TEAM PAPER ROWTE

Highly connected network of brand experts united under the North Star of advancing equity for Women in Sports.

Founders Team

Kristen Branch

  • Kris is a passionate advocate for women’s equity and a lifelong student of social movements. With a Master’s degree in Brand Strategy from the renowned School of Visual Arts—where she studied under chairman Debbie Millman—Kris has built a career at the intersection of strategy, design, and cultural impact. A Massachusetts native and Syracuse University graduate, she brings over 20 years of experience crafting strategic, consumer-centric brand solutions for global CPG, retail, and publishing companies. Her award-winning work has made her a trusted partner in driving innovation through brand strategy, product development, and experiential activations.

    Kris takes a holistic, big-picture approach to brand building, leveraging cross-functional systems to accelerate business and brand growth. She has collaborated with industry leaders such as Disney, Amazon, Live Nation, Sundance, Newell Brands, Sephora, Target, and Walmart.

    As the founder of Paper Rowte, an LA-based brand strategy and design firm dedicated exclusively to women’s sports, Kris is committed to advancing equity and visibility in the industry. She also contributes to the Masters in Branding program at the School of Visual Arts, teaching Semiotics of Social Movements and mentoring students through their thesis work and founder of the affiliate firm, Group Hugg.

    A longtime WNBA supporter, Kris was a Connecticut Sun season ticket holder before relocating to Los Angeles, where she continues to champion women’s basketball as a courtside member of the LA Sparks. Inspired by the passion, grit, and resilience of athletes, she launched Paper Rowte in 2020 to help women in sports build distinctive brands, drive cultural change, and create lasting impact.

    Go Sparks!

Roxanne Benefiel

  • Rox is a compassionate and creatively driven brand director and communications expert with a spirited determination to elevate purpose-driven brands. As Co-Founder of Paper Rowte, she is committed to prioritizing the humble over the huge and community over the corporate, ensuring that impactful storytelling and design serve as catalysts for meaningful change.

    With over 15 years of experience in design, brand strategy, and marketing, Rox has worked extensively with nonprofits and startups, helping them build authentic and resonant brands. She is currently leading the brand and content strategy for the comprehensive website rebuild of The Joyful Heart Foundation, founded by Mariska Hargitay. Rox holds a Master’s degree in Branding from the School of Visual Arts in New York City.

    Passionate about creativity as a force for change, Rox has served as an executive board member for The One Club for Creativity (formerly the Art Directors Club), actively volunteers in local social movements, and contributes to the next generation of brand leaders as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at SVA. She is also the co-founder of the award-winning brand and design firm Group Hugg, as well as a professional astrologer, Founder and Host of Stars on the Court, a podcast that explores the intersection of astrology and women’s sports.

    She is a professional dancer and long-time skier—adding a multidimensional perspective to her work and life.

Collective Team

Emelil Walter

Davis Luceriaga

Maureen Martinez

Tom McCormick

Amelia Nash

Stephen Miller

Rosemarie Albanese

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Advisory Team

Debbie Millman

Roxane Gay

Dr. Ilene Feinman

Elizabeth Talerman

Deborah Sowray

Kenna Kay

Daily Gist

Hector Castrillon

Bob Clippenger

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