Join us for a panel presentation that aims to celebrate female voices and visionaries in honor of Women’s History Month. This panel session, hosted by Valentina Lara, Marketing Manager at Ampersand Studios, is designed to pass the mic and provide a platform in which female founders and business leads can share their story.
Meet the Speakers
We’ll be joined by Ashley Currie, Urbaanite Editor & CEO, Mallory Holcomb, Huckleberry Co-Founder & Creative Director, Rachel Guttman, Taylor Guttman Co-Founder, and Rachel Ransom and Jennifer Leroy, Inventure’s Associate Principal and Director of Business Development.
Ashley Currie, Editor & CEO, Urbaanite
Ashley Currie is currently tapping into her natural proclivity to connect and share people’s stories as the Publisher + Editor of Urbaanite, Nashville’s growing hyperlocal publication celebrating community and curating culture. As a Nashville native, after graduating with a degree in Marketing from Northern Illinois University, Ashley moved back to her hometown and worked in corporate marketing and advertising handling multicultural brand campaigns for Denny’s, BMW and United Methodist Communications which would fuel her passion to start Urbaanite. Feeling there was a narrative missing in the local media scene, Ashley created Urbaanite for people to feel seen and welcome to explore the best in food, art, wellness, history and cultural attractions in the city.
Urbaanite has received two Nashville ADDY Awards from the American Advertising Federation Nashville for their storytelling and Ashley recently received a 2023 Rising Star Award from the Nashville Black Chamber of Commerce. She currently sits on the board for the Jefferson Street Historical Society. When she is not sharing stories, you can find her trying out the latest restaurants, traveling, honing her own at-home chef skills, or checking out a new hiking trail.
Mallory Holcomb, Co-Founder & Creative Director, Huckleberry
Mallory Holcomb is a commercial photographer and co-founder / creative director of Huckleberry Creative, a Nashville-based company that makes awesome content for pioneering brands. After graduating from Pepperdine University, Mallory started her career in the Los Angeles social media agency world, working on accounts for Mickey Mouse, The Disney Princesses, Top Chef, Freeform, and more. In 2019 she moved to Nashville with her husband Ben, and started Huckleberry Creative out of a desire to have a closer connection to creative.
Throughout her career as a commercial photographer, Mallory has collaborated with brands and pioneers such as Reese Witherspoon, Capt. Sully Sullenberger, The Home Edit, Candice King, Ring Concierge, and The Peach Truck. Her photography work has been featured in People Magazine, on Random House book covers, and in national retailers such as Target and Dick’s Sporting Goods.
In her current season, Mallory balances the creative direction at Huckleberry with the joys of motherhood. Most days involve some combination of creative development, photography, and chasing after her 13-month-old Forrest, who recently learned how to walk. Mallory is driven every day by the power of stories: how they connect us, challenge us, and inspire us to something greater.
Rachel Ransom, Associate Principal, Director of Nashville
“If I didn’t do this, I’d be a detective.”
Rachel loves finding beauty where others may not see it and bringing form to seemingly chaotic environments. Her clients appreciate that she is organized and a great communicator. Her desire to design comes from her deep interest in solving problems for humans. She loves putting the pieces of the design together like a puzzle and then integrating all the small details that go into it. Rachel is invested in helping her clients see the big picture, then ensuring all the parts come together to create it, all while discovering new solutions along the way.
She’s a Registered Interior Designer (RID) in Texas and also received her Evidence-Based Design Accreditation and Certification (EDAC). She’s a member of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) and graduated Summa Cum Laude from Texas State University-San Marcos with a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design and a minor in Technology.
Jennifer Leroy, Senior Associate, Director of Business Development
“I love being a part of decisions that make a positive impact.”
Jennifer runs our in-house time machine turning strategic visions of Inventure’s future into the present by developing valuable new business opportunities. She is a master strategist who builds lasting relationships based on trust, integrity, and creative problem solving. Clients value her passion for seeing each and every project through from inception to celebration. She is a people-person who is well-known for sharing the lowdown on the latest and best eats in town.
Jennifer has broad experience in real estate, project management and business development. She earned her Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the University of St. Thomas and her Bachelor of Business Administration at Sam Houston State.
Rachel Guttmann, Co-Founder, Taylor Guttmann Music Law
Rachel Simes Guttmann is an entertainment and music industry attorney. She provides a broad range of legal services in both transactional and litigation matters to clients involved in the creation, production, and management of creative works. She understands the special needs of the entertainment industry, including copyright law, trademarks, music publishing, record labels, media, catalog sales, and general business matters. Rachel represents recording artists, songwriters, producers, artist managers, record labels, music publishers, concert promoters, music industry entrepreneurs, and businesses involved in the creation, use, and distribution of creative works. Before moving to Nashville, Rachel served as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Dee D. Drell in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana. Following her clerkship, Rachel worked as an attorney in New Orleans at mid-size litigation defense firms, representing major corporations, public bodies, and insurance companies in defense and coverage matters throughout Louisiana. She has significant trial experience in State and Federal courts throughout Louisiana. In 2017, Rachel argued before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. In 2018, Rachel taught Legal Issues I as an adjunct professor in the Department of Film and Music Industry Studies at Loyola University New Orleans. While in New Orleans, Rachel developed her own music and entertainment practice and spent much of her free time working with organizations to support the music community including New Orleans Artists Against Hunger and Homelessness, the Music Business Summit at the Ellis Marsalis Center, and Bringing Down the House with the House of Blues Music Forward Foundation. Rachel currently spends her free time supporting the Nashville music community through SOLID, WMBA, MusiCares Ambassadors, and Volunteer Lawyers and Professionals for the Arts – Arts Immersion Committee. When she is not volunteering, Rachel enjoys spending time with her husband and numerous rescue dogs. They enjoy cheering on the New Orleans Saints and taking walks through the hills of Tennessee.
We aim to highlight individual stories, while also providing learning moments for others in the room to gain insight into how they can personally approach similar challenges, opportunities, or milestones in their business. We hope to explore how these women individually and collectively are paving the way for the future of their industries and uncover the secrets of their success.
We invite you to network with panelsist and attendees after the panel with sips and bites in the Member’s Lounge. We hope that this panel and networking opportunity will leave you feeling empowered and inspired!
RSVP
Register to attend on Eventbrite.
