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Kim Gallagher | Founder/ Chief Design Officer

About: Kim Gallagher has a 30+ year long history in the non-profit world working in programming, operations, leadership and supervision, community building and event management. With a master's degree in counseling, Kim uses her ability to connect with people to help build relationships and create genuine and strong relationships. Kim is a former summer camp director, supervising over 100 staff and 1000 campers, has served as an early childhood director as well as the COO of a large non-profit in Scottsdale. Kim has always been an active community member, sitting on boards and volunteering to run events for non-profits and her kid's schools.

In the summer of 2024, Kim decided it was time to step out on her own to build a business focusing on her strengths and passion. Kim is creative, visionary and a lover of logistics! With 6 children and an incredibly supportive husband, she was eager to find that balance between being a business owner and an involved mom. Dinner Designers was born and quickly took on many jobs varying from setting a beautiful table for an elegant party, planning a wedding, creating unique and bold centerpieces to meeting planning. Kim loves to tackle a task A to Z and has a blast planning everything in between.
Kim is a born leader and those who know her, know of her effervescent personality. Kim brings life and laughter into a room and naturally creates a space where people can feel at ease and comfortable.

Specialties: Kim has a passion for creating special moments and creating memories. She can combine her creativity and ability to see the beauty in a blank space with her extreme organization, love of logistics and joy of planning and building relationships in the community. Kim is a connector and loves to bring people together to create exceptional results for her clients. Kim knows that being genuine and building relationship is the key to success and she excels in making her clients know that their vision can become reality.

Quote: “Sometimes the most scenic roads in life are the detours you didn't mean to take.” — Angela Blount

“People will forget what you did, they will forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” — Maya Angelou

Connect: Contact Kim at kim@dinnerdesigners.com or at (480) 440-5760, or visit her website below!

member since MARCH 2025

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Heather Locke | Owner

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About: After graduating from the University of Tennessee, Heather began her career as a web developer and quickly moved into a role of managing a team of programmers, designers, animators, and digital video producers for a wide variety of multimedia interactive corporate applications including marketing, communications and e-learning. From there, she worked as a project manager for Fortune 1000 companies, including Subway, Disney, HBO, and Target.

This expertise led her to found Hammersmith Support, a full-service web development company focused on helping clients of all sizes move through every phase of the process: site building, hosting, and maintenance. But most importantly, Hammersmith Support is built on a foundation of close relationships with clients. Heather seeks to know who you are, the challenges your company faces, and then use that knowledge to build a fresh, engaging, up-to-date website that reflects your organization’s core values and personality.

Heather’s design background, combined with her practical coding and server maintenance expertise, ensures clients receive the perfect combination of form and function: a contemporary, up-to-date look and user experience that is properly managed to ensure the site works smoothly and consistently.

Quote: “The most effective way to do it, is to do it.” - Amelia Earhart

Connect: Contact Heather at heather@hammersmithsupport.com or at (602) 391-8024, or visit her website below!

MEMBER SINCE JANUARY 2019

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Jeri McGwin | Custom Home Builder

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About: Jeri is the proud co-owner of Sonoran Classic Builders, a custom home builder and remodeler. A passionate communicator who has called Phoenix home for more than 20 years, Jeri loves helping Valley residents realize their dreams and find “home at last.” Along with her husband, she started Sonoran Classic Builders in 2002 when two couples approached them for help with their homes. Since then, Phoenix Business Journal has named Sonoran Classic Builders to its top Custom Builders and Remodelers list, and Phoenix Home & Garden featured one of their custom homes in a 10-page article. Together, Jeri and her husband bring more than 45 years of experience in construction to Sonoran Classic Builders.

Specialties: Jeri has expertise in hillside building, with many of their homes being built on mountains. She also specializes in working with clients that reside in other states during the building phase with established and effective means of communication to put them at ease.

Quote: “Your true success in life begins only when you make the commitment to become excellent at what you do.” - Brian Tracy

Connect: Contact Jeri at jeri@sonoranclassic.com or at (480) 223-3996 or visit her website below!

MEMBER SINCE OCTOBER 2018

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Heloisa Meinema | Business Development

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About: Originally from a city near São Paulo, Brazil, Heloisa came to the US in 1997 with the aim of learning English. She earned a bachelor's degree in Marketing and International Business from UW-Eau Claire and seized numerous opportunities that led her to build a successful career and a loving family in the US.

Heloisa, who joined E Squared Marketing at the beginning of 2018 as a Business Development Manager, brings a wealth of experience to her role. Before this, she spent 15 years in the banking industry, where she excelled as both a Project Manager and Branch Manager, demonstrating her positive, energetic, and dynamic approach to her career.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Heloisa embraces an active lifestyle. You'll often find her immersed in outdoor activities such as hiking, swimming, high-intensity training, and running. Alongside her adventurous spirit, she finds joy in serving at her church and cherishing precious moments with her new husband and three wonderful children.

Specialties: Heloisa's true passion lies in Business Development, where she plays a pivotal role in driving our company's growth. She wholeheartedly engages with our community, creating new connections and representing our organization. Heloisa brings an infectious enthusiasm to everything she does!

The E Squared Marketing team provides powerful brand strategy and digital marketing services to solve complex business issues. Their comprehensive online strategy will reach target customers across multiple platforms and make businesses impossible to forget or ignore. Their services include social media marketing, digital newsletters campaigns, ad management, influencer marketing, branding, website design, graphic design, photography, videography, and more!

Quote: "God never said that the journey would be easy, but He did say that the arrival would be worthwhile." — Max Lucado

Connect: Contact Heloisa at heloisa@esquaredmarketing.com or at (262) 527-8619, or visit her website below!

MEMBER SINCE September 2023

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Holly Mueller | Cosmetic Nurse

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About: Holly Mueller is a Registered Nurse, Certified Cosmetic Laser Technician and Medical Aesthetician. She also holds a bachelors degree in Human Nutrition and a Master's Degree in Public Health. Holly is the founder of Med 44 Arcadia, a luxury medical aesthetics practice in Phoenix, AZ. She believes in healthy skin first, facial balancing and natural outcomes. At her state of the art clinic, you will find the latest technology in skin rejuvenation, lasers, medical grade products and clean beauty make up lines.

Specialties: Holly has authority a set of aesthetic principles called the House Rules. These are simple guiding principles for patients to follow to achieve healthy skin, natural outcomes, and results. She has creating a patient experience like no other in the Valley at Med 44 Arcadia. From your arrival off of 44th street to the treatment room, every detail of a luxury aesthetic experience is mastered.

Quote: “Success is leased, never owned.”

Connect: Contact Holly at holly@med44arcadia.com or (602) 883-4313 or visit her website below!

MEMBER SINCE FEBRUARY 2024

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Robyn Patterson | Founder & President

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About: Robyn Patterson is a savvy and experienced public relations professional who has devoted her career to first-class representation, building reliable media relationships and helping clients gain results that will have an impact on their business. As founder of Mack Media Relations, Robyn has been instrumental in building innovative brand awareness campaigns for local and national companies in an array of industries, including consumer, travel, health and fitness, hospitality, tech, real estate and more. Her strong work ethic, integrity and outgoing personality are what drive Mack Media Relations to be successful and ensure happy clientele. Before founding MMR in 2016, Robyn worked for top PR agencies in Phoenix and Los Angeles and in the media as a morning radio personality. She grew up in the Valley and graduated from Arizona State University. And as new mom, Robyn is enjoying finding the balance between entrepreneurship and motherhood.

Specialties: Mack Media Relations is an award-winning PR firm elevating brand awareness for Arizona-based businesses and entrepreneurs. Robyn and her team specialize in media relations, influencer relations, community outreach, brand partnerships, awards and events, and social media consulting.

Quote: "Women who invest in themselves go further." — Oprah Winfrey

Connect: Contact Robyn at robyn@mackmediarelations.com or (480) 242-8001 or visit her website below!

MEMBER SINCE JANUARY 2023

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Emily Soccorsy | Brand Strategist

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About: Emily Soccorsy, co-founder Root + River (@emilyatlarge) believes when emotions are translated into words, powerfully real brands are born. A former journalist, publisher and corporate marketing executive, Emily has strategically told the stories of world-renowned artists and thinkers, innovators, government officials and business leaders, engaging audiences with her incisive, emotional writing and positioning. Her experience in human behavioral research and neurological studies paired with her intuitive ease and on-the-spot artistic renderings make her an extraordinary speaker and facilitator. Co-founder of Root + River, and a world traveler, she holds a master’s degree in non-fiction writing, 20 years experience in language, strategy and communications and the hands of two children.

Specialties: Through Root + River, Emily works with leaders who want to take an inward journey to uncover the heart of their brand. Using their Root Session process of brand discovery, she practices intrinsic branding with her clients: providing them clear, powerful messaging, brand strategy and category design. These are foundational elements to any rebrand project or branding initiative. Some end results of intrinsic branding work are: shortened sales cycles, expanded brand perception and more lucrative business opportunities.

Quote: “Creativity is the outward sign of inner work.” - Emily Soccorsy

Connect: Contact Emily at emily@rootandriver.com or at (480) 326-5590, or visit her website below!

MEMBER SINCE DECEMBER 2018

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Whitney Thatcher | Owner and Lead Photographer

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About: Whitney Thatcher is the owner and lead photographer of Studio W Portraits. She is an award-winning and published photographer based in Phoenix, Arizona. Her portrait photography journey began in 2008 and has transformed into the Ultimate Portrait Session Experience it is today. Whitney has studied and mentored with world-renowned photographers to grow, learn, and constantly improve her work and client experience. Each subject is beautifully posed and lit to create images they actually love. She works with her clients from start to finish and guides them every step of the way. From wardrobe styling to product ordering, she listens and creates a custom portrait session that reflects each person's individual style and personality. Whitney feels that every single person deserves to exist in photographs and wants them to be confident and proud of who they are today.

Specialties: Whitney specializes in photographing everyday men and women in gorgeous lighting with magazine-style poses. Her specialties include Headshots, Personal Branding Portraits, Generational Portraits, Teen and Tween Portraits, and Fine Art Children Portraits.

Quote: “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” — Maya Angelou

Connect: Contact Whitney at whitney@whitneythatcher.com or at (303) 513-9922, or visit her website below!


MEMBER SINCE DECEMBER 2021