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Our Team

Mathys+Potestio provides creative staffing and placement services. We’re recruiters but creatives, too. M+P was founded by two creative industry vets who’ve worked as copywriters, designers, project managers, account managers…we’ve even done paste-up. If that doesn’t say how long we’ve been around, maybe our typewriters will.

  • Kristen Barleen

    hails from the (East) Bay Area – she’s a transplant and proud of it! She moved to the PNW in 2005 and never really went back. After a colorful career path, she found herself asking “what do I really enjoy doing?” A consistent theme was helping people: she loves to listen to a good story and find solutions along the way. When she’s not at M+P you can find her making music, going to concerts, making playlists, and spending quality time with friends and family. Her first car was a light blue 1995 Toyota Previa, the family minivan. Man, if those walls could talk!

    Kristen Barleen

    hails from the (East) Bay Area – she’s a transplant and proud of it! She moved to the PNW in 2005 and never really went back. After a colorful career path, she found herself asking “what do I really enjoy doing?” A consistent theme was helping people: she loves to listen to a good story and find solutions along the way. When she’s not at M+P you can find her making music, going to concerts, making playlists, and spending quality time with friends and family. Her first car was a light blue 1995 Toyota Previa, the family minivan. Man, if those walls could talk!

  • Katy Byrtus

    is from all over Oregon, thank you very much. She’s been a social worker and a recruiter, AKA she likes helping people. Usually she’s hanging out with her pup, Charlie, or hanging out with friends; breaking bread, dancing, or playing games. She’s also into boxing, so watch out. Her first car was a manual ’95 VW Passat, which didn’t last long, but her ’90s Camry named Amy saw her through college and the move to Portland.

    Katy Byrtus

    is from all over Oregon, thank you very much. She’s been a social worker and a recruiter, AKA she likes helping people. Usually she’s hanging out with her pup, Charlie, or hanging out with friends; breaking bread, dancing, or playing games. She’s also into boxing, so watch out. Her first car was a manual ’95 VW Passat, which didn’t last long, but her ’90s Camry named Amy saw her through college and the move to Portland.

  • Michelle Holbein

    is a Wisconsin native, and although she’s lived a few years in both Pennsylvania and Oregon, she now calls rural upstate New York home. In her free time, you can probably find her in the great outdoors somewhere with her family, or at home working on some DIY project that’s taking way longer than she thought. Her first car was a 1987 Mercury Topaz with a working heater, which was essential to surviving many brutal Wisconsin winters.

    Michelle Holbein

    is a Wisconsin native, and although she’s lived a few years in both Pennsylvania and Oregon, she now calls rural upstate New York home. In her free time, you can probably find her in the great outdoors somewhere with her family, or at home working on some DIY project that’s taking way longer than she thought. Her first car was a 1987 Mercury Topaz with a working heater, which was essential to surviving many brutal Wisconsin winters.

  • Natalie Holzer

    hails from the Big Sky state and considers Montana her first love, although living in Oregon for the past 15 years, she now considers it mapped in her heart for good! Her love of creative started with her background as a local film & television talent agent here in Portland.  When she’s not lusting for the sunshine, she can either be found at a happy hour, watching Dateline, or out for a stroll/hike.  Her first car was an Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme which made friends with a few city light poles while trying to navigate the mean, snowy streets of Billings, but the heater and tape deck never failed her.

    Natalie Holzer

    hails from the Big Sky state and considers Montana her first love, although living in Oregon for the past 15 years, she now considers it mapped in her heart for good! Her love of creative started with her background as a local film & television talent agent here in Portland.  When she’s not lusting for the sunshine, she can either be found at a happy hour, watching Dateline, or out for a stroll/hike.  Her first car was an Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme which made friends with a few city light poles while trying to navigate the mean, snowy streets of Billings, but the heater and tape deck never failed her.

  • Eric Howes

    is a designer and (sort of) developer who enjoys typography, maps, and other forms of data. But there’s stuff like hiking and painting and collecting records that he partakes in, too. A native Michigander, he moved to Oregon, then Idaho, and back to Michigan despite its winter. He bought his first car, a 1985 Pontiac Sunbird, for $200 and the heater worked for awhile.

    Eric Howes

    is a designer and (sort of) developer who enjoys typography, maps, and other forms of data. But there’s stuff like hiking and painting and collecting records that he partakes in, too. A native Michigander, he moved to Oregon, then Idaho, and back to Michigan despite its winter. He bought his first car, a 1985 Pontiac Sunbird, for $200 and the heater worked for awhile.

  • Sharam Khosravipour

    was born in Connecticut, grew up in Indiana, and spent time in Chicago before landing in Austin. Once the fastest delivery driver Jimmy John’s has ever seen, he’s spent more than a decade in staffing. A recruiter at heart, he has taken a liking to sales leadership. When not working – in the rare cases he’s not – he’s hanging out with his wife, their children (human and fur) and playing golf. His first car was a Subaru Outback, usually packed full of soccer balls.

    Sharam Khosravipour

    was born in Connecticut, grew up in Indiana, and spent time in Chicago before landing in Austin. Once the fastest delivery driver Jimmy John’s has ever seen, he’s spent more than a decade in staffing. A recruiter at heart, he has taken a liking to sales leadership. When not working – in the rare cases he’s not – he’s hanging out with his wife, their children (human and fur) and playing golf. His first car was a Subaru Outback, usually packed full of soccer balls.

  • Shola Lawson

    is from Fremont, California but has spent most of her life in and around Portland, Oregon. She’s been an employment counselor, a co-founder of a vintage clothing shop, a professional cat sitter, and an analog photographer. She’s enthusiastic about flower arrangement (ikebana) and Japanese culture, always striving for the perfect bowl of matcha. Her first car was Moonbeam, a baby blue Mercury Grand Marquis with a tape player.

    Shola Lawson

    is from Fremont, California but has spent most of her life in and around Portland, Oregon. She’s been an employment counselor, a co-founder of a vintage clothing shop, a professional cat sitter, and an analog photographer. She’s enthusiastic about flower arrangement (ikebana) and Japanese culture, always striving for the perfect bowl of matcha. Her first car was Moonbeam, a baby blue Mercury Grand Marquis with a tape player.

  • Jessica Lewis

    is born and raised in Oregon, thank you very much. She’s been in customer service for over a decade, working in everything from hospitality to education to marketing. Her favorite thing to do is travel, but you can catch her tasting wines or spending time with family if she’s home. Her first car was an olive green Jeep Grand Cherokee which sat her taller than the rest: helpful when you’re just 5’3″.

    Jessica Lewis

    is born and raised in Oregon, thank you very much. She’s been in customer service for over a decade, working in everything from hospitality to education to marketing. Her favorite thing to do is travel, but you can catch her tasting wines or spending time with family if she’s home. Her first car was an olive green Jeep Grand Cherokee which sat her taller than the rest: helpful when you’re just 5’3″.

  • Jordan Livingston

    was raised in Ogden, Utah, and has a varied professional background, having worked in journalism, ecommerce, sales, recruiting and education. He loves facilitating relationships and becomes quite excited about any conversation that involves baseball or rock-and-roll trivia. His first truck was a 1984 Mazda pickup. He had to pop the clutch to get it started…but the heater worked.

    Jordan Livingston

    was raised in Ogden, Utah, and has a varied professional background, having worked in journalism, ecommerce, sales, recruiting and education. He loves facilitating relationships and becomes quite excited about any conversation that involves baseball or rock-and-roll trivia. His first truck was a 1984 Mazda pickup. He had to pop the clutch to get it started…but the heater worked.

  • Racquel Miller

    is from southern California but has lived in Oregon, Colorado, Hawaii, and now Washington. Her background is in Human Resources and Operations, largely because she loves connecting with people and learning more about them. You can usually find her scouting authentic Mexican food or doing something outdoors with her family. Her first car was a ’99 Chevy Prism named Pebbles whose AC always worked; what more could an LA girl ask for?

    Racquel Miller

    is from southern California but has lived in Oregon, Colorado, Hawaii, and now Washington. Her background is in Human Resources and Operations, largely because she loves connecting with people and learning more about them. You can usually find her scouting authentic Mexican food or doing something outdoors with her family. Her first car was a ’99 Chevy Prism named Pebbles whose AC always worked; what more could an LA girl ask for?

  • Alex Navarro

    isn’t quite a Texas native (he moved from Chicago when he was four), but we won’t hold that against him. He’s spent most of his career in creative recruiting, and can otherwise be found on the golf course or trying a new restaurant. His first car was a 2002 Dodge Ram, passed down from his brother: the highest praise he can give it is that it took him from Point A to Point B.

    Alex Navarro

    isn’t quite a Texas native (he moved from Chicago when he was four), but we won’t hold that against him. He’s spent most of his career in creative recruiting, and can otherwise be found on the golf course or trying a new restaurant. His first car was a 2002 Dodge Ram, passed down from his brother: the highest praise he can give it is that it took him from Point A to Point B.

  • Hannah Risser-Sperry

    is from Massachusetts and Vermont, and spent some years in France before making her way to Portland. She’s been a nanny, a farmer, a teacher, and a writer. She likes good design, better writing, and Our Lord and Savior PJ Harvey. She dislikes pastels. Her first car was a Toyota Previa, previously used to transport sheep around the family farm. Go ahead, try getting hay out of a car’s cloth interior.

    Hannah Risser-Sperry

    is from Massachusetts and Vermont, and spent some years in France before making her way to Portland. She’s been a nanny, a farmer, a teacher, and a writer. She likes good design, better writing, and Our Lord and Savior PJ Harvey. She dislikes pastels. Her first car was a Toyota Previa, previously used to transport sheep around the family farm. Go ahead, try getting hay out of a car’s cloth interior.

  • Britney Jo Styer

    is Chicago-born but was always destined to head south (hello, two first names), and now calls Austin home. With a background in web development and design, she found her passion helping other people find theirs. Her love language is queso but she hates buffalo sauce, and the joy she finds in food led her to founding a cooking club in Austin that’s nearly a decade old! Her first car was a black Ford Explorer that may or may not have had duct tape holding parts of it together.

    Britney Jo Styer

    is Chicago-born but was always destined to head south (hello, two first names), and now calls Austin home. With a background in web development and design, she found her passion helping other people find theirs. Her love language is queso but she hates buffalo sauce, and the joy she finds in food led her to founding a cooking club in Austin that’s nearly a decade old! Her first car was a black Ford Explorer that may or may not have had duct tape holding parts of it together.

  • Janessa Tamez

    is from an industrial town in Indiana but currently lays her head in Austin, Texas. When not enjoying local comedians or visiting art museums, she’s drawing or painting at home with the love of her life, Pickles the Pug. Her first car was a 2000 Chevy Malibu with no working AC; once you got the windows down and the highway winds blowing, it wasn’t so bad.

    Janessa Tamez

    is from an industrial town in Indiana but currently lays her head in Austin, Texas. When not enjoying local comedians or visiting art museums, she’s drawing or painting at home with the love of her life, Pickles the Pug. Her first car was a 2000 Chevy Malibu with no working AC; once you got the windows down and the highway winds blowing, it wasn’t so bad.

  • Brett Thacher

    has a history of solving client problems as an agency account director, where he and his teams led marketing programs for Fortune 100 companies. Raised in Iowa, he traded his farm roots for the big cities of New York and LA before he settled in Portland. Brett loves camping, hiking, college basketball, live music and impromptu dance parties with his daughter. His first car was a 1981 Datsun 200sx hatchback.

    Brett Thacher

    has a history of solving client problems as an agency account director, where he and his teams led marketing programs for Fortune 100 companies. Raised in Iowa, he traded his farm roots for the big cities of New York and LA before he settled in Portland. Brett loves camping, hiking, college basketball, live music and impromptu dance parties with his daughter. His first car was a 1981 Datsun 200sx hatchback.

  • Molly Wiley

    is originally from Sacramento, CA and uses the word “hella” without joking. After spending 10 years in Austin, she has moved back to Sacramento where she is now the new host of the local CreativeMornings chapter! She has a background in graphic communication, web and digital media. Her loves include spicy margs, being outside, and dancing in a studio or her kitchen to entertain her daughter. She also has a passionate affinity for baked goods. Her first car was an Acura that died more than it ran, forcing her onto a cruiser bike.

    Molly Wiley

    is originally from Sacramento, CA and uses the word “hella” without joking. After spending 10 years in Austin, she has moved back to Sacramento where she is now the new host of the local CreativeMornings chapter! She has a background in graphic communication, web and digital media. Her loves include spicy margs, being outside, and dancing in a studio or her kitchen to entertain her daughter. She also has a passionate affinity for baked goods. Her first car was an Acura that died more than it ran, forcing her onto a cruiser bike.