• BE ORIGINAL

    Bring your style, your quirks, your ideas, your chutzpah to the table.

  • THINK GLOBALLY

    We aim to make a worldwide impact on poverty and empower women everywhere. Don’t underestimate what we can accomplish together.

  • ACT COMPASSIONATELY

    We are all connected and we celebrate each other as friends, women, and global citizens.

  • LIVE CONSCIOUSLY

    Our global citizenship makes us conscious consumers – we’re thoughtful about the things we buy and know that origins and production practices matter.

  • RELISH THE ADVENTURE

    We bring a spirit of discovery to our everyday. Inspired by our travels and doing what we love, we look forward to the next bend in the road.

Meet the Members of Our Fair Trade Company

Christine Kwon

Finance Director

A hobby-loving dog owner (Hi, Reggie!), Christine has tried it all - embroidery, woodworking, accordion, you name it. While her practical side makes numbers a breeze, she says she has an irrational love for zippers that lead to unusable pockets and watches that don’t tell time.

Katie Gavenda

Digital Brand Manager

With a colorful style and a passion for screen printing and letterpress, Katie wasted no time jazzing up her corner of the office. Originally from the east coast, she loves sand and saltwater, but spending any amount of time outside is what really keeps her happiness levels up. Comfort is key, and she’s rarely found without her office slippers (and during those chilly Chicago winters, even a blanket).

Kayla Placencio

Sales and Customer Service Specialist

A creative brain with a cultural soul, Kayla is trying it all. Her southwestern roots have given her a zest for life and a passion for process. She’s done screen printing, woodcuts, film, embroidery, and outsider/intuitive art, and her most interesting secret goal? Starting a all-female Rolling Stones cover band.

April Serrano

Sales Manager

Every day, April brings a zest for life and an attitude of enthusiasm to the office – she’s a real mood booster. Her love of quality products with a purpose won’t come as a surprise, but the facts that she lived in South Korea for six years, or is an avid cosplayer, might be a bit unexpected!

Delaney Hart

Fulfillment Manager

Whether she’s enjoying being in nature, or relaxing with a good book (or five!), Delaney knows how to appreciate the simple moments and bring a sense of calm to busy days. She’s also a talented musician who attributes practicing music as another form of meditation in her life. Both in her personal style and at Mata Traders, Delaney loves fashion that carries a story with it as it provides an opportunity to stay connected to her values, creative side, and shared experience of the world.

Sasha Savage

Design and Production Coordinator

Sasha’s love of collecting artisan crafts has inspired her to work in the ethical fashion and fair trade world. She values the importance of preserving tradition and honoring those who make such beautiful works of art in her own collection, as well as the seasonal collections produced by Mata Traders. This celebration of culture and individuality is reflected in her passion for travel (she lived in Spain for 3 years, and Vietnam for 2 years!), as well as her carefree, comfortable personal style.

Nicole Stemler

Finance & Operations Specialist

A life-long learner, Nicole knows as much about numbers as she does decadent baked goods - she left the accounting world to study and become a pastry chef before she became a mom! She wants women globally to feel as empowered in their career choices, and is passionate about supporting fair trade operations. Paris might be her favorite city, but she’s no stranger to the great outdoors away from the urban bustle, and this respect for the environment informs her appreciation for natural materials in her own personal style.

Maureen Dunn Fetscher

Founder + Creative Director

You’d never guess that the founder of Mata studied filmmaking in college (fun fact: she made a documentary about people who freeze-dry their pets posthumously). Maureen displayed a knack for business since her very first lemonade stand, where she mastered the upsell with $.50 twizzler straws. A fascination with the way people, cultures, and religions work kept her seeing adventure around the world, but these days she loves nothing more than an afternoon at the park with her husband and young son.

Our team extends beyond the walls of our Chicago warehouse all the way to India and Nepal,where over 1,000 talented artisans bring our designs from concept to collection.
You can learn more about who they are on our blog.