About
The Mission
Our mission is to be a trusted source of industry information, creative inspiration, and community for craft professionals. We’re working to help our members:
- Stay current on industry news, trends, and opportunities
- Make connections with other small business owners
- Develop viable business models
- Achieve profitability
- Run their businesses according to their own standard of ethics
The Founders
Craft Industry Alliance was founded in 2015 by Abby Glassenberg and Kristin Link. They each had over a decades’ worth of experience as craft industry professionals. They’d been designers and producers, makers and retailers, writers and teachers. Their vision was to build a thriving trade organization that meets the specific needs of today’s craft industry professionals and offers an opportunity for makers, suppliers, designers and writers to join together as allies under a united “craft industry” umbrella. In 2019, Kristin moved on from the company, but they remain friends and her vision was an integral part of the organization’s foundation.
The Team at Craft Industry Alliance
Abby Glassenberg
President and Co-Founder
Abby co-founded Craft Industry Alliance and now serves as its president. She’s a sewing pattern designer, teacher, and journalist. She’s dedicated to creating an outstanding trade association for the crafts industry. Abby lives in Wellesley, Massachusetts.
Erin Dollar
Community Manager and Outreach Coordinator
Erin is our Community Manager and Outreach Coordinator. Erin is the textile designer and artist behind the home décor company, Cotton & Flax. She licenses her surface designs for fabric, home décor, stationery, and other clients. She’s also a teacher, writer, and enthusiastic advocate for small creative business owners. She lives in San Diego, California.
Lindsie Bergevin
Graphic Designer
Lindsie does all of our graphic design work. She specializes in serving craft and quilt industry professionals, helping them take their businesses to the next level with cohesive branding, pattern and publication design, technical illustration, website design, and software training. Lindsie lives in Boise, Idaho.
Deborah Boschert
Coffee Klatsch Moderator
Deborah moderates our Coffee Klatsch meetups twice a month. Her warm, encouraging presence makes everyone feel welcome. Deborah is an award-winning art quilter, author, and teacher who believes that everyone has a creative spirit. She lives just outside of Dallas, Texas.
Kara Gott Warner
Journal Layout
Kara works on laying out our Journal issues. She has 15+ years of experience in the yarn craft world as a designer, illustrator, and executive editor of magazines. She also hosts a podcast and offers consulting services. Kara lives outside Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Melanie O’Brien
Social Media Manager
Melanie manages our social media. She’s a former sewing blogger and fabric shop owner who specializes in online content and audience development. Melanie does social media management and freelance writing for an ever growing portfolio of creative brands. She lives in Chicago, Illinois.
Paula Wilson
Copy Editor
Paula copy edits our Journal articles. In addition to being addicted to crafting, she is a marketing and communications professional specializing in social media and writing. Paula lives just outside of Hartford, Connecticut.