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Kate Mitchell | Principal and HR Consultant

About: Kate brings over 30 years of corporate human resources experience to her work as the founder of Mariposa Partners. She specializes in partnering with CEOs and small to mid-sized business owners to develop and implement HR strategies that are closely aligned with their business goals. Recognizing that HR can be overwhelming when you're focused on the broader vision of running a business, Kate excels at simplifying complex HR issues, allowing leaders to concentrate on growth and innovation. With a strong results-driven approach, she takes pride in helping business owners gain peace of mind, knowing their HR operations are not only in order but also thriving.

Specialties: Kate takes pride in being a genuine, supportive, and approachable partner for all things human resources. Whether working with businesses to create a comprehensive employee handbook, navigating complex employee relations issues, or stepping in as a fractional or interim HR leader, Kate is committed to delivering tailored solutions that meet her clients' unique needs. With extensive experience in recruitment across a variety of industries, she is well-equipped to handle individual hiring needs or build out an entire recruiting function from the ground up. Kate's hands-on, collaborative approach ensures that HR strategies are not only effective but also aligned with the broader goals of the business.

Quote: “Even in a small or mid sized business, your employees are your most valuable and costly asset, so investing in dedicated HR support is like investing in your company's future - it ensures you're nurturing your talent, maximizing productivity, and navigating compliance with ease.”

Connect: Contact Kate at kate@mariposa-partners.com or at (805) 252-1660, or visit her website below!

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Shawna Robins | Founder and CEO

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About: Shawna Robins is an international best-selling author of 2 books - Powerful Sleep – Rest Deeply, Repair Your Brain and Restore Your Life, and Irresistibly Healthy – Simple Strategies to Feel Vibrant, Alive, Healthy and Full of Energy Again, a National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach, a sleep expert, hormone health expert and a certified Miracle-Minded coach with Marianne Williamson.

In her early 30’s, Shawna was diagnosed with cancer. After her recovery, she embarked on a journey of healing through education, research and self-discovery. She now shares her deep knowledge of disease prevention and healing with others.

After years of helping executive and C-Suite women optimize their sleep and improve their overall health, Shawna decided to embark on a B2C offering called Third Spark. As founder and CEO, Shawna has created a successful online wellness hub for women who want to reset their sleep, create healthier habits and change their lives.

She is a keynote speaker for organizations such as GOOP, Lumen, Zayo and Women In Tech in Silicon Valley. She has been featured on many podcasts including Dr. Mindy Pelz’s “The Resetter Podcast” and in Authority Magazine, Thrive Global, and The Huffington Post.

Shawna is passionate about the power of travel for women and leads women-only wellness retreats for executive women over age 45 who want to experience a shared adventure to reset their body, mind and spirit. In 2024, she will be leading two private groups - one group to Morocco and one group to Fiji.

Shawna enjoys taking sunset beach walks, hiking in nature with friends and cooking at home with her family. Shawna lives with her husband, three kids and three fur babies in Santa Barbara, CA.

For more information on Shawna’s signature program and her latest book, check out her free book download at: https://thirdsparkhealth.com/powerful-sleep/

You can follow her on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Specialties: Shawna specializes in helping women ages 45-60 improve their sleep, diet, nutrition, and stress management skills so they can live their second half of life with vitality, energy, passion, and joy.

Quote: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” ― Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles"

Connect: Contact Shawna at shawna@thirdsparkhealth.com or at (805) 886-9839, or visit her website below!

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Kelsey Samuel | Owner, Co-Founder With Senior Relocation Services

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About: With a strong background in logistics, Kelsey is a proven problem solver. Witnessing the issues seniors were facing when attempting to downsize and move, was a perfect problem for her to solve. Kelsey has had a wealth of experience in large-scale special event management, auction coordination, and real estate maintenance- all of which are skills very helpful to assisting seniors move from their homes. While she does hold a Master of Business, it is her empathetic skillset that allows her to successfully connect and comfort her clients. She and her wife (who manages the Real Estate services for their clients), founded SB SOS LLC to assist Santa Barbara seniors and their families with navigating the challenges of relocation and moving on to "the next chapter".

Specialties: Concierge senior relocation- SB SOS LLC offers all-inclusive personal services to assist with the relocation process. Downsizing. Set-up. Estate Sales. Clean-outs.

Quote: Give what you can and express gratitude daily. You will always be fulfilled.

Connect: Contact Kelsey at kelsey@sbsos.care or at (805) 896-8301, or visit her website below!

member since August 2023

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Sonja Smith | Founder, Lead HR Consultant

About: HR realist, culture builder, and someone who believes work only works when we’re honest about the human side of it.

Sonja Smith is a strategic HR leader and People & Culture advisor with more than 20 years of experience helping organizations build strong teams, scalable systems, and healthy workplace cultures. 

Sonja’s work focuses on helping organizations align their people strategy with how the business actually operates, recognizing that every organization—and every leader—starts from a different place. Rather than applying one-size-fits-all solutions, she works alongside leaders to understand their challenges, their teams, and the realities of their workplace.

Originally from the UK and now based in California, she has worked across startups, growing organizations, and complex workplaces where people strategy plays a critical role in business success.

Sonja is known for her practical, grounded approach to HR—partnering with leaders to navigate change, build trust, and create environments where employees can do their best work. She specializes in building HR foundations from early-stage companies figuring things out as they grow, to established organizations looking to evolve.

Outside of her consulting work, Sonja mentors HR professionals, contributes to the local HR community, and writes about the real, often unspoken side of working in HR. She’s also a writer, an avid reader, and a collector of succulents that may or may not be slowly taking over her garden.

Specialties: Sonja’s specializes in helping organizations align their people strategy with how the business actually operates. She takes a practical, hands-on approach—rolling up her sleeves and working alongside leaders rather than simply advising from the sidelines.

Her experience spans strategic HR leadership, organizational design, leadership coaching, employee relations, and building HR infrastructure for growing companies. Sonja partners closely with leadership teams to navigate complex employee dynamics, strengthen workplace culture, and put practical HR processes in place that support the day-to-day realities of the organization.

Much of her work involves translating business goals into clear, workable people strategies—helping leaders build stronger teams, create structure where it’s needed, and develop workplaces that can grow and adapt over time.

Quote: "Great organizations are built by great teams. When leaders invest in their people, clarity, trust, and performance follow. Culture is shaped by how leaders show up every day."

Connect: Contact Sonja at sonja@arterahr.com or at (805) 570 8773, or visit her website below!

MEMBER SINCE SEPTEMBER 2025

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Cynthia Torocsik | Account Executive Staffing Specalist

APPLEONE | WWW.APPLEONE.COM
CTOROCSIK@APPLEONE.COM | (818)324-1356

About: Cynthia Torocsik, MBA is a dynamic recruiting and business development professional with a strong background in talent acquisition, client partnership, and workforce strategy. She currently serves as an Account Executive with AppleOne Employment Services, where she specializes in connecting top talent with organizations across a variety of industries. Cynthia is known for her relationship-driven approach, strategic mindset, and ability to align hiring solutions with long-term business goals.

With an MBA and a foundation in sales, operations, and recruiting, Cynthia brings both business acumen and emotional intelligence to her work. She has successfully partnered with companies to support direct hire and contract staffing needs, while guiding candidates through meaningful career transitions. Her accomplishments include building strong client portfolios, improving hiring processes, and consistently delivering high-quality talent solutions that drive organizational growth.

Cynthia thrives in the fast-paced world of recruiting because of the human impact behind every placement. What she enjoys most about her industry is the opportunity to build lasting relationships, empower professionals to reach their goals, and help businesses grow through thoughtful, strategic hiring. She believes that recruiting is not just about filling roles , it’s about creating alignment, fostering opportunity, and making a lasting difference for both individuals and organizations.

Specialties: Within her field, Cynthia specializes in finance and accounting recruitment, partnering closely with nonprofits, startups, and small to mid-sized businesses to build strong financial foundations. She has extensive experience placing professionals ranging from staff accountants and financial analysts to controllers, CFOs, and other executive leadership roles. Cynthia understands the unique challenges growing organizations face and takes a consultative approach to align talent strategy with operational goals. Her expertise in executive search allows her to identify high-impact leaders who drive stability, scalability, and long-term success for mission-driven and growth-focused organizations alike.

Quote: “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” — Winston Churchill

Connect: Contact Cynthia at ctorocsik@appleone.com or at (818) 324-1356, or visit her website below!

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Natalie White | AmeriFlex Premier Concierge

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About: Natalie double majored at UC Santa Barbara in Communication and Art History. She was driven to the communication major because of the many situations she experienced in which she believed the outcome could have been improved with clear and genuine communication. Enhancing communication in the workplace and with clients is the primary motivation for her active application of the skills she learned, as well as her continuing research in the field. Natalie also studied art history because of her lifelong passion for the arts. She is knowledgeable in a variety of artistic practices with a focus on contemporary and fiber art. Natalie won an excellence in writing award for her work on the generational quilting traditions of African Americans communities.

Natalie now works works at The AmeriFlex Group as a part of the AmeriFlex Premier Concierge team.

Specialties: Natalie is a communication specialist with experience in interpersonal communication, group communication, corporate social responsibility, as well as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Her goal is to make communication effective and efficient in all facets of her life.

Quote: “I had something I was trying to say and sometimes the message is an easy transmission and sometimes it's a difficult one but I love the power of saying it so I'm gonna do it whether it's hard or easy.” —Faith Ringgold

Connect: Contact Natalie at natalie.white@ameriflex.com or at (805) 770-1457 today!


MEMBER SINCE SEPTEMBER 2021

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Natalie White is an assistant to Hannah Buschbom who offers securities offered through SagePoint Financial, Inc. (SPF) member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through The AmeriFlex® Group, an Independent Registered Investment Advisor. SPF is separately owned and other entities and/or marketing names, products or services referenced here are independent of SPF. Insurance is offered independent of SPF.