RACHEL WEEKS // CEO & FOUNDER
Ethical fashion entrepreneur Rachel Weeks launched School House while researching socially responsible apparel manufacturing in Sri Lanka. There, the US Fulbright Scholar found a way to synthesize ideas about fair labor practices with a desire for more fashionable collegiate apparel, and School House was born. Since then, Weeks has grown School House from 1 to 100 schools, and Rachel and the company have been featured in Teen Vogue, WWD and The Wall Street Journal.
e:
rweeks@shopschoolhouse.com
SUSAN WILLIAMS // COO
Chief Operations Officer Susan Williams brings 25 years of experience in the apparel industry to her work at School House. Leadership positions with the likes of Levi Strauss, Mast Industries, Jockey and The Gap gave her insight into the intricacies of running—and building—global brands. For now, Susan is looking forward to establishing a relationship with a new, NC based factory, but in the longer term, she’s motivated by the prospect of introducing new universities to the School House story. “There’s a huge need for ethical collegiate wear which for too long went ignored. School House is an amazing venture that’s already made an impact in the lives of its workers—now it’s going to change the entire collegiate apparel sector.”
A vanilla ice-cream fan with a colorful personality, Susan has lived in every quadrant of the US and was once a competitive figure skater. Her favorite School House garment is the Full Zip Hoodie.
e:
susan@shopschoolhouse.com
MARK CHAMBERS // CORPORATE CONTROLLER
Mark is a self-proclaimed “Left-Brained” entrepreneur and purveyor of useless knowledge. Mark attended school at Lenoir – Rhyne College in Hickory, North Carolina, where he studied Physics and History prior to completing his graduate degree in Business. Following school, Mark began his career in Accounting with noted furniture manufacturer, Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, where his main task was to begin the accounting functions of a newly created division within the company. Following his time at MG+BW, Mark worked as Director of Operations for knit apparel guru, Robert Redd, in Charlottesville, Virginia. Mark adds a valuable combination of retail apparel and manufacturing skills to School House.
An avid reader of history and General George Patton, Mark believes that “Success demands a high level of organizational and logistical competence,” and “if everyone is thinking alike then someone isn’t thinking.”
e:
mark@shopschoolhouse.com
MELISSA DOHMEN // DIRECTOR, MARKETING & PR
Melissa brings a diverse background in PR, advertising, and cause marketing to School House, and joined the SH team after working at some of the top ad agencies and retailers in the U.S. Melissa has worked in-house at OfficeMax, where she helped develop their cause marketing program “A Day Made Better,” and at notable ad agencies and non-profits in New York. Her professional “brushes with fame” include working at Spike DDB, Spike Lee’s agency in the Omnicom network, and directly with ad legend Keith Reinhard at his non-profit, Business for Diplomatic Action. Melissa has a Master of Arts degree in Marketing & Advertising from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and worked most recently at Neebo, a collegiate bookstore retailer and textbook wholesaler as a Marketing Specialist.
An office products junkie and novice gardener, Melissa enjoys reading, running and “thrifting” in her spare time. Her favorite School House product is the Varsity Cardigan (which she wears most often during chilly days in the office).
e:
melissa@shopschoolhouse.com
EMILY RAFFENSPERGER // FASHION DESIGNER
Emily Raffensperger is School House’s resident apparel and graphic designer. Aside from overseeing everything from line development and trend research to operating the office’s old-fashioned popcorn machine, Emily aims to create responsibly-minded, lighthearted products that bring a little something different to the college market. Having graduated from Carnegie Mellon University’s College of Fine Arts, Emily’s interests span the fields of art and design, and she believes all good work – be it fashion, art, or illustration – should come with an equally interesting story.
Outside of School House, Emily spends her time creating drawings and mixed-media objects of obsessive intricacy, as well as making lattes, playing dress up, doing jigsaw puzzles, ogling samples of pre-war textiles, or alphabetizing her ever-growing collection of books.
e:
emily@shopschoolhouse.com