Get to Know This Year's Mamas Making It Summit Speakers
Last year's inaugural Mamas Making It Summit. Photo: Howl & Rose
Next month, Fashion Mamas is set to take over The Line Hotel for its second Mamas Making It Summit. Happening Sunday, June 3 from 10am to 4pm, the day-long conference will feature panels and workshops with over 15 career-driven women who'll be dropping major knowledge on branding, philanthropy, self-care, community activism, social media, and more inspiring topics. That's not all: as we officially announced this week, our keynote speaker will be none other than Tamera Mowry-Housley, actress, entrepreneur and co-host of Emmy award-winning talk show The Real.
We'll be sharing more about the Sister, Sister star and stylish mama of two soon, but in the meantime, we're proud to introduce our panelists for this year's celebration. From the top song that defines their current lives to their favorite life quotes and more, read on below to learn more about 14 of our talented speakers. (Note that while designer Beatrice Valenzuela is missing from this list, we can't wait to hear her speak on the MMI Summit stage!)
Read on below, and don't forget to grab your MMI Summit ticket here before we officially sell out.
Alli Webb
What you do: Founder, Drybar
Names and ages of your little ones: Grant, 13 and Kit, 10
I love what I do because: I love to give women confidence!
When I was a kid, I wanted to be: A professional tennis player.
No. 1 song that defines your current life: According to my brother and business partner, Michael, it's “You Can’t Take the Honky Tonk Out of the Girl” by Brooks & Dunn.
Life/career quote that always gives you chills: People rarely remember what you said, but they never forgot how you made them feel.
Dream dinner party guests (3 people, past or present): Oprah Winfrey, Jackie O., and Michelle Obama
Follow: @alliwebb and @thedrybar
Anine Bing
What you do: Founder & chief creative officer, Anine Bing and Bing Kids
Names and ages of your little ones: Bianca, 7 and Benjamin, 5
I love what I do because: I get to spend my days being creative with an amazing team, and designing clothes for women to instill in them confidence and self-love.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be: A birthing coach and doula!
No. 1 song that defines your current life: "Bon Voyage" by my friend's band, Bloke & Bird
Life/career quote that always gives you chills: "You know when you know." It speaks to tapping into your intuition, and I have always operated on gut in my personal life and in my business. I even have that saying tattooed on my arm.
Dream dinner party guests (3 people, past or present): Coco Chanel, Mick Jagger, and my grandmother who I was very close with.
Follow: @aninebing
Annette Vartanian
What you do: Digital marketing consultant and blogger/founder, A Vintage Splendor
Name and age of your little one: Harlee Josephine, 2 years
I love what I do because: It inspires creativity for my clients and employees, offers flexibility so I can be a good mom and successful businessowner, and allows me to live the dream of doing what I love and making money doing it!
When I was a kid, I wanted to be: A fashion designer.
No. 1 song that defines your current life: "Here Comes the Sun" by The Beatles
Life/career quote that always gives you chills: "Without leaps of imagination, or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning." — Gloria Steinem
Dream dinner party guests (3 people, past or present): Elizabeth I (Queen of England), Michelle Obama, and Toni Morrison
Follow: @vintagesplendor
Ashleigh Dempster
What you do: Co-Founder, AKID
Names and ages of your little ones: Jasper, 6; Stone, 4; Vincent Gray, 8 months
I love what I do because: It’s creative, challenging and pushes me out of my comfort zone on a daily basis.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be: A cartoonist. Magazine editor. Graphic designer (even though I still can’t grasp basic Photoshop). You name it!
No. 1 song that defines your current life: "Look Alive" by BlocBoy JB and Drake
Life/career quote that always gives you chills: "I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples." — Mother Theresa
Dream dinner party guests (3 people, past or present): My husband. Alone time with each other is limited these days so he’s my No. 1 dream dinner party guest.
Follow: @ashleighdempster and @AKID
Caitlin Crosby
What you do: Founder and CEO, The Giving Keys
Name and age of your little one: Brave, 20 months
I love what I do because: I get to work with a diverse variety of brilliant minds to help end homelessness together. And we get to use inspirational jewelry I love to wear to do so.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be: A fashion designer and actress.
No. 1 song that defines your current life: "Fight Song" by Rachel Platton
Life/career quote that always gives you chills: "Wise as a serpent, gentle as a dove."
Dream dinner party guests (3 people, past or present): Oprah (duh), Bono, and the Pope
Follow: @caitlincrosby and @thegivingkeys
Chriselle Lim
What you do: Founder and creative director, The Chriselle Factor and CINC Studios
Name and age of your little one: Chloe Victoria, 3.5 years old and another little one on the way, currently 5 months pregnant
I love what I do because: It challenges me every day in running a business and managing a team but still allows me to be creative daily.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be: I’ve always wanted to be in fashion but not exactly sure what I wanted to do in the industry.
No. 1 song that defines your current life: "Formation" by Beyoncé
Life/career quote that always gives you chills: “To be successful in this world you have to follow your passion, not a paycheck.”
Dream dinner party guests (3 people, past or present): Oprah, Audrey Hepburn, and Sheryl Sandberg
Follow: @chrisellelim and @CINCStudios
Daisy O'Dell
What you do: DJ, music producer, activist, and community leader
Names and ages of your little ones: Henry, 5 and Faye, 21 months
I love what I do because: It has been said that music has power to create a universe or to destroy a civilization — I wield a lot of power.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be: A woman. Also Parker Posey in Party Girl — that ambition was realized.
No. 1 song that defines your current life: "These Days" by Nico
Life/career quote that always gives you chills: “When you talk, you are only repeating what you already know. But if you listen, you may learn something new." — Dalai Lama XIV
Dream dinner party guests (3 people, past or present): Nina Simone, Tupac Shakur, and David Bowie
Follow: @daisyodell
Denise Vasi
What you do: Actress and founder, MAED
Name and age of your little one: Lennox Mae, 3 going on 23
I love what I do because: I love what I do because it feels like, even in a small way, I'm helping other women ask questions, challenge the norm and seek to live more mindful lives.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be: I've always wanted to do a little bit of everything; I'm pretty sure that's why I became an actress.
No. 1 song that defines your current life: "Hustlin'" by Rick Ross
Life/career quote that always gives you chills: "You can't do a good job if your job is all you do." — Katie Thurmes
Dream dinner party guests (3 people, past or present): Princess Diana, Oprah, and Azzedine Alaïa
Follow: @denisevasi
Dr. Deepika Chopra
What you do: Optimism Doctor
Name and age of your little one: Jag, 11 months
I love what I do because: I get to meet so many wonderful humans in their most creative element. Even though my job is to inspire them to live their most optimal life, they inspire and teach me on the daily!
When I was a kid, I wanted to be: An archaeologist, CEO, and actress, all at the same time.
No. 1 song that defines your current life: "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." we made the mistake of adding this song to my infant’s sleep routine now I am subjected to singing this three times in a 24-hour period, ha!
Life/career quote that always gives you chills: "Remember when you wanted what you currently have."
Dream dinner party guests (3 people, past or present): This changes for me every few months but right now: Gandhi, Tupac, and Gloria Steinem
Follow: @drdeepikachopra
Geri Hirsch
What you do: Founder, Because I'm Addicted
Name and age of your little one: Leo, 3 months
I love what I do because: The world is my oyster.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be: A veterinarian.
No. 1 song that defines your current life: "Anything" by Bon Iver. I gave birth to the "For Emma" album and upon coming home from the hospital, his music has continued to fill our home. It's zen but uplifting and reminds me of the most powerful 18 hours of my life.
Life/career quote that always gives you chills: "The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do." — Steve Jobs
Dream dinner party guests (3 people, past or present): Cliché to say my husband and daughter? But really, that's where I want to be right now.
Follow: @gerihirsch
Jaycina
What you do: Model and artist
Name and age of your little one: Syx Valentine, 15 months
I love what I do because: I have the freedom to create and express myself fully while still being able to be a stay-at-home mom.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be: A model. Lol surprise, surprise.
No. 1 song that defines your current life: The baby shark song! It's a YouTube video and Syx loves that song. Many crises have been diverted with baby shark. But, we usually are blasting Frank Ocean or D'Angelo.
Life/career quote that always gives you chills: All things align. Because it's so true, when I stop and reflect and realize that every little decision has lead to the present moment and I think about how different things could be yet everything is just as its supposed to be. It really restores my faith in the universe whenever I feel myself wavering.
Dream dinner party guests: Hmm. Zoe Kravitz, Prince, and Cher. That would be a fun party.
Follow: @jaycina
Kimberly Snyder
What you do: Nutritionist and New York Times bestselling author
Name and age of your little one: 'Lil Bub (Emerson), 2
I love what I do because: It's all part of my life mission, which is to serve and help raise the vibration on the planet. It never feels like "work", because there is no separation in my life. I keep challenging myself to not just focus on doing but BEING the best, most connected version of myself.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be: A scientist
No. 1 song that defines your current life: "Shree Hanuman Chalisa." It's a Sanskrit chant that reminds us that we are limitless. I listen to it every single morning.
Life/career quote that always gives you chills: "When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy." — Rumi
Dream dinner party guests (3 people, past or present): Paramahansa Yogananda, Gandhi, and Eleanor Roosevelt
Follow: @_kimberlysnyder
Molly Thompson
What you do: Co-founder, Kind Campaign
Names and ages of your little ones: Lyla, 21 months and Landon, 3 weeks
I love what I do because: We have the opportunity to meet so many incredible young ladies and witness real change take place before our very eyes. I absolutely love standing in our assemblies and watching as girls apologize or share kind words with each other. There are so many moments in our assemblies where Lauren and I look at each other and are just blown away by the energy in the room because of the girls' courage and strength to use their voices to create real change.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be: An actress. Not only because I loved the craft and the idea of transforming into different people, but more so because I thought how incredible it would be to have such a platform to shed light on important issues.
No. 1 song that defines your current life: "With A Little Help From My Friends" by The Beatles. The last several weeks have been a bit of a postpartum blur as I've been settling into life with two littles and handling some unexpected recovery complications, so this truly has been my mantra recently. I honestly do not know what we would have done without the help and support of our family and friends. It really does take a village!
Life/career quote that always gives you chills: "Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless." — Mother Teresa
Dream dinner party guests (3 people, past or present): Is it too cheesy to say my family? My husband Chris, and my two little babes, Lyla and Landon. This new family of four is still so fresh, and I am loving every single second of seeing all the new dynamics that it presents so really just being with these three makes my heart feel fuller than I could have ever dreamed of.
Follow: @mollymaethomps and @kindcampaign
Lauren Paul
What you do: Co-founder, Kind Campaign
Name and age of your little one: Story, 3 1/2 months
I love what I do because: I have the opportunity to witness healing and reconciliation between girls firsthand. The apologies girls share with each other and the friendships mended inspire me to keep doing what we do. I see real change happen and there is no greater feeling.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be: I have always been obsessed with outer space and I grew up wanting to be an astronaut!
No. 1 song that defines your current life: "Amazing Grace." I started casually singing it to Story and every time I did, she would light up, have the biggest smile and start cooing. I swear she sings it with me! Now I sing it to her all the time so it's pretty much stuck in my head all day!
Life/career quote that always gives you chills: "Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive. - Howard Thurman
Dream dinner party guests (3 people, past or present):
My husband Aaron with my aunt Nancy and granddad who both passed away a few years before we met. It breaks my heart that he never got to meet tm so having dinner with the three of them would be my dream come true!
Follow: @laurenpaul8 and @kindcampaign
Mai Nguyen-Miyoshi
What you do: Social media consultant
Names and ages of your little ones: Zooey, 6, and Amelie, 17 months
I love what I do because: I'm really weird and am really passionate about how social media works. I also love being a connector whether it's connecting influencers to brands, or connecting people to people so that they can help and benefit from each other. (I know that sounds strange lol!)
When I was a kid, I wanted to be: A pediatrician
No. 1 song that defines your current life: "Where Is My Mind" by The Pixies
Life/career quote that always gives you chills: “I used to think the worst thing in life was to end up all alone, it’s not. The worst thing in life is to end up with people that make you feel all alone.” — Robin Williams
Dream dinner party guests (3 people, past or present): Zooey Deschanel, Drew Barrymore, and Ali Wong
Follow: @maisassygirl
Whitney Port
What you do: Designer and lifestyle star
Name and age of your little one: Sonny, 9 months
I love what I do because: I get to be creative and see actual things come to life from my imagination. I also have the honor of raising a child in to what I hope will be a supreme human being and that makes me feel good about myself.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be: An actress! I remember seeing Julia Roberts win an Oscar and thinking I was going to be like her one day. Boy, was I wrong!
No. 1 song that defines your current life: "Motions" by Shoffy
Life/career quote that always gives you chills: "Keep your face always toward the sunshine-and shadows will fall behind you." — Walt Whitman
Dream dinner party guests (3 people, past or present): My dad, my mom, and my husband.
Follow: @whitneyeveport
Purchase tickets to our Mamas Making It Summit here.