This company may be named after me, but that doesn’t mean I can do it alone! It takes a truly wonderful team of talented and dedicated people with heart who stick by the JenniferMaker core values to serve the needs of the 25+ million makers in our community. These are the people behind-the-scenes who keep everything running smoothly, and I am forever grateful to them.
JenniferMaker Leadership Team
Greg Reese – Production and Studio Director
Greg oversees our studios, efficiently managing and allocating our physical resources to keep projects on track and within budget. He also contributes and/or creates many of the amazing DIY projects that appear on the blog (like the all the furniture and shelves in the craft room, the R2-D2 bookcase, and the garden wall) to essential infrastructure upgrades (like faster Internet and video equipment). Greg also designs papercrafts, such as the Vintage Red Truck and enjoys creating things on the Cricut Maker and the 3D printer. In addition to all this, he keeps things running smoothly at home and is my rock. We could not do any of this without him.
Grandi Michelle – Integrator / Chief Operating Officer (aka Wonder Woman)
Grandi is my Integrator and helps keep operations running smoothly and under control so I can focus on providing projects and resources for our community. She supports our team and readers with a smile! As our Integrator and COO, she oversees our team, runs day to day operations, manages our affiliate programs, and creates systems and processes so we work more efficiently, plus she is quick to jump in wherever else she’s needed. Aside from being an avid Carolina Panthers fan and lover of coffee, she’s also a crafter and loves making projects on her Cricut Maker 3 with her kids. She loves all things Cricut, glitter, epoxy, and paint!
Patrick Bergemann – Marketing Director (aka Grandmaster of Growth)
Professionally, Pat comes from an agency background having consulted on brand strategy and technical marketing deployment for businesses of all sizes (he noted here to imagine that bird from the Flintstones saying “It’s a living!”). While technically-savvy and business-minded, he’s always gravitated more towards the creative communities. Personally, he (admittedly) struggles to maintain one hobby. Music production became radio which introduced him to TV which he adapted to photography (and got published) which introduced him to graphic design and, ultimately, the maker community. As a firm believer that making your hobbies your career makes you start to dread the things you used to love, Pat finds more joy in supporting other makers to bring smiles to the faces of others. When not introducing other makers to JenniferMaker, you’ll likely find him pulling wood out of a Glowforge or lost in the woods with a camera.
Karla Newman – Talent Director (aka HR Hero)
Karla loves crafting and loves working in Human Resources, so joining the JenniferMaker team is a dream come true! She has been married to her adoring and supportive husband for 20 years and they have have 3 beautiful kids, and 2 fur babies. Her favorite place to go is the Pacific Coast during a sunset…it’s truly breathtaking! Some of her favorite things are camping, snuggling up in a cozy blanket to watch a good movie, being around family and friends, and anything chocolate! You can usually find her in the kitchen baking, playing board games with her family, or creating at the craft table. She loves to repurpose things…everything from cardboard boxes to plexiglass. One of her favorite quotes is from Marc Anthony, “If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.” So true!
JenniferMaker Team Support
Christine Elizabeth – Executive Personal Assistant to Jennifer (aka Sidekick)
Christine is a woman full of moxie and many talents, perfect for being Jennifer’s new Sidekick. Always being a lady of the arts, she grew up dancing with pom, and after having her kids she became a mother of crafts, there’s nothing she can’t DIY! She will take on any project headed her way, from wrangling teenagers and helping with their extracurricular activities, making her own decorations, to home renovations. Loving to get her hands dirty she likes to care for her garden and play on the lake, taking advantage of any beautiful day given to her. Christine is both a planner and problem solver, when duct tape doesn’t fix it – she pulls a gadget from her Mary Poppins bag and with a snap- problem solved. Always on the go, this dynamo only slows down for her sunrise yoga and climbing to her roof to watch the sunset.
Jen Best – Executive Personal Assistant to Grandi (aka Sidekick)
Jen has been crafting and sewing since she was a child. Her favorite crafts are paper crafts, to include scrapbooks for her five children and family, as well as creating cards to share with others. She loves spending time with her family, crafting, camping and doing DIY projects at home. She, along with her husband are both retired veterans with over 24 years of service. When she isn’t crafting, she loves to ride bikes, spend time at the beach/lake with her parents and in-laws, and spend time with her best four-legged companion, Bailey Doodle.
Kevin Dean – Studio Assistant (aka Sidekick)
Kevin has always had an artistic streak in him and loves making things with his hands. Having two boys and now three grandsons, he has helped with his share of science projects and Halloween costumes. He has decorated birthday cakes and even made a wedding cake once. In the fall of 2019 when Jennifer and Greg decided to build a film studio, Kevin came on board to help make it a reality.
Education Team
Marcia Huff – Product Developer (Cutting Machine Education)
Marcia is bringing her love of Crafting, Technology and Education aboard to fill the role of Product Developer (Cutting Machine Education). When she’s not crafting, she enjoys family, sports, reading, and the outdoors. You probably won’t ever find her without her Yorkie, Nikki, who is 12 years old.
Maker Experience Team
Carol Bauer – Maker Experience Team Manager
Carol is the leader of our Maker Experience Team. She loves to laugh and genuinely enjoys helping people. Scrapbooking was the beginning of her crafting journey but now it also includes Cricut crafts, painting, sign making, and creating t-shirts. Her hobbies include crafting, baking, reading, watching movies, and traveling with her husband to the Smoky Mountains where it is so peaceful and beautiful. Carol honestly believes laughter is the best medicine.
Lori Sexton – Maker Experience Team Assistant Manager
Lori is a self proclaimed DIYer and loves to fine tune her craft by making homemade gifts for friends and family. When she is not crafting, Lori enjoys spending time with her husband and son, cooking , yoga, and also loves walking and cuddling with her two furry kids. Her guilty pleasures include a good Netflix series and a buttery bowl of popcorn.
Vicki Diaz – Lead Design Counselor (Maker Academy Student Support)
Vicki started her crafting passion 10 years ago with digital scrapbooking and card making, which quickly evolved into purchasing the Cricut Expression. She graduated to the Explore and then the Maker. Her passions are spending time with her grandchildren and her flowers, dabbling in photography, and sharing her crafting passion with others.
Erin Bowman – Design Counselor (Maker Academy Student Support)
Erin is a lifelong crafter and mom of two, who enjoys collecting glitter and sharing her crafting experience with others. When she’s not working or playing and crafting with her kids, you can find her enjoying local history and nature. She loves fine art, dogs, manatees, and anything that sparkles. She has 20+ years experience in customer service and finds great personal fulfillment in helping others.
Blair Soles – Design Counselor (Maker Academy Student Support)
Blair has always been interested in crafts! She loves anything and everything creative! She is currently in college studying dance and one day wants to be a performer at Disney! She also has a cat named Jax who she loves to cuddle and spoil. In her free time, she likes to create and explore new things!
Jennifer Potocki – Maker Experience Expert
Jennifer has always loved crafts especially ceramics, cross stitch, sewing and embroidery projects on her Husqvarna. Her favorite things to do are going to see Broadway musicals, dance productions, concerts, museums, theme parks, everything Disney, Universal Studios, sporting events, karaoke with friends and spending summers in Michigan on the Great Lakes. Or at a Tigers game! One of Jennifer’s favorite lines from the musical Mame she performed in is, “Life’s a banquet and most poor sons of b*** are starving to death!” (Auntie Mame). Jennifer says, “Enjoy life! Take a tap class! You can’t be sad if you’re dancing.” That’s why we love her.
Naamah Trone – Maker Experience Expert
JenniferMaker Creative Design Team
Madyson Grace – Creative Project Coordinator (Design Pixie)
Madyson has always been interested in everything DIY! She began her interest in crafts at a young age. Following her mom’s lead she learned how to sew at 8 years old and it all started from there! With juggling dance and college she spends her free time making things for her friends and family! Madyson loves spending her free time watching Greys Anatomy, Friends, and Christmas movies no matter what time of the year!
Daniel Byrd – Design Fairy
Daniel is a proud husband, and father of five. His oldest daughter is attending his alma mater this fall, and his wife and younger children love to design and craft as well. Daniel’s family history contains roots to the actual fairies/elves…The Alfar, in old Norse, share so many of the traits we’ve all learned from pop culture references of elves, fairies, gnomes, trolls, etc. They were the original makers. He loves to create new things daily. He has been a graphic designer, photographer, musician and web developer for many years. He started off in the press room and bindery, worked through agencies and publishing companies, and into the e-Commerce and educational technology fields. His degree in Fine Art helps to keep things looking good, always.
Stephanie Hall – Design Fairy
Stephanie loves to create personalized crafts! She has always loved crafts and her passion for creating beautiful things began with scrapbooking many years ago. She loves making a variety of things with her Cricut from crafting with her kids to making meaningful gifts. She is a mom of two and loves spending time with her family, baking, and reading.
Ashley Fisher – Design Fairy
Jennifer Bollinger – Design Fairy
Tracey Fry – Design Fairy
Tracey is a maker of all things – glass beads, jewelry, cos play costumes just to name a few. She’s the biggest fan of her twins and husband and loves spending time with them and their three black cats. Her biggest passion outside of her family is her Gish team. Each year, Tracey captains an international team for a week-long charity scavenger hunt. Some of her favorite creations from the hunt is a dress made out of water balloons and a mashed potato replica of the Venus de Milo statue.
Stephanie Bookless – Design Fairy
Stephanie Bookless (aka Books, Book, or Bookless) is the newest JenniferMaker Design Fairy. Stephanie received a BFA in Fashion Merchandising/Marketing from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, CA. Although she is a California native, she has lived in Chicago for 10+ years. Stephanie has spent the majority of her professional career in the hospitality and consulting industries and is thrilled to shift into the creative world. She’s been a maker and creator for as long as she can remember; growing up taking classes in fine art, ceramics, sewing, building, and more. Most recently, she’s been (literally) building a house with her fiance and four fur babies. In her free time, she parents 50+ houseplants, gardening, snowboarding, at spin class, baking, knitting, and making cement planter pots.
Kelli Mitchell – Design Elf
Kelli is a forever optimist, and loves to smile! She is passionate about helping people find their creative spark. When she’s not crafting, you will find her painting, reading a good fantasy novel, or adventuring outdoors. She is a certified yoga and reiki practitioner, and enjoys doing daily yoga with her daughter, Willow. An accessory you can always find on Kelli is her camera. She is constantly staying inspired by her two silly children, and being in nature. One of her favorite quotes is by Marie Forleo, “Everything is figureoutable.”
Debbie Bechtel – Design Elf
Debbie is passionate about creating. She believes the best gifts are homemade and come from the heart! Her background is in television news. She was a successful TV news producer before starting a family. These days when she’s not making something in her craft room or volunteering at school, you can find her cheering on her two awesome kids from the sidelines. She also loves baking, Dunkin Donuts coffee, listening to podcasts, watching college football (Go Gators!) and going to the movies.
Julia Gavin – Craft Writer Wizard
Julia is an avid crafter always ready to try a new project! She learned to knit, crochet, sew, machine embroider, and use a Cricut from websites such as JenniferMaker and is thrilled to now help others build their crafting confidence. When she’s not crafting, Julia is likely in her garden or spending time with her partner and their two wonderful cats.
JenniferMaker Video Team
Sarah Dench – Video Team Manager
Sarah began her journey of video editing at just 12 and decided to turn her passion into a career! She is obsessed with all things Bob’s Burgers and The Office. She will also rarely be found without a Dunkin’ iced coffee or Diet Coke in her hand. When not editing, she loves to attend music festivals, try new vegan baking recipes, and spend time with her family.
Nick Quarino- Video Genie (Video Editor)
Nick is one of our Video Genies. After falling in love with video editing back in high school, he has pursued his dream and turned it into a career. He is meticulous and likes to have his belongings neat and organized. When he’s not editing, he loves listening to music, exploring different foods, and having game nights with his friends and family.
Frank Alvarez – Video Genie (Video Editor)
After spending most of his working life in many different fields, Frank parlayed his love of film and photography into a career in video editing. In his spare time, he tries his hand at bowling, stand-up comedy, and exciting new recipes in the kitchen.
Alexa Marx – Video Genie (Video Editor)
Alexa is our video consultant. As a member of the YouTube generation, she’s keenly aware of what does and does not work on this platform. I’ve consulted her since the start of my YouTube adventures and on several videos since then. I firmly believe that her advice and guidance is one of the reasons why my YouTube channel is successful. Alexa is a game designer, coder, and my teen daughter.
Team JenniferMaker Open Positions
Ads Manager
Creative Director – Coming Soon!
Design Fairy (local to Ann Arbor, Michigan)
Design Elf (local to Ann Arbor, Michigan)
JenniferMaker is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Prohibits Discrimination and Harassment of Any Kind: JenniferMaker is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at JenniferMaker are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, HIV Status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, past or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. JenniferMaker will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics.
