Meet the Team
We are truth-seekers teaching a new paradigm of story; focused on the essential narratives leaders need to communicate. Big bets to moonshots to transformational initiatives. It’s what we love.
MICHAEL MARGOLIS
CEO and Founder
Michael Margolis is the CEO and founder of Storied; a leading authority on narratives for disruption. Storied is the first and only strategic messaging firm that focuses on the internal story for hyper-growth and transformation: from selling a vision to change management to scaling your culture. Michael has built a reputation for solving complex riddles at the biggest scale imaginable. He’s advised hundreds of organizations including Facebook, Google, Hulu, Shopify, Uber, Dolby, Visa, Roche, and NASA on some of their most strategic and ambitious growth initiatives. Michael spends most of his time working with Silicon Valley and Fortune 500s: especially the functional disciplines of product, design, marketing, engineering, and talent. Basically, any team that’s responsible for building the future.
At every growth-inflection point, a company needs to change its narrative. Whether you’re solving for category disruption, platform creation or recruiting velocity – the story is the strategy. As a leader, you will be judged on the power of your communications: your ability to inspire, influence and motivate others through a shared, single source of truth.
Michael is deeply devoted to global systems change and transformation; working with the biggest platforms, tools, and interfaces that are reimagining every quadrant of life. The son of a mad scientist and a teacher/artist, Michael is obsessed with how to translate new ideas into cultural acceptance. As a social entrepreneur in his early twenties, Michael was funded by the Ford and Rockefeller Foundations for his pioneering work on tech workforce development and the Digital Divide. Trained as a cultural anthropologist, he is a student of esoteric Tibetan buddhism, the conscious life of stories, and how words create worlds.
For almost 20 years, Michael has pioneered the field of storytelling and narrative as a management discipline. He balances scientific first-principles with deep craft and intuitive decision-making. His storytelling methods and tools have been taught to tens of thousands around the world, across 15 countries and 6 continents. As a bestselling author and two-time TEDx speaker, he delivers dozens of storytelling keynotes and trainings every year. Michael’s work and ideas have been featured in Fast Company, TIME, Inc, Brandweek, and NPR. His latest book, Story 10x: Turn the Impossible Into the Inevitable, is in bookstores, Kindle, and Audible. Michael is left-handed, color-blind, and eats more chocolate than the average human. A recovering global nomad, Michael lives in Los Angeles, CA.
AVA ROSE
Engagement Lead
Ava is a strategist, communicator, and project manager with expertise in B2B tech, change management, and internal comms. She is a certified scrum master that supports Storied’s Client team across consulting, research, and training practice areas. As a client-facing project manager, she optimizes organization and communications so team members can do their best work and clients have a great experience.
With a masters in education, Ava loves developing programs, campaigns, and communications that create positive change at every level, from the individual to the organization and larger community. She brings experience from GuideSpark, Cascade Insights, and Blue Chalk Media. Ava is also a former Teacher Advisory Board Member for the Holocaust Center for Humanity.
Ava is also a professional opera singer and deeply passionate about history, social activism, and representation.
ANGELA EKSTOWICZ
VP of Business Operations
Angela oversees our business operations – contracting, HR, recruiting, strategy and beyond. She brings a passion for building a strong team culture, developing systems & processes, and driving ideas to outcomes.
Prior to joining Storied, Angela held a variety of operations and program management roles in insurance, healthcare, and banking – most notably overseeing the operations and success of 4 student run credit union branches. She’s a life learner, having held various roles in training & organizational development and is excited about fostering a deliberately developmental culture here at Storied.
A self-avowed casserole-making queen, she loves all Wisconsin sports. A midwesterner at heart, she enjoys life with her husband, three kids, a dog, three cats and a bearded dragon.
ANN VAN ORSDEL
Managing Director
Ann is the Managing Director at Storied.
Ann leads a cross-functional team including client services, operations, finance, people and delivery for Storied. She brings to the team 20+ years experience managing brand, marketing and digital engagements for Fortune 500 corporations. With a passion for building long-standing partnerships, Ann takes great pride in bringing strategic transformation programs to life.
Prior to joining Storied, Ann worked with leading digital agencies overseeing sales and account management. Her experience spans a myriad of categories including CPG, Entertainment, Financial Services, Healthcare, Pharmaceutical, Retail, and Technology.
JODI BEPLER
Marketing Operations Lead
Jodi is Storied’s longest-standing employee and contributor. She is a marketing systems and operational wiz who keeps everything running smoothly and effectively.
Jodi is a grounded leader with exceptional interpersonal and organizational abilities, core strengths in creating and supporting key structures that allow others to operate in a high-trust, collaborative, and fast-paced environment. With 18 years experience working closely with CEO’s and executives, shaping corporate strategy, responsible for KPI’s/OKR’s, team growth and development, and cross functional team collaboration.
CHRISTINA ALFONSO
Sr Manager, Client Engagement
Christina is our Sr Manager of Client Engagement at Storied, supporting the Client Operations team in consulting, research, and training.
Before joining Storied, Christina served as a Project Manager for Lucy Environmental where she found a calling in supporting project execution and a premier customer experience. Having worked in an array of spaces from retail to Human Resources, she has a passion and excitement for people, systems, and team-minded problem solving in business.
Outside of the office Christina spends her time in acting class, loving any and all animals, and cheering her Oklahoma Sooners on to their next victory.
MAYNARD MILANA
Operations Coordinator
Maynard Milana is an accomplished Operations Coordinator at Storied, leveraging his diverse expertise to drive operational excellence and facilitate seamless business processes. With a background as an executive assistant in real estate and a track record as a top-selling call-center associate, Maynard brings a wealth of experience to his role.
Throughout his career, Maynard has demonstrated exceptional skills in managing various areas, including tech support, content creation, and customer service. His ability to efficiently handle complex technical issues while delivering outstanding customer experiences has consistently earned him recognition and praise from both colleagues and clients.
A natural problem-solver and avid learner, Maynard thrives on embracing new tools and technologies, consistently seeking innovative solutions to streamline operations and enhance productivity. He actively stays abreast of industry trends and emerging technologies, ensuring Storied remains at the forefront of operational efficiency.
COREY ROSENBERG
Senior B2B Copywriter
Corey is a seasoned copywriter/content specialist with 15 years of experience humanizing and growing technology, SaaS, and B2B brands by strategizing and producing copy and concepts which inspire.
He’s previously worked at Yelp, Linkedin, Google, BBDO, and Saatchi & Saatchi. As a copywriter and content partner for diverse tech companies—he specializes in writing cross-channel marketing assets for SaaS, B2B, and startup brands.
His freelance clients include Dolby, Genentech, Cisco, Zuora, Babbel, United Way, and The Mayo Clinic. Corey has also taught multiple courses at the Miami School of Advertising.
TIM GARY
Web Development
Tim’s Bio
LOLA OMOLOLA
Community-Building Lead
Lola builds communities that change people’s lives. Through her global Facebook Groups community, FIN/Female In, she has mobilized close to 2 million women to prioritize the actualization of their personal potential and works with audiences and organizations, to strategically build high-performing digital and offline communities.
With a higher education in journalism and two decades of experience in radio, TV and digital projects, Lola knows what truly drives human communication; to improve understanding, collaboration and meaningful connection.
Lola Omolola has been recognized by Sheryl Sandberg and Melinda Gates. When she’s not on a speaking tour or nurturing highly-engaged communities, you will find Lola in Chicago, USA where she lives with her husband and their two daughters.
LOLA OMOLOLA
Community-Building Lead
NOAH HUSSIN Filmmaker
Noah bio
SANDRA WELLS
Senior Advisor
Discomfort evangelist.
Wisdom activist.
Compassion advocate.
#residentyoda
JENNIFER ST. CLAIR
Sr. Consultant
Jennifer St. Clair has been at the epicenter of digital entertainment for nearly 20 years. She’s worked with creatives and entrepreneurs in the transformation of the industry. Her experience spans entertainment, digital media, and technology. She’s worked at entertainment studios, start-ups, PR agencies, and in-house at media and publishing companies. She has a passion for working with creatives and entrepreneurs bringing bold, ahead of their time ideas to market.
Jennifer has held senior roles at companies with a vision to transform their industry including Complex Media, Participant Media, and Redbox Instant by Verizon. She was senior vice president of Communications for Complex Media where she led the external and internal communications for the company and was the communications architect for ComplexCon, the company’s groundbreaking annual festival. She’s also held roles at Paramount Pictures and mPRm Public Relations.
MARINA TETERYAN
Service & Experience Design
Marina is a seasoned human-centered designer and innovation facilitator with a specialty in service design and experience design. She teaches service design, facilitates workshops internationally, and gives talks and serves on panel discussions for a variety of industries. As an advocate for design and innovation, she hosts the world’s first service design podcast called Why Service Design Thinking, which is downloaded in more than 100 countries. She gives back to the community as an executive producer of the Los Angeles edition of the Global Service Jam and a co-founder of the Los Angeles Service Design event series.
Marina holds a Master’s degree in Strategic Design Management at Parson’s School of Design (The New School) and is currently authoring a book on sustainable design strategies. She believes that the world would be a better place if everyone worked by the principles of service design, lived by the principles of jazz improvisation, and used ergonomic standing desks.
SHARNA FABIANO
Facilitator
Sharna Fabiano is an artist, educator, and certified life coach. With an MFA from UCLA and twenty years of teaching and community building experience, she brings insights from her arts background into the business world to help teams become more connected, collaborative, and creative
AMEEN HAQUE
Storytelling Trainer
Ameen Haque is the founder of Storywallahs and a story coach. He has helped business leaders, scientists, entrepreneurs and teachers tell their stories better. Starting at Ogilvy, Ameen has worked for over 20 years in Advertising, Marketing and Brand Strategy Consulting in a range of firms like McCann-Erickson, Madura Garments, Ogilvy and Futurebrands. His work in consulting, advertising and theatre has helped him understand human nature and how to influence it. Ameen loves telling stories to children and playing Table Tennis. Check out Ameen’s website for more.
ALISON NORRINGTON
Cross Platform Storytelling
Alison Norrington is a writer & producer, Founder & Chief Creative Director of storycentral, a London-based entertainment studio that incubates and develops ground-breaking IP with global partners in film, television, animation, publishing, advertising, branding, theme parks, Virtual Reality and gaming.
Alison is Conference Chair for StoryWorld Conference, Exec Producer of the Virtual Reality Thread for Children’s Media Conference, is a two-time TEDx speaker and has presented at a number of entertainment and media conferences worldwide. She is featured on the BAFTA Guru series and is a member of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, The Writers Guild of Great Britain, Women in Film & TV and the Romantic Novelists Association.
Her mantra is ‘be relevant, be genuine, be credible’.
TANE HUNTER
Futurist & Storyteller
Tané is a cancer researcher, bio-informatician, and science communicator. He’s a co-founder of Future Crunch, as well as a data analytics startup, Lighthouse. He holds a Masters in Bio-Informatics from the University of Melbourne, and has worked for the Melbourne Royal Children’s Hospital diagnosing rare genetic diseases. He is currently completing his PhD at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, using molecular biomarkers in DNA and analysing them using artificial intelligence to improve treatments for people suffering from cancer. He’s also a former US mountain biking champion and an avid sailor.
ANGUS HERVEY
Futurist & Storyteller
Angus is a political economist and a journalist specialising in the impact of disruptive technologies on society. He was the founding community manager of Random Hacks of Kindness, a global initiative from Google, IBM, Microsoft, NASA and the World Bank to create open-source technology solutions to social challenges. He was also the first editorial manager for Global Policy, one of the world’s leading international policy journals. He holds a PhD in Government and a Masters in International Political Economy from the London School of Economics, where he was the Ralph Miliband Scholar from 2009 to 2012.
DONNA LICHAW
Story Coach & Trainer
Donna is a speaker, author, and certified professional coach. She empowers technology, product, and marketing leaders to make an impact in their organization, industry, and world at large. Whether working with innovators at startups and nonprofits, or trailblazers at companies like Apple and Google, Donna has spent her career helping people build the stories of their own success—one story at a time. She lives in Brooklyn with her partner, son, and crooked dog, Ralph.
You can connect with her on the web at donnalichaw.com, on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
PETER ECONOMY
Thought Leadership
Peter Economy is a best-selling business author, ghostwriter, developmental editor, and publishing consultant with more than 100 books to his credit (and more than 2 million copies sold). He is an expert at helping his clients translate their stories into the written word.
JESSE FINKELSTEIN
Thought Leadership
Jesse Finkelstein has spent her entire career in books. She is co-founder and principal at Page Two, a strategic firm. Prior to launching Page Two, Jesse held several management
roles at publishing houses, including that of COO of D&M Publishers and Associate Publisher at Raincoast Books. She holds a publishing degree from Simon Fraser University and is adjunct professor in publishing at the university. She serves on the board of Creative BC, an organization devoted to supporting the growth of creative industries.
PAMELA SLIM
Learning Design
Pamela Slim is a book author, community builder, consultant and former corporate director of training and development at Barclays Global Investors. She focused her first decade in business on creating and delivering training programs for large companies such as HP, Charles Schwab, 3Com, Chevron and Cisco Systems.
Since 2005, Pam has advised thousands of entrepreneurs as well as companies serving the small business market such as Infusionsoft, Progressive Insurance, Constant Contact, and Prezi. Pam partnered with author Susan Cain to build and launch The Quiet Revolution and the Quiet Leadership Institute.
Pam is best known for her first book Escape from Cubicle Nation: From Corporate Prisoner to Thriving Entrepreneur, along with her follow-up Body of Work: Finding the Thread That Ties Your Story Together (2014). Both were published under Penguin/Portfolio.
In 2016, Pam launched the Main Street Learning Lab in Mesa, Arizona, as a grassroots, community-based think tank for small business economic acceleration.
BRIAN KURTZ
Leeadership Development
Brian is passionate about harnessing design, entrepreneurship and storytelling to transform leaders, teams and organizations. He partners with executives at Fortune 100 multinationals to accelerate new ventures and drive strategic innovation.
Previously, as Chief of Staff to the Chief Technology Officer at Telstra, Australia’s largest Telco and Media company, he shaped and spearheaded strategies to advance the company’s national innovation agenda. His mandate included forming a world-class industry advisory board, producing multi-city Hackathons, and launching a groundbreaking new innovation lab in the heart of Melbourne, Australia.
He was recognized as a ‘Social Intrapreneur’ by the BMW Foundation for founding The League of Intrapreneurs Australia, a network of pioneers and innovators within leading institutions.
Prior to Telstra, Brian played a key role in the national expansion of Impact Hub Australia, the country’s foremost cross-sector coworking community comprised of entrepreneurs, tech startups, academia, corporations, NGOs and government innovators across three cities.
Brian is a global strategist with over a decade of experience in marketing, business development and leadership inside large corporations and lean startups. He has visited over 80 innovation labs on five continents and is a regularly featured speaker on Intrapreneurship and cross-sector collaboration. His favorite cities are Barcelona, Melbourne and Berlin.
MARTY KURTZ
Leadership Development
Marty accelerates high performance in senior leadership teams. As an executive coach, expert facilitator and consultant for 30 years, his work unlocks cross-functional collaboration and the potential of leaders to achieve breakthrough results.
Marty is the founder of Kurtz Consulting Group, Inc., an Organization Development and Executive Coaching firm operating in the United States and internationally. His engaging approach to Executive Coaching and Team Development enables clients around the world to leverage their workforce as a true competitive advantage.
Marty has guided major corporations through significant transformation efforts by creating a shared direction and ensuring strategic alignment through implementation. His applications of Senior Team Development are designed to cascade into the organization and solidify alignment of focus, results and culture.
Simplifying how clients work together, Marty has navigated matrix and complex organization structures for over 30 years. His work in creating productive tension across functions has supported the success of brand teams, account teams, innovation and product development on the local, regional and global levels. His industry experience spans consumer products, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, food, finance, and fashion.
As an executive coach, Marty creates a context for executives to develop a powerful identity and complementary skill sets. He gains the personal trust of clients to enable their readiness to accept and act on coaching.
Marty’s corporate experience includes the Warner-Lambert Company, where he directed Global Corporate Program Development. Before joining Warner-Lambert Co., he was the Director of Organization and Management Development for Automatic Data Processing. A sample of companies supported include Johnson & Johnson, Mars Inc., Novartis, Coach, Sara Lee, Campbell’s, L’Oreal, Chase, UBS, and Cadbury-Schweppes.
Marty gained a practical footing in organization development theory by graduating with honors from American University / National Training Laboratory’s (NTL) M.S. program in Organization Development. He has guest lectured at Rutgers University’s Graduate School of Management and FIT’s Masters of Marketing program. Marty has also instructed “Team Leadership and Development” and “Organization Culture” in the Masters of Organizational Behavior Program at Fairleigh Dickinson University. He has addressed professional conferences on a range of topics, including ‘Accelerating Team Development’, ‘Implementing Cross-functional Teams’, and ‘Conflict Management’.
Marty’s grandparents came to America as entrepreneurs and taught their family the value of hard work and dedication to a shared purpose. Today he lives in a Northern NJ lakeside community not far from NYC where he enjoys hiking, kayaking, camping and skiing. Some recent adventures have led him to the summit of Mt Whitney, shark cage diving in South Africa, and hiking the Inca Trail in Peru.
How Can we help You?
If you’ve got a big vision that needs a big story, we’d love to talk. We work with Silicon Valley icons, Fortune 500s, venture-backed startups, and social change-makers. Anyone disrupting their industry with a transformational vision.
