The MRD Team
This is a post I’ve been waiting to write for a long time and now it’s here and I’m SO excited. For too long I was a one-woman show. I admittedly had trouble wrapping my head around getting help to run my business. It was my baby and I felt nervous letting go (hello control freak!) but there was also a lingering feeling of legitimacy. Having people work for your company in my mind was for big, fancy firms. I still hadn’t shaken the feeling that I didn’t have a background in design and therefore my business wasn’t as “real” as others. Crazy I know. But as I worked longer hours and got less sleep I realized that something had to give and that in fact having a team I can count on would make MRD stronger and more successful. Cliche but true! So may I proudly introduce the team I’ve hired over the last few months!!!
Kelly Hart
You may recognize Kelly as she started helping me last summer, particularly at the #MRDRIBeachHouse photoshoot. Kelly was also helping behind the scenes in a project management role. Fast forward to this summer when I asked Kelly to take on the role of Design Assistant which was a really exciting step for the business! A little more about Kelly - she is currently pursuing her masters degree in the Interior Architecture & Design program at Suffolk University and co-owns an interior decorating business called Livdin. Kelly grew up in Carlisle, MA and after braving Manhattan for a few years, she and her husband relocated toBoston with their french bulldog, Nala. As for passions outside of design, Kelly loves to travel, ski, and has a thing for true crime podcasts!
Hillary Letourneau
Hillary joined MRD in July of 2020 and assumed the role of project manager. Hillary is a behind-the-scenes wizard in all of the details that are largely unknown when you think about the interior design field. From vendor relationships to proposals to our project management system, she’s on it! I was very lucky to have Hillary referred by Meg McSherry who is as generous as they come. Hillary says: “I’m an elopement/self-love photographer who was born and raised in Texas! I moved to Boston to go to Berklee College of Music, fell in love with the Northeast, and decided to stay. I love to hike, go on adventures, eat new foods, watch The Office (on repeat forever), go antiquing, and play music with my husband. We have a pit bull named Pickles, who’s a 60lb love bug and our little adventure buddy. My husband’s from Maine, and it’s truly become one of my favorite places to visit and my second home.”
Stefanie Browne
Stefanie recently started at MRD and is in charge of getting our books cleaned up and running smoothly. Account reconciling, invoicing, and sales tax are some of the fun things that Stefanie is taking on and off my plate! I met Stefanie through fellow designer, Kate Maloney, at an event last year and I’m so glad Kate sang her praises. A bit about Stefanie - she began her professional career at a large real estate development firm in Boston and instantly fell in love with the interior design world. After switching lanes and working with Kate for several years, Stefanie launched her own consulting business focused on business management for interior design firms in 2019. Stefanie currently resides on the North Shore with her three young children. When she isn’t busy with dance, football and little league games, she enjoys listening to country music and exploring the restaurant scene in the Boston area.
I couldn’t be any prouder to formally introduce this team to you and am especially grateful now as it looks like there will be a remote learning component of school this year. Third grade here I come!