Michael Sanchez - Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder
Michael Sanchez

What I Do at CafeMom: I co-founded CafeMom out of respect and admiration for moms. I play a lead role in driving the company's strategy, growth, and overall operations. I get to think about many different aspects of the business - the team, what's happening in moms' lives, the product, marketing, sales, finance -- and how they are all connected. I also get to work with an amazing group of people across the company.

Prior Roles / Companies: Prior to CafeMom, I was the Co-Founder and President of Do Something, a national organization that helps millions of young people get involved in their communities. I also co-founded and served as the Chief Executive Officer of the profitable, '94 Cup Daily, the nation's only daily newspaper dedicated to the 1994 World Cup Soccer Tournament held in the United States.

Alma Mater: Columbia Law School, with honors; University of Virginia undergrad, where I majored in Economics.

When I'm Not at Work: I live in New Jersey with my wife and three great kids -- there is never a dull moment in our house. I also love soccer. I played for the nation's top ranked University of Virginia team in college and along with co-founder Andrew Shue, I played professionally in Zimbabwe, where I also taught High School Math. Little known fact: I was a top ranked junior chess player as a kid -- and had a draw with the 3rd ranked player in the world when I was six.

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Andrew Shue - Co-Founder
Andrew Shue

What I Do at CafeMom: I co-founded CMI Marketing with the vision to create an organization that would celebrate and reward moms for all that they do each and every day.

Prior Roles / Companies: In addition to CafeMom, I co-founded, along with Michael, the national non-profit organization Do Something, now the leading web-based effort getting young people to take action in their communities. In the 90's as an actor, I had a leading role on FOX television's "Melrose Place" for six years. I also played professional soccer in Zimbabwe, Africa, and Major League Soccer for the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Alma Mater: Dartmouth College, BA in History

When I'm Not at Work: I live in New Jersey with my wife Amy, my three sons and her two daughters.

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Lucia Ballas-Traynor
Lucia Ballas-Traynor - Co-Founder & EVP, CafeMom's MamásLatinas

What I Do at MamásLatinas: I am proud to be leading a site that is dedicated to understanding, connecting, entertaining and empowering Latina moms by super-serving their culturally unique interests and needs. At the core of MamásLatinas is a dynamic community offering and engaging and targeted editorial content.

Prior Roles / Companies: I have 25 years of experience in Hispanic media, and have been at the helm of leading Hispanic media brands such as Univision's Galavision, MTV Tr3s and most recently People en Español, the largest selling Hispanic magazine in the United States. I was named a "Media All Star" by Adweek's Marketing y Medios, and was profiled in The Hollywood Reporter's "Latino Power 50" list. I also currently serve on the board of the Hispanic Federation, and am a Commissioner of Mayor Bloomberg's Latin Media Entertainment and Media Commission.

Alma Mater: New York University

When I'm Not at Work: A native of Chile, I live with my husband and two children in New Rochelle, New York.

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Paul Bannister
Paul Bannister - EVP, CafeMom

What I Do at CafeMom: I lead the CafeMom sales team, the team that partners with America's best brands and agencies to help them connect with moms on CafeMom, and beyond. As the lead of the six-person team that launched CafeMom, and oversaw the website for four years, I'm uniquely positioned to help brands create deeply engaging programs that meet their goals while creating a great experience for moms.

Prior Roles / Companies: After leaving college, I started Online Gaming Review, one of the first websites dedicated to covering computer games. I grew the site to be one of the top 100 websites (in 1997!), and wrote two books on computer games. I've also worked for USWeb/CKS, Ameritrade, and CMP Media. I've worked at CafeMom and ClubMom since 1999.

Alma Mater: University of Pennsylvania, with a BSE in Computer Science and Engineering and a concentration in Accounting.

When I'm Not at Work: I live on the Upper West Side of Manhattan with my wife and two boys - who love being city kids. I love to travel (have been to over 30 countries) and plan on taking the kids everywhere. Once the kids are in bed, I love red wine and World of Warcraft; preferably together.

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Tracy Odell
Tracy Odell - EVP, CafeMom

What I Do at CafeMom: Over the years I've worked on almost every aspect of CafeMom, but I'm currently focusing on making sure we deliver the very best content to moms both at The Stir and MamásLatinas' Que Más, and through video with CafeMom Studios. I'm passionate about talking to moms in an authentic voice about topics they care about. In 2012, I oversaw the production of over 18,000 articles and 800 video episodes, along with all the editorial judgments and operational logistics that go along with content production at that scale.

I was the product lead on the 6-person team who built CafeMom and have been both amazed and humbled by our growth. When we were first envisioning the site, we wanted to build a place where moms could go and never feel like they're "in it alone" again. I love that we have a positive impact on moms' lives every day!

Prior Roles / Companies: I've spent my entire career in the digital space - I fell in love with the Web and have never left. I've worked at CafeMom and ClubMom since 2002. Prior to my tenure here, I worked at iWon.com and Excite.com.

Alma Mater: Carnegie Mellon University, BA in Professional Writing with a concentration in Multimedia Production

When I'm Not at Work: I have two young sons and live in Brooklyn. Other fun facts about me: I unabashedly adore reality TV, I read a TON of books, and I gave birth to an 11-pound baby at home.

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Jonathan King
Jonathan King - EVP, CafeMom

What I Do at CafeMom: Define business strategy alongside consumer and sales functions, and oversee the teams responsible for the successful execution of projects across the company.

Prior Roles / Companies: Prior to joining CafeMom in 2008, I was a corporate strategy and process consultant for Fortune 100 firms.

Alma Mater: University of Pennsylvania, BAS in Systems Science and BA in Economics; Columbia University, MBA with concentrations in Marketing and Finance

When I'm Not at Work: I live in New Jersey with my wife, two daughters, and Carter -- the family dog (and our first child).

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Kate Ward
Kate Ward - SVP, CafeMom

What I Do at CafeMom: I am responsible for the CafeMom and MamásLatinas sites and all mobile efforts at the company. I lead the Product, Design, and Community teams in making sure that our members have the best possible experience on CafeMom.com. We're continually working to make it easier for moms to connect with other moms on our site, so that they can have meaningful conversations, develop friendships, and get the support and advice they need on a daily basis.

Prior Roles / Companies: I've been working on the web, primarily on women's sites, for well over 10 years. Prior to CafeMom, I worked at Oxygen and before that I worked at The Knot, running TheBump.com for several years.

Alma Mater: Skidmore College, with a BA in English Literature.

When I'm Not at Work: I'm in New Jersey with my husband and 2 little girls who keep us very busy - and very entertained! In my "free time," I can be found spending way too much time online or obsessing over television shows.

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Steven Samuels
Steven Samuels - SVP, Finance & Administration

What I Do at CafeMom: I oversee the company's overall finance and administrative efforts, including accounting, human resources, financial planning, investor relations, and legal.

Prior Roles / Companies: I've worked at CafeMom and ClubMom since 2000. Before that, I worked at Deutsche Bank.

Alma Mater: McGill University in Canada, MBA with an emphasis in Finance and a BSc in Microbiology and Immunology

When I'm Not at Work: I recently moved out of the city to Riverdale where I live with my wife, Abbie, and my 2 daughters, Leba and Maya.

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Dan White
Dan White - SVP, Technology

What I Do at CafeMom: I strategize on building and integrating the company's technology, and lead the development team to ensure CafeMom and MamásLatinas can deliver the best technical experience to their users and can scale to accommodate its growth.

Prior Roles / Companies: I've been with ClubMom and CafeMom since 2000.

Alma Mater: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

When I'm Not at Work: Mountain climbing, sculpting (stone and clay), and semi-professional opera singing are activities I don't take part in. Instead, I spend time with my wife and two young children, often travelling miles in their company to dine at chain restaurants. I'm a fan of the San Francisco 49ers and extremely spicy food, and one day hope to build my own 4 person airplane in my garage.

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Johanna Torres
Johanna Torres - Editor In Chief, CafeMom's MamásLatinas

What I Do at MamásLatinas: My goal as Editor In Chief is to set the right tone (optimistic, aspirational, fun and inviting) for what is sure to become the number one online destination for U.S. based Latina moms. To do so, I'm committed to helping produce fresh content that is current, highly relevant, thought provoking and empowering for this audience, as well as to create a vibrant community that will consistently attract Latinas from all walks of life. Furthermore, I am looking forward to forging meaningful media partnerships that will make the MamásLatinas brand a household name within our market and beyond.

Prior Roles / Companies: I have enjoyed a 22 years plus career as a multi media Editor, journalist and producer in the U.S. Hispanic media market. My most recent creation was the launch in January of 2010 of Mi Blogazine, a Spanish blog that aims to inspire the Latina woman with a dose of good ideas every day. I am proud to be the Founding Editor of Meredith Corporation's Siempre Mujer magazine, today's premiere publication in Spanish for the U.S. Latina. What I loved most about my years there was the chance to bring our editorial mission to new levels by generating content that could easily translate between the printed page, video and the internet, affording me the ability to reach this audience through multiple formats. Prior to this, I served as Editor In Chief of Ser Padres magazine, Healthy Kids en Español and Lamaze magazine, Executive Editor of Disney's en Familia and contributed as a consultant to Latina magazine during its early days. I appear weekly as a contributor on CNN en Español and regularly on Telemundo, Univision, among others. I started my career in television at WCVB, an ABC affiliate, and continue to have as much passion for television as I do for every form of media out there.

Alma Mater: Boston University

When I'm Not at Work: I'm always up to something fun with my three children (going to the movies, playing baseball, bringing them to their dance competitions, cheering them at their basketball games, cooking together, etc.). I also love to travel (oftentimes back to my native Puerto Rico, but I'm an explorer of foreign cultures and other countries as well), enjoy photography and can't wait for the Summer months so I can spend time at the beach and the great outdoors.

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Amy Boshnack
Amy Boshnack - Editoral Director, The Stir

What I Do at CafeMom: I'm the Editorial Director of The Stir, where I get to oversee an amazing team of talented and dedicated writers and editors who manage to amaze us daily with their ability to find some of the most oddball, heartwarming, and thought-provoking stories out there.

Prior Roles / Companies: I've worked in some form of media for the last 15 years, doing everything from helping to launch MSNBC to running special projects for New York magazine to making sure deadlines and budgets were met at Cosmopolitan. In 2007 I realized that I really wanted to be online. And since then I've helped launch editorial products for a variety of websites including WEtv and, of course, CafeMom's The Stir.

Alma Mater: University of Miami, Bachelor of Science in Communication

When I'm Not at Work: I'm at home with my two kids and husband in Long Island, New York, listening (and dancing) to all kinds of music blasting from the speakers, from Bieber (I say proudly) and Adele to The Beatles and Bruce.

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Kim Crain
Kim Crain - VP, Human Resources

What I Do at CafeMom: I oversee the Human Resources and Administration functions for CafeMom and MamásLatinas.

Prior Roles / Companies: Prior to joining CafeMom in 2008, I was a senior consultant with RealHR Solutions providing management-level HR support to businesses and not-for-profits in New York City. I've held senior HR positions at Medical and Health Research Association and Full Moon Interactive and started my career at ADP.

Alma Mater: San Jose State University

When I'm Not at Work: I'm running, watching tennis, wandering around the city, and almost always listening to music.

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Robin Sanchez
Robin Sanchez - VP, Community

What I Do at CafeMom: I work with the Community Team to help members have a great experience on CafeMom and MamásLatinas. We try to help everyone feel welcome, join in conversations, ask questions and share their thoughts. We hope that all members find advice, support and entertainment easily - and enjoy their time on CafeMom!

Prior Roles / Companies: Before joining CafeMom and having kids, I worked as a sales rep for a printing company in New York City, and in a number of other sales roles before that.

Alma Mater: University of North Carolina in Greensboro - BA in Geology and Marketing with a minor in child development.

When I'm Not at Work: Even when I'm not working, I enjoy spending time on CafeMom. My 3 kids and husband are always making life fun and keeping me busy with their sports and activities! We all love traveling and spending time together.

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Kristina Tipton
Kristina Tipton - VP, Marketing

What I Do at CafeMom: I oversee marketing efforts around mom insights, member acquisition, PR, and social media to grow the brands and audience of CafeMom and its properties including CafeMom.com, MamásLatinas.com, The Stir and CafeMom Studios.

Prior Roles / Companies: Prior to joining CafeMom in 2008, I worked on partnerships and digital marketing at Yahoo!. Prior to that I worked on online publicity at Paramount Pictures, where I marketed the theatrical releases of films including Transformers, Disturbia, Shrek the Third, and Nacho Libre.

Alma Mater: UCLA, BA with a double major in Economics and Communications Studies

When I'm Not at Work: I spend my free time hiking (I'm a big fan of the great outdoors), reading, and running around the city (literally -- I'm a marathoner).

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Steven Armour
Steven Armour - VP, Research

What I Do at CafeMom: I oversee our research team. We are charged with providing actionable information to our clients based on data collected from one of the largest samples of moms under measurement anywhere. The team is also responsible for leveraging our proprietary insights, alongside 3rd party research, to elevate CafeMom's and MamásLatinas' profile.

Prior Roles / Companies: Prior to joining CafeMom, I worked as a Research Director for CNN. My 20-year career in research has included developing and marketing a variety of research products and services.

Alma Mater: Cornell University, BA in Psychology, cum laude

When I'm Not at Work: I live on the Upper West Side in New York City with my wife and 3 children -- Andrew, Tyler and Brooke. I enjoy music and all things tech.

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Jonathan Busky
Jonathan Busky - VP, Sales Strategy

What I Do at CafeMom: I manage advertiser programs on CafeMom and MamásLatinas, working with our sales and sales operations teams to ensure we succeed in achieving our advertising partners' goals and continuing to develop cutting edge programs that help marketers reach the Hispanic audience.

Prior Roles / Companies: I have been with CafeMom since 2010, managing our conversational insights programs as well as numerous other strategic projects. Prior to CafeMom, I worked at the IAB, the internet publishing trade association where I led industry education efforts, the New York City Economic Development Corporation, where I focused on strategies and programs to support the city's new media and technology sectors, and the consulting firm Booz & Co., where I led numerous engagements in the media and entertainment industry. Before my graduate studies I worked in theatrical design and production in New York and Seattle, and I now serve on the board of Page 73, a non-profit theater supporting the work of early-career playwrights.

Alma Mater: Yale University, with a BA in Comparative Literature as well as an MBA with a concentration in strategy and an underutilized MFA in Arts Management. Yes, I like school and have spent more time in New Haven than is good for you.

When I'm Not at Work: I live in Brooklyn with my wife and 3 year old daughter, trying to take advantage of NY's great parks, restaurants, and museums while maintaining a 115 year-old brownstone. As time allows (not so much) I pursue hobbies such as reading, woodworking, mixology, and various outdoor activities.

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Jennifer Vigdor
Jennifer Vigdor - VP, Sales Development

What I Do at CafeMom: I oversee the sales development team for CafeMom and MamásLatinas in developing customized digital marketing and word-of-mouth solutions for clients.

Prior Roles / Companies: Prior to joining CafeMom in 2010, I worked in marketing for leading life stage brands The Knot, The Nest and The Bump. Before that I worked in marketing & merchandising for Bauer Publishing.

Alma Mater: Lehigh University, BA in Journalism

When I'm Not at Work: I am an avid reader, so when I'm not at work I am either sitting on my couch, my porch or a beach somewhere with my Kindle (nearing 25 books this year!). I also love to cook & experiment with new recipes, take intense yoga classes and see Broadway shows.

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