Members of the Month - February 2009

Rachael Mamane | Seattle

By day Rachael is a technical account manager for LivePerson, Inc.; managing the delivery and integrity of chat and voice over IP solutions for Fortune 500s including Apple Inc., and Verizon Communications. However, when the 9 to 5 is over her interests in the culinary arts, music and events comes to light. This means on any given day she can meet with artists and producers, sponsors, technicians and even farmers.

Rachael also acts as Managing Director of Decibel Festival (dB), the third largest multi-media event in North America. The festival helps bring Seattle alive each fall by attracting talent from all over the world. Rachael guides dB staff through facilitated sessions to solidify the mission, vision and scope of the festival. Rachael represents dB at international events including MUTEK (Montreal) and participates in an international consortium of electronic music and festival producers.

Despite her daily endeavors, Rachael's true purpose lies somewhere in the realm of food. A consummate and self-proclaimed foodie, Rachael has owned a low-scale gourmet catering company for over a decade. Her clients range from up and coming bands to venture capitalists. Every weekend you will find Rachael mingling with local farmers, cheese makers and shellfish purveyors at the Ballard Farmer's Market. She hosts seasonal local sustainable meals at her home where she encourages guests to sample such treats as Gold Medal regional cheeses and twelve-hour duck confit with local huckleberries.

Rashida Anderson | Los Angeles

Rashida attended USC with the intention of pursuing a career marketing or advertising. For the most part things went according to plan. In 2007, she started Artist Management, and became head of PR/Marketing for Tight Rope Magazine, soon after. In 2008 she left the independent entertainment magazine, where she found her niche to pursue acting.

In addition to being a very active Ladies Lotto member, Rashida promotes some of Hollywood's hottest nightclubs with Go Group. Rashida loves art, music, film and culture. When she's not busy running around town or auditioning, she kicks back with her friends and family.

Gina Erdmann | New York

As the New York chapter's official photographer, Gina has been down with Ladies Lotto since Natalie's first email about the group. With a background in music marketing and management, Gina now finds herself working at Webster Hall's new venue The Studio. Here she spends her time as the venue's resident blogger/photographer and general go-to girl. When not at work Gina can usually be found in Greenpoint; watching reality television and hanging with her boyfriend and pitbull Ava.

Noelle Nicosia | Chicago

Navigating the fashion industry and breaking down fashion trends and styles for even the most fashionably challenged is what Noelle Nicosia does on a daily basis. Noelle’s fashion advice has been found in Rolling Out Magazine as well as on www.rollingout.com, where she contributes as a freelance writer. With fashion designs having been featured in Ebony, Noelle is currently developing her debut clothing line.

In mid-February Noelle launched Fashionable Wishes, which focuses on the fashion and cosmetics industry; highlighting trends, product launches emerging designers and more -- to over 500,000 consumers. Click here to have your products or designers featured and to request a media kit.

Kimberly Schwede | San Francisco

To say that Kimberly Schwede is colorful would be an understatement. Not only is color a major part of her job as a self-employed graphic designer and illustrator. She's also got a resume that reads like a bestseller -- from illustrating children's books to designing a Swatch watch, to sketching naughty little images deserving of serious censorship.

Kimberly's main claim to fame, however, is her fun, frilly and femme design style, which she infuses into every one of her pieces; ranging from stationery to websites, and more. A graduate of California State University Chico with a degree in Visual Communications; Kimberly's creativity is getting the bills paid.

But all work and no play makes Kim a dull girl. So when she's not knee deep in Adobe Illustrator or fending off job offers from some of America's most fashionable companies, this Bay Area native can be found stomping out the stress at the gym, running outdoors at Chrissy Field or planning for her early beach front retirement. A self-described bargain hunter when it comes to clothes, the sky is the limit when it's time to travel. No stranger to globetrotting, Kimberly has already trekked the jungles of Guatemala and tackled ten countries in Europe so far. So don't be fooled by the baby face and blonde curls.

Click here to see Kimberly's work and become a fan of her designs on Facebook!