Board of Advisors

Lisa Shepard Stewart is a writer and fiber artist, and the owner of CulturedExpressions.com. She promotes the creative use of African textiles for sewing, quilting, home decor and crafts. After successfully running her business online for 17 years, Lisa opened CE’s first studio location in downtown Rahway, NJ in December 2017.   Here, she offers a curated selection of fabrics and embellishments, plus events and lots of creative inspiration, whether in person, online, or virtually.

Designer and educator Julie Robinson is known for publishing fashion forward knitting patterns in an inclusive size range. And her classes on the technical and creative aspects of knitwear design are training a new generation of technical editors and knitwear designers how to do the same. Julie has spent over a decade in New York City working as a fashion designer and product developer for top brands. A life-long crafter, Julie was inspired to pursue a career in fashion to learn everything she could about making clothes. Her curiosity has led her to work on a wide variety of products including knits, dresses, socks, and even augmented reality costumes. Now she’s sharing what she has learned from her career in fashion with fellow fiber enthusiasts.

Roxane Cerda is the Senior Editor for C&T Publishing, working from her home base in Indianapolis, IN. She’s worked in publishing, specifically acquiring and editing books, for more than 20 years, more than 13 of those in the craft category. As a lifelong crafter, she’s privileged to be allowed to work with makers, artists, and creative entrepreneurs every day. At C&T, she identifies potential authors and works with them from proposal to book production and everything in between, always focused on making their books as successful as they can be.

Trisha’s life in needle crafts began at the age of four and has spanned years knitting, sewing, crocheting, and embroidering while at the beach, backpacking around the world, and during academic years as a high school home ec teacher. An editorship at McCalls Needlework and Craft magazine led Trisha to a career in craft publishing. She worked as the Craft Editor at Family Circle magazine Australia and other publications before taking over the helm at Vogue Knitting magazine. While at Vogue Knitting Trisha launched Sixth&Spring books, Knit Simple magazine, and a dozen other titles, as well as Vogue Knitting LIVE! and Vogue Knitting tours and retreats. She is currently the VP/Sales Director for the Independent Yarn Store Brands at the DMC Corporation. 

Vickie is a mom of three, award-winning broadcaster, author, designer & entrepreneur. Over a decade and a half, through various television shows, YouTube videos, online courses, conference tours, books, and her business, YarnYAY! – she’s had the privilege of teaching hundreds of thousands of stitchers new yarn-y skills. It’s her mission to empower people to lean into creativity by making DIY totally doable! Follow @vickiehowell