Meet the Team of Professionals
Meet our Team
Mariel Black
Mariel is a longtime entrepreneur with 20 years of experience building community and small business brands. As the founder of Sinful Treats, she understands what it takes to grow a business while balancing personal life. Her passion for empowering women shows in the spaces she creates, where they are seen, supported and connected to opportunities/ resources. Mariel will continue the work what our RISE founders started by expanding pathways for women to connect, grow and thrive in business and life.
Board President
Mariel is a longtime entrepreneur with 20 years of experience building community and small business brands. As founder of Sinful Treats, she understands what it takes to grow a business while balancing personal life. As Board President of RISE, Mariel leads daily operations and programs, creating spaces where women are seen, supported, and connected to opportunities and resources. She is committed to building on the foundation our founders started and expanding pathways for women to connect, grow and thrive.
Brittany Davis
Board Treasurer
Brittany is a founder of RISE Women in Business and serves as the organization’s Board Treasurer. She helped build RISE from the ground up with a heart for community and a commitment to creating opportunities for women entrepreneurs. As Treasurer, Brittany supports the financial health of RISE so the mission can grow with stability and purpose.
Monica Patel
Board Secretary
Monica serves as Board Secretary for RISE Women in Business. She brings years of leadership experience through board service, including with the Elk Grove Chamber of Commerce, and a strong commitment to community growth. As the manager of BMO Bank in Elk Grove, Monica supports local entrepreneurs every day and helps ensure RISE stays organized, accountable, and positioned to serve women in business well.
Samantha Gaines
Social Media
Samantha serves as the Social Media Manager for RISE Women in Business. She supports the community through consistent content, email communication and digital marketing, helping members stay informed, engaged, and connected to upcoming events and opportunities. Samantha’s natural creativity helps bring the RISE message to life.
Bea Jauregui
Event Coordinator
Bea serves as the Event Coordinator for RISE Women in Business. She helps plan and execute meetups and workshops, ensuring each event runs smoothly while creating a welcoming space for members to connect, learn, and grow. As the creative behind bc.by.bea, her handmade clay jewelry brand, Bea brings an artistic eye, attention to detail, and genuine enthusiasm to every event, reflecting her passion for creativity, connection, and empowering women
Lorie Paras
Membership Coordinator
Lorie serves as Membership Coordinator for RISE Women in Business. She is active in multiple chambers throughout the region and brings a strong passion for connection and community-building. As an ambassador for Agara Coffee, Lorie is often out supporting local businesses and helping women feel welcomed, informed, and supported as they become part of RISE.
How It All Started..
RISE Women in Business was founded in 2023
by Brittany Davis and Jill Johnson.
They created RISE with a heart for connection and a vision for women to grow together through support, collaboration, and community. Their leadership built a strong foundation, and we are grateful for the work they poured into creating the space where so many women now belong.
The foundation they built allows us to continue the mission and grow this meaningful work for even more women in business.
Brittany and Jill continue to be part of RISE today, serving as board members and advisors as we build what’s next.
Meet the Founders: Jill Johnson & Brittany Davis
Our Mission
RISE Women in Business is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit business community. We exist to encourage, empower, and inspire women to achieve the highest and best version of themselves and their businesses through the power of connection and collaboration.
We create consistent spaces to build real relationships, gain visibility, learn practical business tools, and access opportunities for growth . Through our meetups, business workshops, directory, and member benefits, we help women support one another by choosing members first and turning connection into real results.
We're a Business Community that puts members first, always!
RISE is the place for ambitious women entrepreneurs, small business owners, professionals, and leaders to come together and build an inspiring network.
Our Vision
RISE Women in Business is a nonprofit building a strong, thriving community of women with an abundance mindset and a heart for service, where members are seen, supported, and referred first.
Our vision is a connected ecosystem where women consistently show up for each other, share resources and innovative systems through education, and keep opportunities circulating within the community.
This empowers every member to grow with confidence and reach higher levels of success, not only in business, but also in life and leadership.
© Copyright 2026 RISE Women In Business. All Rights Reserved