Meet our team of operations experts and nerds

Christina Salerno is a serial entrepreneur and systems builder with nearly two decades of experience founding and scaling businesses. Known for her ability to quickly diagnose operational gaps, she designs high-impact solutions that teams can sustain long-term. She brings a sharp eye for structure, efficiency, and execution, with a strong focus on aligning people, process, and outcomes. Christina is also deeply committed to identifying and developing high-potential talent within growing organizations.

Alex Canedo is a senior operations strategist with nearly two decades of experience in high-growth environments. She's scaled customer experience and global teams across SaaS, tech, and service-focused companies. She’s known for being a strategic integrator for mission-driven founders, turning messy ideas into systems that focus on sustainable profit.

Mercedes Ballard is a people operations strategist focused on building high-performing, values-aligned teams. With experience spanning startups and her own co-founded venture, she brings a strong bias for action and a collaborative leadership style. Mercedes specializes in aligning people, process, and culture to support sustainable growth. Her work centers on empowering teams while optimizing the systems that support them.

Cara Katz is a growth and revenue executive who has helped scale over 40 companies across multiple industries as an operator, founder, and early-stage investor. A five-time founder, she has led global go-to-market and revenue strategy from early traction through scale, including category creation and monetization design. Cara is known for her data-driven approach and her ability to identify, sequence, and execute the highest-leverage growth opportunities for scaling businesses.

Ludmilla Wallendorf is a Chartered Accountant and fractional CFO with deep experience helping founders gain clarity and control over their finances. After starting her consulting practice, she has supported dozens of entrepreneurs in building sustainable, profitable businesses. As a certified Director of Operations, Ludmilla bridges strategic finance with day-to-day execution, bringing structure, insight, and confidence to complex
financial decisions.

I aim to bring organization, order, and optimization to our daily operations. My passion for people and processes led me to a career in operations, specifically working with small, purpose-driven businesses.

As a generalist, new challenges are my jam — I can't stay in one place for too long! My diverse experience in the real estate, hospitality, health and wellness, and customer service industries allow me to help small businesses thrive, from the inside out.

Ryan Nawal is a finance professional with over seven years of experience in bookkeeping and accounting. He is a CPA in the Philippines and holds multiple internationally recognized accounting certifications. Ryan specializes in turning raw financial data into clear insights, accurate reporting, and reliable financial foundations for growing businesses.

Maitê Mota is a tech and operations coordinator specializing in translating complex technical goals into clear, human-centered operational plans. She supports teams at the intersection of AI, systems, and execution, ensuring workflows are both effective and sustainable. Maitê is known for connecting big-picture strategy with hands-on operational clarity.

Adam Vega is a builder and problem-solver who's drawn to the scrappy, high-stakes world of startups and small businesses. He believes there's always a way forward — and usually several, ranging from workable to genuinely great. His work is driven by a deep curiosity about people: the ideas they carry, the dreams they're chasing, and what it takes to actually make those things real. Tell him something can't be done, and he'll get to work.

Jessica Fontana is a fractional COO and operations strategist who helps founders turn ambitious plans into organizations that actually function — with clear priorities, strong accountability, and the systems to back them up. She specializes in building the operational foundations that growing teams need but rarely have time to create: decision-making frameworks, process infrastructure, and the kind of clarity that lets people execute without constant course-correction. The result is teams that move faster, waste less, and build toward something that lasts.

Tori Hennis is an operations strategist with experience across communications, operations, talent, and nonprofit leadership. She helps connect the dots between people, processes, and projects so teams can stay aligned and work with clarity. Tori brings a people-centered, systems-driven approach to operational strategy.

I’m a third-culture kid who’s been a non-conformist since I remember. This approach has led me to work with innovative companies all around the world… literally! I’m passionate about people, intercultural communication and designing unique working environments in both start-ups and corporations. My keyword is always “people-centric”. I hold a legal degree, specializing in employment law and an MBA in Intercultural Managerial Communication. I also speak 5 languages and I travel the world… extensively!

Hey there! I'm Mark Anthony Omagtang, and I prefer to be called by my nick name “Ton”. I’m a passionate team player with a knack for driving success. With expertise in quality analysis and team management, I bring a unique blend of skills to the table.

Nikia McCoon is an operations and executive associate with experience supporting administrative, operational, and marketing workflows across multiple industries. She is highly adaptable, detail-oriented, and known for stepping in quickly to support time-sensitive needs. Nikia brings a flexible, solutions-focused approach to
operational support.

I’m Arbesa, an Executive Assistant and Operations Manager with over five years of experience supporting 6-figure companies, coaches, and creative teams. My background spans operations, marketing, and psychology — which means I bring both structure and intuition to every role I take on.

Joy brings together content strategy, creative production, and digital experience in a way that's both systems-minded and story-driven. She partners across teams to turn vision into execution, building workflows and brand narratives that scale without losing what makes them meaningful.
Her background spans web and digital strategy, advertising, and experiential marketing, and she has a natural instinct for finding the throughline between creative development and measurable impact. Joy is the kind of collaborator who makes things feel cohesive, across channels, across teams, and across the full arc of a project.

Vesa is an operations builder who thrives in the middle of complexity — the kind of person founders call when things need to take shape. She brings structure and momentum to environments still finding their footing, working closely with teams to turn ideas into execution and ambiguity into clarity.What drives her is impact, and the people behind it. She believes strong operations should feel empowering, not like infrastructure for its own sake. Her curiosity about how people think and work runs through everything she does — on the job and off it.

I am an IT wizard with a knack for turning tech challenges into triumphs. With a background as an IT Business Analyst, I've navigated the realms of both enterprise giants and nimble small businesses. Specializing in software builds, platform migrations, and data management, I'm the go-to problem solver for identifying bottlenecks in processes and workflows.

I’ve combined a decades-long (and seriously fun!) career leading finance, accounting, and operations for Fortune 500 companies, like NBC, CBS, and FOX, with a New York State CPA license and the belief that any business owner can be equipped with the tools and support necessary to take ownership of their own success journey. I've founded two companies, all while being a single mom of 4 sons (no, I'm not totally gray yet!).

Brian is a strategist and financial specialist who has spent 25 years helping organizations make sense of complexity, and move forward with confidence. His career spans global technology, financial services, energy infrastructure, and capital markets, giving him an unusually broad lens for connecting financial rigor with real business execution.What sets Brian apart is his ability to translate data into stories leaders can actually use. He's not just a numbers person,  he's someone who takes performance insights and turns them into clear decisions and practical next steps. Alongside his financial expertise, Brian is passionate about developing emerging leaders, helping them grow into strategic thinkers who can guide their teams through growth and change.

I call myself the “Money Queen” for a reason! With over a decade of accounting experience, and a lifelong passion for entrepreneurship, I’ve gained a ton of traditional accounting experience in the back end of 7, 8 & 9-figure companies. Then, I was able to learn business management and entrepreneurship from top online professionals, which allows me to excel in both areas. My expertise in scaling online companies over the past eight years comes from combining both experience and passion. I love using creative problem solving to help businesses grow globally.

When I’m not working, you can find me holding down the fort as a single mama of two. We homeschool, spend time in nature, and have the chance to build on our curiosities as they come.

I am a scientist turned operations strategist with over a decade of experience working with early stage start ups. I am inspired by companies with groundbreaking ideas that are on a mission to positively transform the world, and thrive on bringing these visionary concepts to life. As a mom of 3 young kids, chaos, constant change, and Murphy’s Law are simply part of my everyday reality - so rest assured I am well equipped to navigate those challenges within your organization!

I've spent the last decade building thoughtful, people-first systems inside creative, fast-moving companies. With a background in psychology and a career in HR that has spanned agencies, retail, and hospitality, I bring a grounded, strategic lens to every phase of growth. Whether scaling a team from 5 to 50 or tightening the foundation of a brand in transition, I thrive in the in-between - where a little structure and a lot of empathy go a long way.

Calli Evans is a certified HR professional (CPHR) with experience supporting people operations across hospitality, retail, biotech, and media. She specializes in building and refining HR programs such as onboarding, performance management, and internal policies. Calli focuses on improving employee experience while increasing operational efficiency.

A certified Project Management Professional and Operations leader with experience managing $150M+ operations, leading large-scale implementations, and delivering a wide range of projects. I specialize in building strong teams, applying Lean Six Sigma, and driving change management to achieve business objectives. With a proven record of delivering projects on time, under budget, and aligned with strategic goals, I combine cross-functional leadership, data-driven insights, and process improvement to drive growth, reduce costs, and increase profitability.

I love figuring out how to make systems work for people, which I’ve done in some very disparate environments. This includes helping train classroom facilitators and build engaging community ESL programs, working with nonprofits, faith organizations, and immigrant communities. I also have experience in more structured settings, such as learning the intricacies of insurance as a dental admin and being a Chief of Staff for an innovative, fast-paced small startup. Being a part of small, mission-led teams is where I have built my career and what I love to do.