Cate Luzio

Founder and CEO

Erica Lerner

General Counsel

Erica Lerner is an experienced founder in the real estate and health and wellness industries, with a demonstrated history working in project finance, tax and corporate law, international tax, due diligence, and corporate structuring, as well as mergers and acquisitions. After nearly a decade of working in legal and corporate environments, most recently in mergers and acquisitions at Deloitte, Erica sought out new projects to foster her curiosity and develop her strengths and achieve independence.

In 2017 she co-founded Xtend Tribeca, a premier fitness studio and the first Manhattan location for Xtend Barre. Since Xtend Tribeca’s opening, Erica has been on a mission to provide a home for thousands of women looking for creative and effective workouts in a secure, safe, judgement-free setting. Erica is excited to continue her mission in her role as the Chief Operating Officer of Luminary and to develop a new home for thousands of professional women throughout New York City and beyond.

Caron Katz

Chief Financial Officer

Danielle Brabson

Vice President of Product

Maggie Rhodes Davis

Vice President of Strategic Partnerships

She grew up overseas in Haiti, Morocco, Nepal, Guatemala, and South Africa before returning to the US for college at the University of Virginia. She has since also lived in France, Spain, Australia, and the United Kingdom and has continued wanderlust and zest for seeing the world. 

After spending the first 18 years of her career working in television and media at National Geographic, Tastemade, and Discovery, she decided to make a career pivot to focus on her professional passion; supporting and uplifting women in the workforce.

She joined The Cru team in March of 2023 as Head of Member Experience, and was honored to become a part of the Luminary team in the same role after The Cru was acquired by Luminary in August of 2023. She is delighted to support Luminary’s mission in propelling women and their allies forward in their professional journeys.

Outside of work, Maggie spends most of her time chasing her toddler son, Finnegan; but also enjoys interior design, reading, travel, yoga, basketball, film, musical theater, and foreign languages (Spanish and French).

CeCe Everett

Director of Events and Program Strategy

Cieanne or CeCe for short, started her professional career managing a multi-line showroom in Midtown, where she learned the in's and out's of growing a business. Her fellow boss doubled as a mentor and was able to use all she taught her to succeed in every role thereafter. During CeCe's career, she has worked for/with companies that have been created, founded and run by women. This unique experience has shaped the way she looks at businesses and has guided her in being intentional in the projects and roles she takes. To date, CeCe has taken her knowledge to build other women and her community, a pathway for future business owners. Ever growing and learning, CeCe is proud of what she brings to the table and is excited for what's to come! 

Romana Ryals

Head of Programming and Affiliate Partnerships

Originally from the Bay Area, Romana moved to NYC almost a decade ago. She has spent the majority of her career working in nonprofits focused on empowering and preparing young people to pursue their own dreams. Along the way, Romana been extremely fortunate to have empowering supporters pour into both her professional and personal development. She would not be where she is without these champions so she looks forward to joining an even more expansive community of dedicated professionals. Romana believes that finding the best solutions involves elevating as many voices as possible so with her background in program development, she hopes to create opportunities that do just that.

Shai Card

Head of Data & Tech

Shai brings a wealth of experience in childcare, social work, and political social work, along with a Master's degree in Political Social Work. Originally from New York, Shai's professional journey took her to Denver, Colorado, before she returned to the East Coast in 2021 to join Luminary.

Her dedication to making a positive impact goes beyond her work. At Luminary, Shai embodies compassion and empowerment, actively contributing to the growth of thriving communities and the empowerment of individuals.

Beyond her career, Shai is an enthusiastic reader, particularly enjoying the works of Stephen King. She also loves culinary exploration, with sushi being a favorite indulgence. Additionally, baking is her creative outlet and a way to show care.

Shai's unwavering passion and commitment make her an invaluable member of the Luminary team, inspiring positive change and fostering meaningful connections both professionally and personally.

Sophie Hackett

Enterprise Relationship Manager

Originally from Indianapolis, Sophie holds a BSW and MSW with experience working with youth, families, and young mothers. She also has experience with funding and grant development, marketing strategies, and project planning for programs surrounding culturally-responsive interventions for diverse populations and marginalized adult communities. Most recently, she served as the Chief of Staff for Colorado State Representative Leslie Herod, representing North East Denver. Sophie enjoys working collaboratively to develop systems and build relationships/networks that move society forward. 

Kelsey Gonsalves

Program Manager

Kelsey is a recent graduate of Seton Hall University where she studied Communication and the Arts. Kelsey decided to study Communications because she believes that it is something that can help us greatly in today's society.  As an early graduate, Kelsey is hoping to get into graduate school to continue her education and broaden her horizons. 

Lis Savage

Business Manager

Lis comes to Luminary through Squared Away, an assistance agency with a team of remote Chief Executive Assistants. Her husband is currently serving in the Marines and is stationed in sunny San Diego. She is originally from Cleveland, and possesses an Associate's Degree in Criminal Justice. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor's in Business Administration and Management from Western Governors University.

She spent most of her professional career in restaurant management, and also currently works as a Guest Service Manager for Airbnb and a Business Operations Specialist for a small property management company based out of Portland. In her spare time, she enjoys volunteering at Feeding San Diego, spending time with her goldendoodle, Marshall, or exploring the outdoors. She will have visited all 50 states by the end of 2022 and all U.S. National Parks by the end of 2024. She's ecstatic to serve Luminary on our mission and help make magic happen.

Bree Porter

Member Success Manager

Bree Porter has immersed herself in the world of fashion and entrepreneurship for the past 7 years. She holds both a bachelor's and a master's degree in Fashion Merchandising and Management, demonstrating her commitment to continuous learning.

During her schooling she managed to run a vintage clothing boutique in Florence, Italy. Bree's commitment to sustainability in the fashion industry led her to volunteer at the Global Fashion Summit in Copenhagen, Denmark. Here, she immersed herself in the world of sustainable fashion, contributing to positive change. As an entrepreneur, Bree has successfully opened and managed three vintage stores in New York. 

Beyond her fashion ventures, Bree is also a writer. She has accomplished publishing her first poetry book. Looking ahead, Bree Porter is driven by a new aspiration: to establish her very own vintage bar boutique. Her enthusiasm for fashion and business make her a promising prospect in the world of entrepreneurship.

Throughout her entire journey the one constant was people. People are her passion and being a helping hand is what she strives for daily.

She joined The Cru team for this very reason back in August of 2021 and is thrilled to become a part of the Luminary family. You can catch her reading thriller/mystery novels, lifting, writing, styling and gardening.

Demi Ganim

Sales Manager

Jacqui Lukacs

Enterprise Relationship Manager

Jacqui is a seasoned professional with a rich and diverse career spanning over 15 years. Her expertise lies in the realms of creative marketing, merchandising, and client/account management.  For much of her career, Jacqui immersed herself in the vibrant world of fashion, collaborating with a wide array of international and national brands. Notable names include Anthropologie, Gap Inc, Macy's, Nordstrom, Target, and many more.

In 2020, Jacqui embarked on a purpose-driven journey, reshaping her career in a more impactful direction. This shift led her to become a catalyst for change by training major corporations like Unilever and Starbucks on sustainable product development.  Currently, Jacqui has found her niche at Luminary, where she collaborates with corporate clients who share her commitment to diversity, inclusion, and empowering women. Jacqui originally found Luminary through her membership at our partner, Hey Mama, and has been to our physical space.

Beyond her professional pursuits, Jacqui treasures her family time. She can often be found crafting with her daughter, Genevieve, or helping her husband with his Orangeburg, NY-based fencing club.  Jacqui is a globetrotter at heart, finding inspiration in travel, design, and literature.

Manuela Luzio

Community Operations Manager

Shakilya Lawrence

Event Coordinator

Brandy Thomas

Digital Content and Marketing Manager

Brandy Thomas is a master of visual communication specializing in both marketing and brand development. With over 10 years of experience across a wide-array of industries, she possesses skills in nearly all areas of business strategy, whether it be graphic design, web design, or marketing. She’s been a member of the press pit during New York Fashion Week, directed events both large and small, raised over $100k via crowdfunding campaigns, and produced an infertility-based podcast that has amassed an audience of over 1 million subscribers. Most recently she was the senior designer for a fertility-based marketing company, giving her a unique perspective on the unspoken challenges faced by women and LGBTQIA+ individuals.

Aside from her professional accomplishments, she’s also a skilled stand up comedian and has had residencies at both Broadway Comedy Club and Brooklyn House of Comedy. She also co-produces a weekly, dog-friendly comedy show that was included in the 2023 New York Comedy Festival lineup.

She’s deeply passionate about social justice, civil rights, and supporting BIPOC communities and previously served as a volunteer brand advisor for the Kalief Browder Foundation. In her spare time she enjoys writing, reading non fiction books, and spending time with her husband and their extremely floopy corgi puppy, Jack.

Jasmine Fahmy

Digital Media and Content Specialist

Originally from Atlanta, Jasmine graduated from Temple University where she studied Public Relations and Advertising Art. Throughout her career, she’s worked in a variety of industries assisting small business owners with their digital marketing and public relations initiatives. From beauty and fashion to real estate, she’s willing to try anything!

Since most of her career has been focused on small businesses, Jasmine is thrilled to continue helping business owners gain exposure through digital marketing initiatives on Luminary’s social and digital channels. As a second-generation Egyptian American, she’s also committed to using her skills to aid the company in their diversity and inclusion initiatives for women in the workforce. 

When she’s not working, Jasmine spends her free time pursuing several creative endeavors. Her true passion lies in music - she’s a classically trained musician and played the viola for over a decade, and she now spends her free time learning how to DJ and going to local concerts in the city. She’s also a practicing astrologer that’s completed dozens of readings for clients, but she officially retired her business in 2023 to focus on her career.

Kotryna Kirliauskaite

Corporate Partnerships Manager

Originally from Lithuania, Kotryna is a Manager holding a master’s degree in leadership and strategy. Kotryna has 6+ years of experience in project, people and partnerships management. Previously she worked in the biggest Europe’s second hand marketplace Vinted, whose mission is to make sustainable consumption the first choice. She managed strategic partnerships across continents in Tunisia, Albania, Colombia, Portugal. She is also researching women's empowerment (her master thesis topic: barriers and enabling factors for women to become entrepreneurial leaders). She is a passionate personal and professional growth advocate and is learning how to lead more as a human to inspire hearts and minds. In her free time she loves to read, play padel tennis, hike in the mountains and explore unknown places in the world. 

Fatjon Balla

Project Manager

Fatjon Balla has over a decade of experience. He is from Tirana, Albania, where he has been working and studying .

Fatjon's academic journey includes a finance degree from Albanian University and a master's in marketing management from Aleksander Moisiu University Durres. Professionally, Fatjon recently worked as the Sales Manager at Infosoft Office, leading the B2B sales team since March 2019. His role involved client management, team management, training, and coaching.

Fatjon's passions in life are a variety of sports. Whether it's climbing, mountaineering, running marathons or triathlons where he's been a part of different races as an amateur athlete.

Currently, Fatjon is an active participant in the Albanian-American Development Foundation Master’s and Internship Fellowship Program for the academic year 2023-2024.

Anxhela Muçollari

Data Scientist

Anxhela is an enthusiastic Data Scientist with 4 years of experience and a strong background in Computer Science.

She possesses in-depth knowledge of Machine Learning algorithms and their practical applications to real-life problems.
Anxhela is a fast learner, and adaptable. She is always eager to learn more and expand her skills.

Outside of work, Anxhela loves to spend time in nature, indulging in activities like hiking and biking. 

Lauren Mcarthur

Community Associate

Lauren McArthur is a Community Associate at Luminary. She is passionate about female empowerment and cultivating diverse and inclusive spaces. She is especially interested in expanding employment opportunities for neurodiverse women. Her strengths include a keen eye for detail, innovative ways of problem-solving, and seeing the best in people.

Born and raised in New Jersey, she has a passion for film, dogs, and helping people. She used those passions when working at Uplift Studios, International Charter School of NY, Bow Tie Cinemas, and volunteering with PAWS NY. She is very excited to be part of Luminary and contribute to the success behind the scenes.

Julissa Ruiz

Community Associate

Julissa is a  singer/ songwriter, podcaster, and entrepreneur born and raised in Chelsea Manhattan. Being in entertainment since age 19, Julissa fell in love with networking and marketing and meeting like-minded souls who love to create new visions. Julissa has her own Podcast "Chatting With Jas" to shine light on other entrepreneurs and their journeys. She also launched her own clothing line named “Flourish by Eli Jas” where she creates and sells collections of gender neutral statement clothing pieces, jewelry, and authentic crystals for holistic healing for the Modern day visionary. Flourish has been featured on artists like Dominican recording artist -Danileigh on Sheen Magazine, Actress and Journalist -Janelle Marie, Grammy Nominated Artist CHIKA, and more.

Sofia Gonzalez Leal

Community Associate

Sophia Leavitt

Community Associate

Sophia is a human rights professional with over five years of experience in reproductive justice and public health. With a Master's in Human Rights Studies from Columbia University and a strong foundation in psychology and political science from Davidson College, she has become a strong advocate for sexual and reproductive rights and justice. Certified as a Personal Trainer specializing in prenatal fitness, she merges her passion for health and well-being with a commitment to human rights. Active involvement in social justice initiatives underscores her dedication, alongside proficiency in Spanish, R coding, and leadership abilities.

Isabella Ramirez

Community Associate

My name is Isabella Ramirez and I grew up living in Astoria, Queens, New York. I am currently a college student attending LaGuardia Community College, and I am currently majoring in Investigative Journalism. I’ve always had a passion for deep research to uncover the truth, and unearth conspiracies to bring never before stories for people to readers and viewers. I am very driven and empathic, and love to meet new people! I am very passionate about being able to work in an all women’s work space, and admire being able to uplift other women in our community! I enjoy reading fantasy and true crime, and love to journal when I have free time! I love spending quality time with my dog, friends,and family.

Monica Aggarwal

Team Head of Retail and Consumer in Fitch’s U.S. Corporate Ratings group

Monica Aggarwal is Team Head of Retail and Consumer in Fitch’s U.S. Corporate Ratings group. She is responsible for the sector team covering retail, consumer products, packaged foods, restaurants, and beverages.  Prior to joining Fitch in September 2007, Monica spent almost ten years in equity research at Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch and Chapdelaine Institutional Equities covering various retail segments.  Monica earned a BA in economics from Delhi University and an MBA with majors in finance and international business from Fordham University. She is a CFA® charter holder and a member of the CFA Institute and CFA Society New York. Monica serves as President of the Board for the Fixed Income Analysts Society, Inc. and is on the board of Streetwise Partners, a NY based non-profit organization focused on workforce development.

Maya Crauderueff

President and Founder of Maya’s Hope

Maya Crauderueff is the President and founder of Maya’s Hope. 

After she lost her mother in 2007, she had come to realize the pain of losing a parent. She began her journey of helping orphans from her first trip to the Philippines in 2008. She later started visiting institutions and orphanages in Ukraine and Maya’s Hope has come to evolve to what it is today. She is committed to helping children in great need, despite their circumstances and believes that every child has value. She also is of Filipino and Ukrainian heritage.

Previously, she has worked for Metalmark Capital as an Executive Assistant to Managing Directors. She considers herself an international problem solver and enjoys making people smile. Maya has a degree in Piano Performance and French literature from Rutgers University.

Allison Davis

Sales Consultant and Trainer for Founders

Allison Davis is a sales consultant and trainer for founders who want to hit their goals and keep on growing. 

Drawing from her 20 years of sales experience at companies like National Geographic and Time Out North America, Allison helps her clients turn random acts of sales into consistent revenue-generating systems — so they can vie for bigger opportunities, show up with more confidence, and have greater impact in the world.

Tiffany Dufu

Founder, The Cru

Tiffany Dufu is founder of The Cru, a peer-coaching tech company acquired by Luminary in 2023. She’s the author of the bestselling book Drop the Ball: Achieving More by Doing Less. According to foreword contributor Gloria Steinem, Drop the Ball is “important, path-breaking, intimate and brave.” Her writing has appeared in The Oprah Magazine, ESSENCE and the New York Times.​

Named to Entrepreneur's 100 Powerful Women and Fast Company’s League of Extraordinary Women, Tiffany has raised over $25 million toward the cause of women and girls. She was a launch team member to Lean In and was Chief Leadership Officer to Levo, the fastest growing millennial women's professional network. Prior to that, Tiffany served as President of The White House Project, which trained thousands of women across the nation to run for political office.

Tiffany is a Trustee of Simmons University, a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta, Sorority, Inc. and a Lifetime Girl Scout. She lives in New York City with her husband and two kids but was made in Seattle (Go Huskies).

Surabhi Lal

Adjunct Professor, Speaker, Facilitator, Everyday Management and Leadership

I savor my craft as a connector, storyteller, and educator and concern myself with building a better future of work. Being an only child and a first generation American gave me the skills to connect with and understand others. My summers in India contrasted with my life in suburban DC and exposed me to issues of inequity, which instilled in me a strong sense of service. Living in the in between, the tension between being an only and that of belonging is where I find my agency, empathy, and commitment to creating inclusive communities and workplaces.

My career as a community builder began helping students with their transition from high school to college, and for over fifteen years I’ve sat at the intersection of conversations with job seekers and employers in social impact. I have coached thousands of job seekers, entrepreneurs, and small businesses to help them achieve meaningful success. I believe investing in leadership and talent holds the key to creating community in the workplace, strong employee experiences, and increasing interaction among people of different backgrounds. When I work with teams and organizations, I use empathy, strategy, and transparency to create high performing teams and cultures. Through working in nonprofit, education, start-up, and international settings, I have created welcoming environments, developed strong teams, cultivated partnerships, streamlined systems, and led innovative initiatives.

I am an adjunct professor at NYU Wagner where I teach courses on management, leadership, workplace effectiveness, and career development. My ongoing doctoral research explores models of leadership and management that center work communities grounded in belonging, learning, and performance. As the former Chief Impact Officer at Luminary, a global platform dedicated to advancing women through community, I built an innovative programming curriculum grounded in learning and community that has been critical in the organization’s success. I am proud to further my mission of better futures of work through my board service as the Communications Chair at Manhattan Country School and as board member for Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work.

Outside of work I am a parent to an adventurous, curious little human and partner to my better half. To feed my creativity I travel, explore food markets, dance in the kitchen, cook, and (most importantly) eat. To see what’s cooking, check out my Twitter feed.

Maribel Lara

Senior Vice President and Head of Consulting at The Sasha Group, A VaynerX Company

Maribel is SVP, Head of Consulting at The Sasha Group a VaynerX company providing digital education, consulting and marketing services for early and growth stage businesses. She's been in the digital marketing space for 14 years after 8 years of work in higher education. Maribel is passionate about supporting women and immigrant communities and serves as an advisor to Luminary as well as a trustee to Central Queens Academy, a tuition free charter school in Queens, NY.

Erica Lerner

Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel

Erica Lerner is an experienced founder in the real estate and health and wellness industries, with a demonstrated history working in project finance, tax and corporate law, international tax, due diligence, and corporate structuring, as well as mergers and acquisitions. After nearly a decade of working in legal and corporate environments, most recently in mergers and acquisitions at Deloitte, Erica sought out new projects to foster her curiosity and develop her strengths and achieve independence.

In 2017 she co-founded Xtend Tribeca, a premier fitness studio and the first Manhattan location for Xtend Barre. Since Xtend Tribeca’s opening, Erica has been on a mission to provide a home for thousands of women looking for creative and effective workouts in a secure, safe, judgement-free setting. Erica is excited to continue her mission in her role as the Chief Operating Officer of Luminary and to develop a new home for thousands of professional women throughout New York City and beyond.

Mel Minyuan Liu

Vice President - Product Lead, J.P. Morgan Wealth Management

Mel Liu is a Vice President at J.P. Morgan Wealth Management. As a product leader, she is responsible for building and launching industry-leading client-facing products and innovative, personalized experiences across Chase and J.P. Morgan Wealth Management digital platforms. She sets the strategy and vision for products and personalized features that empower Chase clients to make smart financial decisions. 

Before entering the product management space, Mel was an established brand marketing leader. As Vice President of Brand & Advertising for JPMorgan Chase, she led strategic advertising and creative excellence for corporate social responsibility and diversity equity inclusion initiatives. During her tenure on the brand marketing team, she also spearheaded national and local paid campaigns as well as branded content partnerships with strategic media partners that improved the company’s brand trust and overall reputation. Her work highlighted the full impact JPMorgan Chase makes in advancing equality and in growing local economies with financial capital and community investments. 

Mel built her early career in the journalism and publishing industry working at the Associated Press in Beijing and Hearst in New York City. She grew up in Beijing and received her bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism with honors from Communication University of China. After her journalism career working at the Associated Press Beijing Bureau, she moved to NYC to pursue her master’s degree in Media, Culture, and Communication from New York University. Mel also completed her MBA degree with Baruch College while working full-time at JPMorgan Chase.

As a longtime advocate for empowering women, Mel is a proud Advisory Board Member of Luminary—a premiere co-working space and collaboration hub for women passionate about professional development.

Cate Luzio

Founder and CEO, Luminary

Leader. Advocate. Builder.

Cate Luzio spent two decades in financial services leading global multibillion-dollar businesses. During this time, she also led many of the institutions’ women’s networks and saw the disproportionate number of men to women and women of color in the senior ranks. She recognized the problem was a lack of investment and development of talent in the female pipeline, rather than a lack of talent itself.

This observation sparked a new direction for Luzio’s own trajectory. In a sharp career pivot, she wrote a business plan and set out on a new mission to help women see a path toward advancement by arming them with the tools, resources, and community to propel them to the top -- regardless of their professional journey.

In 2018, she launched and self-funded Luminary, a membership-based career and personal growth platform and collaboration hub created to address the systemic challenges impacting women across all industries and sectors. Luminary is the ultimate career advocate, uplifting and upscaling women through all phases of their professional journey -- in the workforce, entrepreneurship, and in transition - - by providing a vast eco-system of expert-led thought leadership programs, as well as in-person and virtual workshops and events. Members are comprised of a multigenerational and intersectional community of intrapreneurs, entrepreneurs, corporations, and organizations including UBS, WW, JPMorgan Chase, Unilever, Verizon, Goldman Sachs, Mastercard, and Heidrick & Struggles.

Prior to Luminary, Cate was Global Head of Multinational Corporate Banking for HSBC, managing more than 2,000 employees worldwide and prior to that, she served as Head of Multinational Corporate Banking at J.P. Morgan EMEA based in London. She spent her early years in Latin America with Bank of America across both consumer and wholesale banking. She started her career working in tech in China. Cate was named to American Banker's ‘Most Powerful Women in Banking' list multiple years in a row, is a three-time Financial Times Global Diversity Champion, and a two-time Yahoo Finance Diversity Hero. She remains committed to leveraging her extensive corporate experience to support and encourage women and push for gender equality and pay parity in the workplace.

Kyra Peralte

Creator of The Traveling Diary

Kyra Peralte is Creator of The Traveling Diary, a global storytelling experience for all women and Indie game maker of Mermaid Quest (available on iOS and Android). 

Kyra has spent the last two decades creating community for women using various mediums. And her latest venture, The Traveling Diary, is a notebook mailed from woman to woman across the globe collecting stories, memories and anything they wish to share with other women. The Traveling Diary has reached women all over the world who sign up to find authentic connection and look forward to being part of a sisterhood. 

Felicia (Fly) Stingone

Strategic Brand and Marketing Leader

Felicia (Fly) Stingone is a strategic brand and marketing leader who drives company growth by aligning brand strategy with financial goals. She brings her broad experience as an advisor, chief marketing officer, advertising executive, brand strategist, communications leader, investor, not-for-profit trustee, and fundraiser to her work. Most recently, Fly was Chief Brand Officer for S’well and co-founder of Fly Female Founders, a not-for-profit that supports women entrepreneur, which is now part of the growing Luminary community.