difference in our communities

50 + 100 Metro Center Blvd, Unit 4, Warwick Rhode Island TeamKSA.com

Only 2 percent of women-owned businesses achieve more than $1,000,000 in revenue. A man who starts a business is 3.5 times more likely to grow their business to more than $1,000,000 in revenue - this is why everyone needs to support female founders and leaders.

Katie

Schibler Conn

Founder, Brand Strategist

“The best experiences in my life, personally and professionally, have happened when things didn’t go according to plan” – or as Katie Schibler Conn is known for saying – “when sh*t went sideways.” The founder of KSA MARKETING, Katie is an industry powerhouse in her element taking risks to deliver bold and performance-driven advertising campaigns. “The core of my job is to find clarity amidst the chaos and create a path forward that has everyone around us saying ‘Oh, hell yeah!’”

A classically trained marketer, Katie has more than 25 years of experience leading integrated marketing initiatives for global brands ranging from SKYY Spirits to PlayStation, as well as local clients University of Rhode Island, the Rhode Island Department of Health, and many more. With a long history of forging meaningful client partnerships, Katie’s first account straight out of earning her BA in communications from Fairfield University was PepsiCo. The solid relationship would later set KSA Marketing’s growth in motion when PepsiCo signed on as her first client 11 years ago.

Katie is a past president of the Association of Marketing Professionals of RI, an active member of the Forbes Agency Council, an advisory board member of Enterprising Women, and was PBN’s Woman to Watch in Creative Services in 2021. “In 2019, I identified a growing need for workforce development recruitment campaigns and entered the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program,” Katie explains. “In doing so, I created an entirely new niche of advertising services in the marketing industry, running integrated advertising campaigns for workforce development organizations.”

Each industry move has been informed by her background, down to her upbringing in Canton, Ohio, surrounded by generations working in manufacturing. “I witnessed the negative social and economic impact the loss of manufacturing has had,” Katie says. “This is why KSA’s focus on workforce development is so important to me.”

While Katie’s innovation in the field speaks volumes, her employees and business partner David Bradley’s praise may echo louder. “Katie developed and built KSA for over 11 years, a milestone few business owners reach, and even fewer women business owners,” says Bradley.

“Katie is a gifted leader who excites, inspires, and leads with bold vision. She is innovative and creative, bringing intense focus and enthusiasm to everything she does,” shares an employee. “She also invests her time and effort to help staff and clients grow in their careers, helping them realize their own impact and potential while inspiring and motivating them to do their best work.”

The “chief a*s kicker” works hard but also advocates for worklife balance for herself and her team (earning the company PBN’s Best Places to Work), spending downtime with family and volunteering in the community. An active feminist, Katie also champions women leaders. While KSA is among the only 2 percent of women-owned businesses that achieve more than $1,000,000 in revenue, she shares, “I am personally on a mission to increase this statistic and create more equity in the financial divide between male-owned and woman-owned businesses.”

After back-to-back years doubling in size, 2023 promises to be a big year for KSA, scaling internal processes, resources, and staff, launching a mentorship program, and creating a training hub for both technical and soft skills. Katie looks forward to watching it unfold, all while upholding the agency’s core values: “kick-a*s commitment, passionate tenacity, and bold courage.”

100 Metro Center Boulevard, Warwick, 401-681-4900, TeamKSA.com

Holistic Spa Owner

PURE ECO SPA & BOUTIQUE offers custom organic skincare in a tranquil setting designed to relax the mind and body. “Our clients trust us to help them look and feel their very best,” says owner and holistic esthetician Rose Maloney.

A Holistic Approach

When Rose discovered the relief natural methods could offer in her own life, she knew she wanted to help others seeking a more holistic path, too. “Dedicating my life to health and wellness has been a mission of mine as I have dealt with autoimmune challenges and know what a toll it can take on your body, mind, and spirit,” she explains. “The daily stressors of our lives have made many of us intolerant to things like fragrances and preservatives in products and foods.”

Dealing with a severe skin condition and not finding answers via more traditional routes, Rose decided to change her career from banking and become an esthetician, which she now has 23 years of experience in. “My goal since opening the spa eight years ago has been to combine non-invasive technologies and holistic services with clean products that offer healthy, glowing skin and a place to heal and relax,” she says.

Healing Technology

With a commitment to helping as many people as she can, Rose spends time researching before bringing anything new to the spa. Their most recent purchase is a FDA-certified LED bed – a non-invasive, UV-free treatment emitting wavelengths that are absorbed by the body’s cells. Improving biological processes, the LED bed treatment is a great choice for those looking to relieve pain and boost immunity, or just jumpstart their health. Among its anti-aging and anti-inflammatory benefits, the LED bed can help improve circulation, reduce scarring after surgery, heal acne, protect against heart attacks and strokes, and more. “This is a way of adding quality life to our years instead of simply adding years to our lives.”

“Wellness experts agree that understanding how and why the body begins to fail and intervening with non-invasive and targeted technologies is the way of the future,” explains Rose. “That’s what we want to provide our clients, along with the exceptional services that compliment that.”

Since opening, Pure Eco Spa & Boutique has grown to add massage, body treatments, organic manicures and pedicures, and an infrared sauna along with their organic facials and advanced holistic skincare services. They have earned “Best Day Spa” by Rhode Island Monthly readers in 2021 and 2022 while The Day Readers Choice Awards voted them “Best Facials.”

Owning Your Wellness

“Taking control with diet, exercise, and stress relief practices is essential to our health and well-being,” says Rose, whose mission, along with the spa’s highly qualified staff, is to give people the tools to do just that. “The reason I opened the spa was to help people find peace, health, and wellness. I feel that we are providing people with this by offering the safest holistic services and treatments out there.” They now offer health coach classes, retreats, events, and workshops in their Wellness Cottage for those looking for more. Along with being an esthetician, Rose is a certified health coach, herbalist, and aromatherapist. With Pure Eco Spa, she has created something truly unique in the community: a comprehensive healing and wellness center that, above all, cares about the client’s unique needs. Rose sees many clients seeking to prioritize their health. “The immune system is what we need to be concentrating on right now, and this is going to help a lot of people not only stay healthy but feel better.” Whether you’re taking inventory of your wellness for the first time or looking for a new path to healing, Pure Eco Spa is here for you.

18 Franklin Street, Westerly • 401-326-9459

PureEcoSpa.com

Joanne M. Daly, CDFA®

Senior Vice President, Financial Advisor, Family Wealth Advisor and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst®, Morgan Stanley

JOANNE DALY cares deeply about her clients and their families. She is dedicated to helping them take control of their financial future. “I am passionate about helping others become financially empowered and make smart well-informed decisions about their money, especially women,” she says. Joanne’s clientele include individuals, couples, doctors, small business owners, and professors, but many of her clients are women who have become responsible for their financial future after experiencing death of a loved one, divorce, or inheritance of significant wealth.

Joanne knows personally how important it is to be involved in your finances, since her mother became a widow at 45 and her sister went through a divorce after 25 years of marriage. Joanne saw firsthand the emotional and financial challenges they faced, which is why she requires both spouses participate in their meetings. Joanne strives to ensure that if something happens to one of them, the other will be better prepared to handle their financial affairs on their own. “Of course I will be there for them, to guide them and advocate for them,” she says, “helping them navigate through the overwhelming paperwork and helping them preserve their wealth so that they can live a comfortable lifestyle.”

As a result of Joanne’s personal experiences, she has truly made it her mission to help her clients become financially informed and engaged in their finances, to help ensure they make smart decisions about their money. “I am their wealth coach, helping them navigate through their financial journey,” Joanne says. “I essentially act as their personal CFO, helping them in many financial aspects of their life and working in collaboration with their attorneys and CPAs to create a holistic wealth plan that incorporates their personal values and goals. I provide customized financial and investment strategies to help them enhance and preserve their wealth so they can achieve what’s most important to them.” Through ongoing financial education, coaching, and planning, her clients feel confident in making informed financial decisions.

Joanne enjoys educating others through financial presentations to civic organizations and companies. She is a frequent guest speaker on various topics, including financial empowerment, wealth planning, and divorce. She has presented at Bryant’s Women Summit, South County Hospital, URI Osher Life Long Institute (OLLI), URI Alumni Foundation, and The Rhode Island Society of CPAs, to name a few.

Though Joanne’s office is in Providence, she often meets with clients in their home, office, the firm’s Newport office, or via virtual meetings. Joanne has more than 25 years of financial services experience, was a former CPA Tax Manager for Ernst and Young and earned an MS in taxation from Bryant University. Joanne has attained Morgan Stanley’s Family Wealth Advisor (FWA) designation, which is granted to those financial advisors who have successfully completed an extensive accreditation program focused on the skills needed to help families communicate about money and values, share their goals, and grow and preserve wealth across generations. She is also a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst.

Outside of work, Joanne is an active volunteer, including being a member of the United Way of RI board, Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England board, South County Health Foundation board (past

Investment committee), Christ the King Parish Finance Committee, GFWC Women’s Club of South County, Rotary Club of Wakefield board, RI Society of CPAs, and the Estate Planning Council of RI.

Joanne lives in Narragansett with her husband and two daughters.

1 Financial Plaza 19th floor Providence • 863-8467 joanne.daly@morganstanley.com, Advisor.MorganStanley.com/Joanne.Daly

The

© 2023 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC.

Kim

When a client anointed interior designer Kim Elliott-Peterson “Queen of the Potty,” she leaned into the moniker. As the owner of KEP INTERIOR DESIGNS, INC, she has lost count of how many bathrooms she’s designed over the years. “Hundreds,” she says laughing, in shock herself at the number.

“I love my work in general and love creating all sorts of interiors. But designing bathrooms is always particularly rewarding,” she says. “They’re a high ticket room to renovate, and people don’t go into it willy-nilly. Most often, the bathrooms are pretty outdated by the time the clients are ready to remake them.” That makes the before/after transformation fun, not to mention dramatic.

Kim first meets with the client to make sure that the teaming is the right fit. “Feeling comfortable with your designer is key,” she says, noting that she’s stepping into some truly intimate spaces when renovating something like a master bedroom or bath. “Conversations can get pretty detailed, down to ‘do you shave in the shower?’ If so, ‘do we need to install a mirror for the face, or a toe-hold for the legs?’

“It’s a very customized space,” she continues. “That’s what makes it fun. You get exactly what you want.”

After the initial meeting, she tours the entire home to ensure the new design is cohesive with the design elements that already exist throughout. “Some homes have a more natural design, while others can be more blingy,” she says. “It’s important to play to the style of the house. I don’t want to design a bathroom that doesn’t match.”

This is also when she goes over the client’s wish list, noting that sometimes the space will dictate some elements. “We might not be able to check all the boxes,” she says since things like room size and existing plumbing lines can influence what she can do. But, she strives to give her clients as much as possible.

A good designer is a little like a therapist, and at times, Kim asks her clients to dig deep when making a big change. “Say a client wants to remove a tub, for example. This will impact the resale value of your home. I have to tell them that, and point out that perhaps a tub is no use to you now, but what about later, maybe when there are grandchildren. It’s my job to say these things.”

Once these details are sorted, the fun really begins. Kim starts with the hardscape, bringing three palates of tile for the client to choose from. Kim is a self-professed color addict, so this means her choices are far from bland. “Selecting colors is one of my favorite aspects of the design process,” she says, pointing out that she is sensitive to hue, value, and saturation. After picking the tile palate, she and the client run through the tones and colors of the vanity. “From there, we can add in the fixtures, paint, and even fabric.”

Kim graduated from URI with a degree in textiles and design, and she often incorporates textured elements into her work, even in a space that leans heavily on porcelain. “For a powder room, it’s more of a jewel box,” she says, noting that a space like that — used less often and mostly for guests — can be fussier, so she might add something like grass cloth wallpaper as a design element. A master bath or a children’s bath, however, needs more function. But items like window treatments, shower curtains, or even a whimsical bathmat can help soften the space. “It’s often those extras that add a touch of class and style to make the space truly one of a kind.”

After the tile and vanity are decided, Kim adds her trademark design flourishes, such as working with lighting that enhances the space. “I love sconce lighting and often mount lights into a piece of mirrored glass,” she says. This serves a dual purpose: it gives the space additional light without additional fixtures, and the sparkling reflection from the mirror is stunning.”

Kim also leans into decorative tile in showers, creating horizontal or vertical patterns to give the utilitarian space more visual interest. She brings in artwork and accessories that stand up to the rigors of the space while enhancing the ambiance of the other design elements. “Like adding jewelry to an outfit,” she explains. “It adds to the aesthetic value without distracting from the whole.”

“I try not to be trendy,” she continues, pointing out that the design will outlive anything too of-the-moment since bathrooms get renovated so infrequently. “There is a way to be fun and in-vogue without being trendy.”

While Kim may be the “Queen of the Potty,” she also sees her work as an opportunity to change people’s perceptions of interior designers. “Over the years, designers got a bad rap and are often seen as pushy. That’s not how I work,” she says. “Working with a designer can be lots of fun and can save you time and stress that comes with a renovation. I might not always personally love what the clients pick, but I love it for them.”

Whether you are updating an aging bathroom into a sanctuary or planning a full-scale home renovation, Kim can help you realize your dream project. “The most gratifying part of my job is helping people to create the home they have longed for,” she says. “The thing that makes me the happiest at the end of a project is when I leave the client with a hug. I know they’re thrilled with the space I’ve created for them, and that I’ve made a friend!”

KEP Interior Designs, Inc 401-451-8922

KEPInteriorDesigns.com

Ann-Marie Goddard Director of Design &

Project Management

Dream Team

Together with husband and architectural expert Christopher, Ann-Marie Goddard is the design-minded half of the power couple running EXODUS DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION. The two of them each contribute different industry knowledge, backgrounds, and regional appeal from either end of the state – as Ann-Marie grew up in Wickford, and Christopher hails from Pawtucket – to their roles as passionate project managers turning houses into homes.

“From textiles to fabrics, color, and everything in between, I mesh it all together through the design-build process long after the designing is complete and the build commences,” shares Ann-Marie. Christopher focuses on the floor-to-ceiling architectural minutia, along with structural details that go into historical New England buildings. “We’ve worked on hundreds of projects together – some as small as a repair or exterior renovations, others extreme remodels, tear-downs, rebuilds, or new construction – all from design concept to completion.”

From Vision To Reality

Though the industry has faced its fair share of challenges due to supply chain shortages and price increases, the dream team is committed to each client’s unique vision. “We are still getting it done!” says Ann-Marie, even if it means striking a balance. “We are driven to bring those results.”

“My favorite part of the job is meeting with clients, learning about their lives, and what’s important to them. I take all that information and design what becomes the home of their dreams,” Ann-Marie continues. She brings her magic touch to choosing finishes like flooring, cabinets, and colors, along with the perfect plumbing and lighting fixtures, to create a custom home that’s cohesive and reflects the owners’ lifestyles. “I love to see a project finished – artwork hung, furniture pristine – and know that our hands had a huge part in that and the happiness to come in the home. So far every client has loved the end result!”

A University of San Diego grad, Ann-Marie has earned Woman of the Year awards from National Association of Female Professionals in 2010 and 2011, a congressional award of merit under the George W. Bush administration, and is a member of American Society of Interior Designers. She and Christopher are both members of Rhode Island Builders Association, and Exodus has earned home awards from Houzz 2016-2022. And the company can only go up from there!

New Horizons

Seeing the trend of many clients building second houses in other states, Exodus is expanding into vacation homes – and following their clients wherever they may plant roots. “I’m working on becoming a private pilot at Airventures flying school in Smithfield,” shares Ann-Marie. “The plan is to purchase an airplane to travel from state to state while maintaining our base in RI. We can meet clients where they are and have fun flying while we do it!”

Whether seeking a beach house or mountain cabin, design services or construction, Ann-Marie and Christopher are willing to go the lengths to make it happen. Offering free initial consultations, potential clients have nothing to lose in setting up a meeting. “If you can dream it, we can design and build it!”

In the same way families and individuals may seek support welcoming a new life into the world, grieving is a process better traversed with the help of a caring counselor. This is a fact Dr. Mari Nardolillo Dias, director of GRACEPOINTE GRIEF CENTER, knows intimately. A thanologist –or specialist in death and dying – and certified counselor and death doula, Mari is no stranger to bereavement and end-of-life care.

“I am a mortician’s daughter who learned to read on my father’s lap by phonetically sounding out words when reading obituaries,” Mari shares, explaining how every facet of her life has brought her to this unique path of ferrying others through the uncharted waters of loss. “I’m often referred to as ‘the grief whisperer.’ I believe in signs, life after death, and life before life. I am always humbled to be at the bedside of an actively dying client. A death is much like a birth.”

Holding certificates in both grief counseling and complicated grief, Mari (with the help of therapy dog Mercy, a mini bernedoodle) offers a “concierge” or direct service model of individual and group sessions to meet clients where they are. This may include multiple sessions or house calls working with them through a range of needs, whether it’s concerning grief and loss (death or nondeath related) or end-of-life support. Serving people of all ages, Mari uses proven methods based on cognitive and emotional development to tailor her approach to the individual.

“I don’t think I chose death; death chose me,” says Mari – but she took that calling and made it her life’s work. Always expanding her knowledge, Mari holds a MA in Counseling and doctorate in Educational Leadership as well as several related certificates, is an active member of a wide range of counseling services, is currently working on earning her psychological autopsy certificate, and even traveled to the University of Zululand in South Africa as a Fulbright specialist.

Mari’s community involvement has earned her a North Kingstown Town Hero Award, North Kingstown Chamber of Commerce Award, and Jefferson Award for public service. She serves on the board of directors for local nonprofits Lindsay Ann Burke Memorial Fund and Elizabeth Buffum Chace Center. As a full professor at Johnson & Wales University, she has also been the recipient of several academic accolades.

But Mari’s work doesn’t stop there. The author of two books –GriefSPEAK: Stories of Loss, Volumes 1 and 2, sharing her clients’ inspirational stories – Mari is currently penning a third: Grief Through the Eyes of Mercy, a dog’s perspective of grief. She’s also a member of the Association of RI Authors.

At the end of the day, Mari is proud to be a part of her clients’ lives during these formative moments, offering an empathetic, warm, and insightful presence. “I provide dignity and respect at the end of life and hold the hand of each of my grievers as a sherpa, as we walk through this grief journey,” she says. Through public speaking and engagement, Mari is forging paths for people to talk about and process traumatic grief that stems from suicide, homicide, and sudden death.

Mari offers words of wisdom anyone can take to heart: “Live without regrets, be prepared for your story to be rewritten, and speak your grief. If you don’t talk about your sadness, anger, numbness, guilt, and relief, it will manifest itself in physical and psychological ways.” Thankfully, with Mari’s personalized care services at GracePointe Grief Center, no one has to navigate those waters alone.