Who we are + what we do

HeyMama is the most badass league of mom-bosses you know. Whether they are advisors, executives, founders, or CEOs, our application-based membership provides support, connection, and collaboration for working mothers at every life stage.

The Challenge:
75% of expecting mothers say that they are excited to go back to work after giving birth, yet 43% of them end up leaving the workforce. This comes at a high cost to their careers, the companies they worked for, and the business landscape at large.

The Solution:
HeyMama seeks to build an ecosystem of working mothers who collaborate and empower one another to become the decision-makers around their work, life and family.

HeyMama began when founders Amri Kibbler and Katya Libin set out to create what was missing in their own lives: a community of career-driven mothers who have each others’ backs and actively seek to improve their lives and the lives of those around them. Now with members in cities across the US, HeyMama is a league of unstoppable women growing stronger every day.

Say hey to the team

Katya Libin

CO-FOUNDER & CEO

As Co-Founder & CEO, Katya spearheads the growth of HeyMama and the mission of advancing moms in the workforce.. She has led the business from inception to its current reach which has brought HeyMama to 7 cities, with members across the globe. Since the brand launched in 2014, she has fostered connection and community for working mothers, rapidly expanding a platform that provides support and resources to a demographic that for too long has been overlooked. What started out as a community to solve a deep personal need to feel connected, has led to her personal mission of having career and motherhood work better together. Before her business baby, Katya began her career in partnerships where she was a top seller working with brands like Apple, Intel and Conde Nast. Later, Katya went on to become the Global Director of Sponsorships at Social Media Week, where she not only built custom partnership programs, but also supported in programming 5,000-person events at the intersection of technology and culture. Today, she draws on those experiences to create meaningful experiences tapping into topics from personal growth, business, mentorship and more. When she’s not working, she’s rock climbing with her daughter, Liliana and crafting the perfect EDM spotify playlist.

Amri Kibbler

CO-FOUNDER & CHIEF EXPERIENCE OFFICER

Amri Kibbler is the mama to two sweet girls, Mari and River, who inspire her everyday. Married to her love, Jason Kibbler, they live together in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Amri spent a decade as an editor and stylist creating engaging content for major media publications at Hearst and Condé Nast. She is well-versed in the language of the millennial woman, having grown alongside her as she graduated college, started and scaled her career at publications like Cosmopolitan and Glamour, and now as a mother. Passionate about community and storytelling, Amri's years as an editor have honed her keen eye for curating brands, products, and people who inspire. She brings these same skills to her role as Chief Experience Officer of HeyMama, where she interviews exceptional women and creates compelling programming and events in support of working mothers.

Meredith Gieskes

VP of Marketing

As the VP of Marketing at HeyMama, Meredith Gieskes oversees all consumer-facing touchpoints. With 15 years of experience in marketing, content, and public relations, she’s led the charge at brands within the beauty, fashion, healthcare, and wellness industries. With a background in journalism, Meredith began her career as a writer and editor at ELLE.com, VanityFair.com, and LuckyMag.com before joining Birchbox as one of its first employees. During her tenure there, the company grew from a handful of employees to a few hundred—and Meredith discovered her passion for both startups and brand storytelling. Eager to return somewhere early-stage, she went on to run the marketing department at Shoptiques and then brand marketing at Maven. Subsequently, she served as the interim VP of Marketing at Virgin Sport, a fitness events startup within Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group.

Christina Brown

Senior Director of Talent and Events

Christina S. Brown is a New York native, digital influencer, experiential marketing expert and the founder of award-winning platform LoveBrownSugar. As a self-esteem advocate and mommy of two, she curates spaces online and offline for diverse women to connect, be authentic, and feel empowered. Christina has been recognized everywhere from Forbes to Fast Company, Women’s Wear Daily and Teen Vogue as a pioneer in influencer marketing. Companies like Unilever, P&G, Toyota and more have looked to Christina’s expertise to craft social, experiential and influencer strategies that drive impact.

In 2017, Christina became one of the first influencers to be the face of Dove Beauty Bar, as part of a global TV and print ad campaign. She has been nominated for a Shorty Award, named a “Blogger To Watch” by NBC’s The Root, listed as a “Top Style Blogger” by Essence Magazine, and featured on Wharton Magazine’s “Social Media Watch List” as an accomplished alumna.

Christina now lends her expertise to fast-growing startup HeyMama as the Senior Director of Talent & Events.

Larisa Courtien

Director of Client Services

Larisa is the proud mama to her creative firecracker daughter, Ivy, and married to her love and college sweetheart, Mike. This California girl has been in NYC for 10 years and is a proud HEYMAMA community member. As a “Jill of All Trades,” Larisa has been a marketing director, pilates instructor, choreographer, fitness studio manager, freelance writer, blogger, and business owner herself. She excels at being the right-hand woman to creative entrepreneurs who are changing the world. Her experience as an online business manager and virtual business consultant gives her an eye for all operational and system-based organization that she is proud to bring to the HEYMAMA team Through her work at HEYMAMA she is thrilled to connect conscious brands with amazing business mamas who are making an impact, building intentional businesses, and raising amazing children.

Kristen Leigh

Director of Community

After receiving her Bachelors from the University of Illinois in hospitality management and a minor in marketing, Kristen realized quickly her passion was in events and connecting people in a memorable and impactful way. As a mother of two, (Michael 4 and Keira 9) finding the balance between her career, passion and family has always been most important. Years of knowledge in public relations and experiential marketing allows Kristen to support people and brands through her experience and the HeyMama community. She is passionate about building mutually beneficial partnerships locally in Chicago as well as globally through our community of mamas.

Carrie Murray

Membership Manager

Carrie grew up in the Midwest and moved to New York in 2013 to attend school at the Fashion Institute of Technology. She graduated with her Associates Degree in Fashion Merchandising in 2015. After working in retail and e-commerce, she discovered her long time hobby of making YouTube videos and building an audience across all channels had become her real passion. She continued on to create a weekly podcast with her friend and roommate titled, We're The Ladies, which currently has a 5 star rating on iTunes. Recently, her love for social media and customer service has led her to the HEYMAMA family, and she couldn't be more excited for this journey to begin.

Amanda Crooks

Integrated Partnerships Manager

As HeyMama’s Integrated Partnerships Manager, Amanda curates brand relationships and develops programs that move the needle for partners while supporting HeyMama’s mission of advancing mothers in the workforce. Amanda pivoted to integrated partnerships after starting a career in finance and quickly understanding her real passion lay in helping grow women-driven businesses with purpose. With prior experience building partnerships at Wanderlust Festival, she loves to curate meaningful moments through live events. She is also a bit of a certification junky, with certifications as a personal trainer/group fitness instructor, notary and in CPR/AED. She’s an adventurer at heart and when she’s not working, you can find her out skiing & hiking, doing yoga, or reading non-fiction travel stories.

Maggie Brennan

Community Coordinator

Maggie graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Peace Studies and joined the corporate world of banking. She took the leap from corporate to HeyMama and has not looked back since. Maggie's favorite part of her job as Community Coordinator is connecting mamas and helping to facilitate collaborations. She is inspired by this community of unstoppable mamas and knows HeyMama is providing the network and support that every working mom needs. In her free time, she enjoys training for half marathons, reading self-help books, collecting candles and hanging with her 3 younger brothers. She is currently working to start a health, wellness, and lifestyle instagram to help inspire girls who have recently graduated college and are struggling to adapt to "the real world."

Ariel Doub

Event Coordinator

Ariel grew up in Boulder, Colorado and moved to New York in 2015 to pursue her college education and launch her career. In 2019, she graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology with a Bachelor’s Degree in Advertising and Marketing Communications. While working towards her degree at FIT, Ariel acted as a Creative Consultant for a boutique wedding and event planner, James Abel Events, and built a solid background in the events industry. Ariel is thrilled to be a part of the HeyMama team and is grateful to be surrounded by such an incredible network of hardworking women and mamas. Outside of work, Ariel enjoys exploring the city and engaging in anything art, culture and music-related. She has a passion for social justice and philanthropy and is often involved in supporting critical causes in our current political and social climate.

Maria Chung

Project Coordinator

Maria is a San Francisco native born and raised. She holds an M.A. in Urban Design from Parsons School of Design and a Bachelor’s from U.C. Santa Cruz in Politics and Sociology. She has worked in a myriad of industries, which include non-profit work, academia, and law. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering with Seniors, decluttering and reorganizing spaces, and making travel plans. Recently, she has been making an effort to recreate her mother’s Korean dishes and hopes to one day publish a cookbook inspired by these family recipes and other travels. Maria is excited to be joining the HeyMama team to bridge connections and help grow among and within a community of sophisticated and inspiring women who are both dedicated Mamas and career women.

Have a question for heymama?

Contact hello@heymama.co

Who we are + what we do

Say hey to the team

Katya Libin

Katya Libin

Amri Kibbler

Amri Kibbler

Meredith Gieskes

Christina Brown

Larisa Courtien

Kristen Leigh

Carrie Murray

Amanda Crooks

Maggie Brennan

Ariel Doub

Maria Chung

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