Lewis Gersh, Managing Partner, Metamorphic Ventures
Lewis Gersh is a Managing Partner at Metamorphic Ventures which invests in seed and early stage digital media and digital commerce technology companies. The fund invests in web and mobile applications across the US and Canada. Lewis has over 15 years of experience founding, investing in and advising start-up ventures. Prior to Metamorphic Ventures, Lewis was the founder and CEO of Worldly Information Network (WIN), a publisher of digital financial information to both the retail and institutional markets founded in partnership with AOL. Lewis successfully raised angel and institutional venture capital, grew WIN into a profitable company and completed several acquisitions before its sale.
Stacy Igel, Creative Director & Founder, Boy Meets Girl
Igel is currently Boy Meets Girl’s Creative Director and Founder. Boy Meets Girl has been featured in publications like InStyle, Teen Vogue, Lucky, People, Cosmopolitan, Seventeen, WWD and the New York Times. The brand has been appeared on the racks of countless specialty and department stores worldwide including Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdales, Saks and Fred Segal. Her brand has been seen on shows like Gossip Girl, Vampire Diaries, Beverly Hills 90210 and New Girl, and on high-profile fashionistas like Eva Mendes, Rachel Bilson, Taylor Momsen, Anne Hathaway, Nina Dobrev, Rosario Dawson and Kristen Bell. The brand is the official staff uniform for the exclusive members-only club, The SoHo House. She is also the producer and host of Behind the Seams™ with Stacy Igel on Lockerz.com, where she is the site’s Chief Fashion Editor and Stylist. Igel has received several design awards and honors, and is a frequent lecturer and panelist on subjects including social media, branding and entrepreneurship in fashion.
Shauna Mei, Founder & CEO, AHAlife.com
Shauna Mei is the founder and CEO of AHAlife.com, an innovative online discovery shopping destination featuring luxury lifestyle products sourced from around the world. The MIT Engineer turned commerce and media industry expert launched AHAlife.com in September 2010. Prior to launching AHAlife.com, Shauna founded Mobius Strip llc, a company dedicated to creating responsible, inspiring and profitable businesses at the intersection between fashion/design and life’s experiences. Her clients included Starwood Hotel Group, Casall (www.casall.com), Vivienne Tam (www.viviennetam.com) and Nooka (www.nooka.com). Shauna also served as the CEO of Casall International, a Swedish wellness / activewear company based in Stockholm. Additionally, Shauna co-founded Aronsson Group, a luxury fashion investment and advisory firm, with Jeffry Aronsson, and she has worked in both Private Equity (Principal Investment Area) and Investment Banking at Goldman Sachs where she worked on several deals in the fashion media space, most notably the sale of Neiman Marcus Group.
Karen Moon, Co-Founder & CEO, StyleMusée
Karen Moon is Co-founder and CEO of StyleMusée, a customizable discovery platform that allows users to visually explore the fashion industry’s social media content. Karen has over ten years of industry experience extending across multiple functions within the fashion and technology sectors. She has consulted for fashion clients including a department store in collaboration with Kurt Salmon Associates, luxury retailer and independent designer. At Goode Partners, she executed the firm’s investment in SkullCandy and managed the turnaround of a luxury specialty retailer. Previously she worked in Gap Inc.’s Corporate Strategy group, where she assessed acquisition and new retail concept opportunities such as Piperlime.com. Karen began her career at Goldman Sachs & Co. in their Technology, Media and Telecom investment banking practice.
Veronika Sonsev, Founder & CEO, inSparq.com
Veronika Sonsev is the CEO and Founder of inSparq.com, a company that offers social discovery solutions for online retailers. She is also a Cofounder of Women in Wireless and the WIM Accelerator. In her 12-year career as an entrepreneur and executive at AOL and Jumptap, Veronika has built new business lines, developed strategic partnerships and launched international markets. Veronika earned an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a BA in Economics from American University. She was recently honored by Fast Company as one of 60 members to The League of Extraordinary Women. She was also named one of the Mobile Women to Watch 2012 by Mobile Marketer and one of the Top 50 Women to Watch in Tech by Femmeonomics.
Kelly Stickel, Director, Acquity Group & Founder, Remodista
Kelly has 14 years of experience building teams that execute digital agency and consulting projects. For more than 6 years, she has managed Acquity Group’s service vendors globally across all digital channels while researching new and emerging technology. Focused on brand commerce strategy, design, and enablement that integrates mobility and commerce with the current and emerging digital channels. Kelly founded Remodista in 2010, and has successfully organized and created curriculum for many retail and mobility-related educational events including the Start Up Showcase for Mobile Monday – Chicago in 2009, and the first Mobile University event for the Heartland Mobile Council in 2010, Bricks + Mobile Educational Events in late 2010, and the newly launched Remodista Women’s Leadership Series that focuses on mentoring and higher education for tenacious female leaders heading to the top! Kelly is also a mentor for (WIM) Women Innovate Mobile – an accelerate program in NYC. Kelly volunteers for Gilda’s Club Chicago and actively mentors young women who are focused on cultivating their careers.
Helaine Suval, Founder, Suval Consultants & former EVP, Macys.com
Helaine Suval is a recognized retail industry leader with extensive experience in ecommerce, multi-channel, direct selling and wholesale management. Helaine created Suval Consultants to provide strategy, leadership and guidance to clients based on her multi-faceted experience in successfully building businesses over the past 30 years. She has held various senior executive positions, including Executive Vice President and General Merchandise Manager for macys.com, Senior Vice President for living.com, Vice President and General Manager for Avon, Senior Vice President for Ex-Cell Home Fashions and numerous executive positions at Bloomingdales. Helaine spent a decade building the macys.com business from $40M to $1.1B. In her role, she was the strategic leader for macys.com merchandising and marketing direction, aggressively expanding and identifying key businesses and opportunities for growth and development.
