Maren Conrad
Chief Executive Officer
Role: Maren is the visionary leader and the driving force of the Jacquelyn. She has been instrumental in shaping the club’s identity and mission. Conrad is an accomplished artist, forward thinker, and community builder and is focused on delivering an innovative social club atmosphere where members can become the best version of themselves.
Journey to the Jacquelyn: She is dedicated to using her passion for art as a vehicle to create spaces for expression, creativity, joy, and value. The Jacquelyn pays homage to a longtime friend of Maren’s and more importantly brings people together for social connection during a time when it’s needed more than ever.
Creative Outlets: Maren is an accomplished muralist and artist. Her larger-than-life canvases of steel, brick, and stucco become the destinations that define a city. Her murals become the place where toddlers go to wish, where dandies go to peacock, and where cars appear toy-sized against the background of giants. Each work may be a part of a developer’s project, or painted on a wall that someone has purchased, yet they are owned by no single person, not even their creator.
Elizabeth Wood
Chief Operating Officer
Role: Elizabeth is the metronome of the Jacquelyn. She is laser-focused on process improvement, quality, and resource optimization while executing the strategic vision of the Jacquelyn. Elizabeth manages the “back of the house,” the internal side of the business from HR, finance, internal operations, and the tech stack. If you have an issue with billing or your member portal – she is your person!
Journey to the Jacquelyn: Wanting to make a change in her career, Elizabeth focused on businesses that promoted health and wellness. She’s made a career of building companies and teams from the ground up to be operationally efficient. Her passion for developing people, building solid teams, and being a pathfinder to create efficient processes landed her at the Jacquelyn. She envisions a future where the Jacquelyn continues to set benchmarks for the industry while delivering unforgettable member experiences.
Creative Outlets: Elizabeth grew up being a figure skater and ballet dancer which began her love of music and through her stage costumes, she found a love for fashion. She spent 23 years in the apparel industry empowering people to express their confidence through clothing. She is a wanderer and spends her time traveling the world, experiencing new cultures, and focusing on habits that satisfy the mind, body, and soul.
Blair Bradford
General Manager
Role: Blair Bradford serves as the primary driving force behind the Jacquelyn and the Cellar’s daily operations, ensuring that every member, guest, and team member experiences the genuine warmth of hospitality.
Journey to the Jacquelyn: Blair, a native of Cape Town, South Africa, underwent a comprehensive 3-year hospitality traineeship program. Following this, he embarked on a year-long internship in Colorado. Making a permanent move to California in 2015, Blair furthered his expertise and refined his talents by contributing to and leading exceptional hospitality teams in the renowned Napa Valley Wine region.
Creative Outlets: Blair can frequently be spotted exploring the winding back roads of Northern California in his vibrant ’65 Mustang, hitting the gym for a workout, or participating in a local half marathon. An enthusiastic traveler, Blair delights in immersing himself in diverse cultures, savoring authentic cuisines, and embarking on memorable experiences. Whether it’s ice fishing in Canada or leisurely strolling along the shores of Bali, he finds joy in every adventure.
Mary Daffin
Grande Dame
Role: Mary is the Grande Dame at the Jacquelyn. She fully embodies the Jacquelyn, which is why she has been entrusted to lead our tours and represent the Jacquelyn at speaking engagements.
Journey to the Jacquelyn: She got her start in the fashion industry and will tell you it’s where she earned her stripes by producing events for American designers. Her career has spanned more decades than she will admit and includes celebrity events in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, and New York. Since she’s had to sign dozens of NDAs, we’ll just have to take her word for it! After all her travels Mary knows there really is no place like home or the Jacquelyn!
Creative Outlets: To recharge Mary loves to read, travel, work out, and break bread with friends and family. She also sings a big, bold Happy Birthday to her friends!
Christine Alward
Lead Photographer & Gallery Director
Spearheading the Resident Artist Program is Christine Alward, our Gallery Director and Lead Photographer. The Resident Artist Program is creating a new way to support artists by allowing them an opportunity to take a risk and try something new, all in the spirit of creative curiosity. Christine will also have special photo offerings for club members and will be capturing the fun and excitement at the Jacquelyn events.
Christine worked as a freelance photographer for over 10 years. Her work brought her projects from coast to coast, allowing her to work with a wide range of topics. After the passing of the Jacquelyn’s namesake, Jackie Anderson, Christine was brought on to curate and protect the body of photographic artwork she left behind. This experience inspired Christine to be part of the Jacquelyn’s long-term mission of promoting artists and the arts.
You will likely find Christine holding her camera on and off the clock. She enjoys spending time in the desert and seeks out botanical gardens wherever she goes. She enjoys road trips and sunset views from the back of her van. She’s continuing her work on her ongoing series of botanical fine art photography and is trying her hand at growing her own garden at home.
Diana Cuevas
Assistant Manager
Role: Diana Cuevas supports the overall hospitality and event operations of the Jacquelyn. She focuses on the Jacquelyn’s internal and external event programming, from planning to execution. Day to day, she oversees the Club Hosts to ensure unparalleled service and experiences for both members and guests.
Journey to the Jacquelyn: Born and raised in Sacramento, Diana returned to the City of Trees after acquiring higher education in Hospitality with an emphasis on Events Management. She has a professional background in wedding management, winery events, programming, and event rentals. Diana has observed a communal need for a place like the Jacquelyn in Sacramento, and she’s ecstatic to be a part of it.
Creative Outlets: You can find Diana hyper-fixating on whatever hobby she recently picked during her time off. When she’s not painting nails or crocheting gifts for friends, you might catch her attending events for which she doesn’t have to work behind the scenes.
Karen Garcia
Assistant Manager
Role: Karen oversees the overall hospitality and daily operations at the Jacquelyn. She supervises and trains the Club Hosts to ensure exceptional service and experiences for members and guests every time they visit.
Journey to the Jacquelyn: Karen earned her degree in international communications from Nelson Mandela University in South Africa. Driven by a strong desire to explore, she spent time in different corners of the world in the nonprofit sectors gaining extensive expertise in media consulting and digital communications. After settling down in San Diego, she dipped into the wedding industry where she spent three years planning destination weddings across the globe.
Creative Outlets: Beyond work, Karen finds solace in the embrace of a cold plunge, a cappuccino, or spinning pottery in her sunroom—a constant source of inspiration in her ever-evolving creative journey.
Loli Ramos
Assistant Manager
Role: Loli Ramos assists with managing backend technology and software for the Jacquelyn. She also helps ensure smooth operations and supports club hosts onsite to provide the best membership experience possible.
Journey to the Jacquelyn: Originally from Chico, CA, Loli found The Jacquelyn shortly after moving to Sacramento from Austin, TX. With over a decade in the hospitality industry and a professional background specializing in restaurant technologies and restaurant network management, she feels getting an opportunity to work with the individuals at the Jacquelyn is kismet.
Creative Outlets: In her free time, Loli enjoys a variety of creative outlets, including painting, reading, making clothes, and music. She plays various instruments and enjoys making playlists, mixes, and attending live music of any kind. She is usually working on multiple paintings at once and soon plans to start her own line of prints and clothing.
Hunter Conrad
Membership Coordinator
Role: As the Jacquelyn’s Membership Coordinator, Hunter Conrad is responsible for helping promote the Jacquelyn and each club’s respective programming. You’ll find him giving tours of the building, welcoming and checking in current and prospective members. He is a hands-on member of the team who is always available to lend a hand to members, guests, and staff.
Journey to the Jacquelyn: Born and raised in the Sacramento region, Hunter has watched the city evolve into a budding social hub. Hunter’s mother, Maren, is the CEO of the Jacquelyn and has inspired him to join the cause of curating such a beautiful and impactful space for men and women alike.
Creative Outlets: Hunter has been acting professionally since the 7th grade and is taking a semester off from Pepperdine University, where he’s studying Film and Screen Arts, to be a part of this monumental project. He wholeheartedly believes that the arts are an essential aspect of culture and community building. He’s eager to meet the creative minds that will pass through the Jacquelyn.
Yusuf Topal
Cellar Co-Owner
Role: Yusuf Topal is part owner of the Cellar at the Jacquelyn. He plays a foundational role in building and operating the Cellar, including but not limited to maintaining the high service standards that have made his other restaurant endeavors so successful, and working closely with chefs to curate a diverse and delicious Mediterranean-inspired menu.
Journey to the Jacquelyn: Yusuf was born in Turkey, raised in Istanbul, then moved to the U.S. in 2009 after an 8-year career on a celebrity cruise line. He’s made his way through the restaurant business by rising in the ranks organically from busser to waiter, then manager. He’s now a well-seasoned restauranteur who currently operates four restaurants with over 100 employees. He is the owner and operator of Jayna Gyro in Sacramento and Emeryville, and Tarla in Napa.
Creative Outlets: Yusuf strongly believes in supporting the communities his restaurants have thrived in. He is involved in many local community service efforts for Napa Valley Community College and other local schools and churches. Some of the nonprofit organizations he contributes to include the Boys and Girls Club, V Foundation, and Progress Foundation.
Angelo McRath
Cellar General Manager
Role: Angelo McRath is the General Manager of the Cellar restaurant and bar. Angelo oversees the restaurant’s day-to-day operations, ensuring an exceptional guest experience every time. Angelo’s leadership role involves leading staff and maintaining the high standards of the Jacquelyn and the Cellar.
Journey to the Jacquelyn: Originally from Saint Louis, MO, Angelo has extensive restaurant experience ranging from QSRs to Michelin-starred restaurants. He has a well-rounded background with over 25 years of being a recognized leader and was selected personally by Maren Conrad, CEO.
Creative Outlets: Angelo is a classically trained singer and all-around champion of theatre and the performing arts. Currently, Angelo performs with The Sacramento Master Singers & Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera, which allows him to express himself freely and with great joy. When he is not in the Cellar, he is likely singing karaoke.
Noah Pilkington
Cellar Bar Lead
Role: As the Cellar’s Bar Manager, Noah Pilkington curates and executes all cocktails and mocktails on the Cellar menu. He aspires for each drink to feel like a journey, showcase a new (to you) ingredient, or deliver the classics with a twist. He hopes the Cellar radiates a home-away-from-home energy that keeps people coming back again and again.
Journey to the Jacquelyn: Born and raised in North Carolina, he has many memories centered around good food and good people. After his first foray into the craft cocktail realm, he fell in love with the profession. Noah started his journey in Sacramento at Red Rabbit, then eventually hopped over to Juju Kitchen & Cocktails to manage their bar and revamp their cocktail menu. While bartending a private event, his path crossed with Maren Conrad, Co-Owner of the Cellar and CEO of the Jacquelyn, and the rest is history.
Creative Outlets: Noah’s love language is cooking for friends and family. His cooking is primarily inspired by Southern and Asian food but he explores every style of cuisine in between. He also enjoys photography and has a plethora of physical hobbies that he uses for mental stimulation and relaxation. From yoga, basketball, hiking, snowboarding, bike riding, and pickleball, you’ll rarely catch Noah standing still.