ADVISORY BOARD PROFILES
Sara Holtz
SARA HOLTZ is a legal business-development coach with a long, widely recognized career of mentoring women lawyers and professionals. Since founding ClientFocus in 1995, Sara has worked with hundreds of lawyers from the nation’s leading law firms to help them grow their practices. Previously, she practiced law in-house at Nestlé Beverage Company and the Clorox Company, and was the first woman chairman of the
Association of Corporate Counsel. Sara’s articles have been featured in numerous publications, such as the ABA Journal, the San Francisco Daily Journal and California Lawyer, and she is the author of a forthcoming book, entitled, Bringin’ in the Rain: A Women Lawyer’s Guide to Business Development. Among her other awards and accolades, the State Bar of California honored her for “outstanding leadership of the in-house community,” and she was a finalist for the Sacramento Bee's Athena Award, honoring women who assist other women in reaching their full potential. Sara loves to travel—she’s been to five continents and will soon visit a sixth—and to spend time with her husband, two sons and four nieces. She holds degrees from Yale College and Harvard Law School. Sara supports Elegant Roots values, Foundation and business goals with her considerable coaching and mentoring skill.
David Marsden
DAVID MARSDEN began an economic development assignment in October 2009 with USAID.
He is living and working with the military at Bagram Airfield about 50 miles north of Kabul. His
focus is creating economic growth programs. Dave holds an MBA in Marketing from the University
of Chicago and he's a seasoned marketing executive with a wide range of entrepreneurial
experience, which he has generously shared with Elegant Roots. Dave is an impassioned volunteer,
and, over the years, has worked in the Peace Corps, as an employment coach for new immigrants,
and as a manager for several youth sports clubs. He is also a dedicated road bicyclist.
Cynthia Remmers
CYNTHIA REMMERS has been an attorney for more than 25 years, practicing as a partner in an international law firm, as an in-house attorney at a technology firm and currently as the principal of Remmers Global. Having co-founded Elegant Roots with husband Rob Favole, Cynthia cheers on the Elegant Roots team when not mediating, fact-finding, investigating or teaching. She has volunteered and served as a board member for numerous non-profits over the years, and is now thrilled to help support socially responsible small businesses, designers and artisans through values-based commerce. Cynthia’s passion for the arts and artisanal excellence developed while earning BA degrees in Art and History and while living at various times in Europe, Mexico and Asia. She has been passionate about protecting the environment since college, even serving as Managing Editor for the Ecology Law Quarterly while in law school at the University of California, Berkeley. As she says, she has recycled, repurposed and conserved since the words were invented! She walks to shop and for pleasure, driving a hybrid only when wheels are absolutely necessary. For more exercise, Cynthia loves chasing the same four kids, four grandkids and one clever dog that she shares with Rob.
Anjali Sawai
Renowned Hong Kong yoga master teacher, ANJALI SAWAI, was born, raised and educated in India before moving to Hong Kong where she has lived for the last 20 years. With a string of university degrees and yoga accomplishments, Anjali devotes her life to teaching and the science of yoga. When not stretched out in some difficult pose, Anjali can often be found hiking or otherwise pushing herself and others to live healthy and well. She particularly enjoys training for and hiking the rigorous annual 50K environmental charity race through the challenging but beautiful Hong Kong mountains. Previously, Anjali worked as an airline stewardess, when she developed her
passion for shopping for interesting finds all around the world. Anjali is an invaluable advisor to Elegant Roots, to which she brings her international perspective, her extensive knowledge of natural living and her unbridled enthusiasm for buying well.
Sandy Skinner
Sustainable apparel designer SANDY SKINNER has been applying her business acumen and eco-forward sensibilities to environmental, business and merchandising initiatives at Elegant Roots. Her long career in the apparel industry has recently blossomed into her own business, ecoSkin, which creates gorgeous and environmentally friendly women's apparel. Adhering to the highest manufacturing standards and fair trade practices, all of Sandy's sophisticated ecoSkin designs are made in the USA of luxurious and environmentally sustainable materials. Previously, Sandy served as head of all divisions of JD Fine, including Tart Intimates and Sweet Tart; Senior Vice President of Sales and Merchandising for Biatta Intimates; and Vice President of Divisional Merchandise Manager at Rampage. A native of Florida, Sandy now lives in Los Angeles, where she volunteers for Amazing Animal Productions and practices tae kwon do. Eco-friendly through and through, Sandy walks to work every day (across her back yard!)
