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 KERRY BANNIGAN/ CEO
Kerry Bannigan began her career ten years ago in Public Relations and Marketing while completing her Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Communications at Sheffield Hallam University. With a background in marketing, events and brand management, Kerry envisioned a revolutionary advance of resources in the emerging/independent fashion industry. After teaming up with her business partner Arthur Mandel, they launched Nolcha in September 2006.
To continually grow the Nolcha brand on a global platform Ms. Bannigan is responsible for event and digital media partnerships including Lucky Magazine, Vogue Bambini and Yelp. She handles the integration of trade content and brands to consumer internet and retail/ecommerce including Macy’s, Mandee, StyleQuest and Ask.co.uk.
Kerry is on the Board of New York Entrepreneur Week as well as being instrumental in facilitating this week long event working with esteemed professionals such as Gary Whitehill, David Rose, Peter Shankman and Sergio Fernández de Córdova and as well as managing media placement including Fox News, NBC and New York 1.
Kerry is regularly featured in the media discussing the independent fashion market including NBC, CBS, BBC, Smart Money TV and Wall Street Journal. In addition Kerry is on the advisory committee for Annual Advertising Career Conference hosted by Advertising Women of New York, LooseButton and Do It in Person.
 ARTHUR MANDEL, ESQ/ President
Prior to Nolcha, Arthur Mandel worked as an Associate for R.W. Wentworth in their Mergers and Acquisitions Energy Division. Fluent in Russian, Mr. Mandel holds a J.D. from St. Thomas University School of Law and is licensed to practice law in the State of Florida and before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Arthur handles integrating and introducing reputable tastemaker brands, such as Don Q Rums, Southern Wine & Spirits, Paul Mitchell, Clarins, Land Rover, and Coca-Cola, to fashion specific campaigns via sponsorships and advertising. Sponsorship outreach includes country representation where he has developed lasting relationships with St Vincent and the Grenadines Invest and Export, Colombian Trade and Export, Czech Republic Consulate and numerous others.
Arthur is an active board member of St. Jude’s Cancer Research producing and securing sponsors for their yearly Design Cares Runway Showcasing designers such as Karl Lagerfeld, Marc Jacobs and Michael Kors.
GABRIELLE TEARE/ Style Director
Gabrielle Teare is a leading international Stylist active in the New York, London and Paris fashion scenes; as featured in Marie Claire, Esquire, Elle, Fashion TV, Channel 4, Daily Mail, Daily Express, CNN and the BBC, as well as providing Styling Consultancy for Disney movies - Confessions of a Shopaholic and Tinkerbell.
Gabrielle continues her dynamic work at Nolcha as the Style Director of Nolcha Fashion Week: New York, London Fashion Week activities and liaison for Nolcha designers with her relationships in fashion editorial, broadcast and entertainment.
 DEBORAH POKALLUS/ Retail Relations
Deborah Pokallus is the creator of Bel Esprit, the online showroom for international designers of ethical and responsible fashion. She offers twenty-five years of experience in manufacturing, design and fashion business knowledge to help emerging designers grow their businesses.
Deborah brings a diverse range of opportunities to Nolcha to continue the promotion of ethical fashion in the industry, and to assist all the emerging designers supported by Nolcha to connect with retailers around the world. She helps brands translate the promotion and media exposure Nolcha provides through their extensive network into business sales and growth. She works with retailers and designers to create and develop strong partnerships that will bring new collections to consumers.
 REBECCA STRONG / Nolcha Fashion Week Show Director
Rebecca Strong brings over fifteen years experience in the realms of Fashion PR and Marketing, Sales Representation, Image Consulting, and Runway Show/Event production. Her love of all things fashion is inherited from her Grandmother (Fancy Gran!) It was she who Rebecca grew up admiring and studying her clothing, jewelry and accessories and trying to emulate her impeccable sense of style and classic taste.
Rebecca manages the Runway Show and coordinates backstage for Nolcha Fashion Week; working with designers from sign on through the creative process to the final runway show.
 ALLY GUNDEZ/ International Business Director
A native New Yorker, Ally Gunduz has over twenty-five years of experience in international business development and recently served as Trade Commissioner for the Swiss Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Consulate General of Switzerland in New York for nearly a decade.
Her dedication to international trade and investments is noted with achievements for receiving the International Global Business Partner Award during World Trade Week 2004, establishing the first business women’s department of Switzerland's official trade and investment agency, Swiss Business Hub USA, and founding the Swiss American Council of Women, a non-profit organization established in 2003 to promote and strengthen the international role, leadership and professional development of Swiss and international women. Ally Gunduz is an active Board Member of the Foreign Trade Commissioner’s Association of New York.
 KATIE EVANS/ Events and Marketing Coordinator
Katie joined the Nolcha team with a background in Advertising and Communications after receiving her Bachelors Degree in Science. While still studying in college, Katie started her career by spending two years with Cox radio as the Marketing and Promotions Coordinator. During her time at the radio station, she managed a team of promotions assistants while working directly with the marketing director, account managers, and production director to ensure the marketing objectives were correctly executed.
Katie now focuses on handling event and social media campaigns for Nolcha and oversees all marketing, advertising and promotional activities.
 KRISTEN MONTGOMERY/ Event and Marketing Assistant
Kristen joins the team with a background in retail and fashion merchandising management; educated at the Fashion Institute of Technology.
Kristen assists in the planning and organizing of Nolcha events; with a specific focus on Independent Retail Week: New York and Philadelphia.
 NOELLE FROST / Event and Marketing Assistant
Originally from Dallas Texas now living in New York City, Noelle Frost is a student at FIT with an Associates Degree in Fashion Merchandising and currently working towards completing a Bachelors Degree in Advertising Marketing Communications.
Noelle works closely with partners and sponsors to ensure that they receive strategic on-site brand placement throughout Independent Retail Week and Nolcha Fashion Week.
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