As the President & CEO of Manifest Creative, an association management and conference / meeting planning firm, Monica takes immense pride in the work her team does managing a diverse group of non-profit associations and membership organizations as well as planning a variety of meetings and conferences. A hands-on leader, Monica regularly carries out client services, consults with clients, manages projects and oversees business development efforts and the strategic direction of the company. From meeting deadlines, exceeding expectations, negotiating contracts, implementing best practices and executing forward-thinking events, there’s no detail too big or small for her and her team. Monica’s “Figure It Out” mentality and ability is now a company philosophy that empowers the team to improvise and be inventive to meet each client’s needs.
Throughout her decades-long career, Monica has devoted her talents and honed her skills in non-profit administration, event and meeting planning, marketing, program and project management, media and public relations, community relations and outreach, photography, hospitality, transportation and tourism promotion.
After 10 years of building her career in public relations, she launched Monica Rhodes Unlimited in 2010. A naturally gifted networker, Monica quickly found a niche providing PR, marketing and event planning services to a wide range of organizations. In 2012, she expanded her services to include association & project management, an organic progression after previously managing organizations such as the South Main Alliance and Houston Museum District Association, and changed the company name to Manifest Creative.
Monica’s client roster has included corporate and non-profit organizations in industries such as visual and performing arts, museums, education, weather and climate, beverage distribution, architecture, hospitality, dining, government, medical, transportation and tourism. She has served on various non-profit boards and committees and is currently a member of the Advisory Board of Hope Stone, Inc., as well as a neighborhood representative for her subdivision within her HOA community. She is also an active volunteer with The W.I.D.E. School in Missouri City (her son's school) and serves as the Events & Service Chair for Cub Scout Pack 1199.
When she’s not working or volunteering, Monica spends her time making memories with her kiddo, taking photographs, traveling, attempting karaoke, playing board games, spending time with friends and family, reading novels penned by favorite authors Jodi Picoult, Sandra Brown, Danielle Steele or Nicolas Sparks, catching up on her favorite Netflix shows, cooling off in her stock tank pool or relaxing on the porch with a glass of Malbec.
Maureen, Manifest Creative’s Co-Owner, officially joined the Manifest Creative team in May 2012 as Vice President & Chief Operating Officer when the firm expanded its scope to include association management.
Maureen oversees the bulk of the association management services provided to Manifest Creative’s clients. Her experience and leadership management shine through in this instrumental role, which includes coordinating with client committees and boards of directors, supervising staff, managing client websites and databases and executing client events and conferences. She also manages vendor relations, administers membership services, coordinates the production and distribution of all communication materials and provides general administration. Additionally, she serves as financial manager and bookkeeper for Manifest Creative and all association management clients.
Originally from Philadelphia, Maureen has called Houston “home” since 2005 when she began her career as a meteorologist at Weather Research Center (WRC) and museum coordinator at The John C. Freeman Weather Museum in the Houston Museum District. She became Chief Meteorologist in 2008 and Executive Director of the Museum in 2011.
In her free time, Maureen enjoys spending time with friends and family, exploring parks, riding bikes, playing pickleball, coaching her son’s sports teams, tasting new IPAs and cheering on the Philadelphia Eagles.
Amber Godbold, a Houston native, joined the Manifest Creative team in June 2023. In her role with Manifest Creative, Amber uses her skills in administration and customer service to support the team in their day-to-day duties and client facing tasks. She’s likely the first one you’ll speak to when you call the Manifest Creative offices and always exemplifies the company’s commitment to “service with a smile.”
She brings years of experience in administration for property management, including HOA, high-rise, commercial and master planned communities, as well as front-of-the-house hospitality and reception services, client experiences, procedural development and risk and litigation.
In her previous administrative roles, she managed day-to-day office operations while overseeing organizational functions and special event coordination. She is tech savvy, creatively inclined and skilled in C-suite executive support, quality control, data entry, special projects and more.
She recently completed an accelerated program in information technology and is excited to bring her IT expertise and skills to the Manifest Creative team and clients. In her spare time, she loves reading, crafting and spending time with her two cats, Gadget and Gizmo.
Jazmine McDade joined the Manifest Creative team in June 2025. With a solid background in administration and operations, she plays a key role in keeping day-to-day activities running smoothly both behind the scenes and in direct support roles.
Often, one of the first friendly voices you’ll hear when reaching out to Manifest Creative, Jazmine delivers professional, reliable support that reflects the team’s commitment to excellence and care.
She brings a diverse background in administrative support across various industries, including senior living, funeral services, and student leadership.
Her strengths lie in streamlining processes, maintaining organized records, managing operations, coordinating events and providing dependable assistance across a variety of settings. She approaches each task with attention to detail and a focus on efficiency, and takes immense pride in going above and beyond with a smile.
Known for her positivity, professionalism, organization and initiative, Jazmine brings a proactive approach to administrative support and is dedicated to creating efficient, collaborative environments that keep operations running smoothly.
In her spare time, Jazmine enjoys exploring new recipes, attending local music festivals or concerts, and unwinding with a good book.
Julie Rinn joined the Manifest Creative team in 2025, bringing more than eight years of experience in marketing, branding, event management and client support. As Account Coordinator, Marketing & Technology, she supports clients through digital communications, website and CRM management, membership services and event coordination.
Julie has managed full-funnel campaigns, coordinated large-scale events and tradeshows and implemented digital strategies that improved communication and engagement. At Manifest Creative, she applies these skills to creating client collateral, managing e-blasts and newsletters, supporting virtual and in-person events and providing technology troubleshooting across multiple platforms.
Known for her creativity and collaborative approach, Julie thrives on weaving together storytelling, design and data-driven solutions to help clients meet their goals. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Meteorology from Texas A&M University, an Associate of Science in Engineering from Houston Community College and a certification in Event Planning from the New York Institute of Art & Design.
Outside of work, Julie enjoys trying new restaurants, creating new recipes, exercising via yoga and hiking and volunteering with animal rescue organizations.
Craig joined the Manifest Creative team in March of 2023. Previously, he spent 18 years in association management working at a national medical association. In roles that ranged from Policy Director to Associate Executive Director, Craig had supervisory responsibility for areas including Finance, Legal, Human Resources, Chapter Management, and several other mission-oriented functions.
Craig brings that range of expertise to support Manifest Creative in his role as Operations Manager. Earlier in his career, Craig was an award-winning broadcast journalist and the Director of Communications for a Fortune 200 company. He moved to Texas with his family in 1999 and made the decision to work in the non-profit sector a few years later.
He is a Certified Association Executive, having earned the distinction in 2012, and he still provides consulting services to help associations reduce and manage their non-strategic costs. An avid sports fan, Craig loves his Dallas Cowboys (sorry, Maureen!), the Atlanta Braves, and anything and everything related to his beloved Auburn Tigers.
Mona Fluitt has worked with the Manifest Creative team for many years offering a variety of services, from bookkeeping to event logistics for conferences to general non-profit administration consulting. She has enjoyed a nearly 35-year career as a nonprofit manager serving many of Houston’s finest nonprofit organizations. Her work includes board training, strategic planning, project management, volunteer management, event management, nonprofit accounting, grant writing and management, grant review, database management, records management, and state and IRS compliance. Mona has taught on these topics at the University of Houston Small Business Development Center and the United Way of Greater Houston as well as being a speaker at state and national conventions. She is an expert in QuickBooks accounting software and developed a training program for using QuickBooks in nonprofit organizations. Most recently, she has added app developer to her extensive resume. She recently launched the Festival Chasers mobile app and is developing apps for a variety of nonprofit management purposes. When she’s not working, Mona and her husband enjoy traveling and entertaining friends and family.
Susan Hylton is a Finance Manager with decades of experience in financial operations, bookkeeping, and organizational leadership. Over the course of her career, she has supported businesses across a diverse range of industries, helping teams bring clarity, structure, and confidence to their financial and operational decision-making. Susan is known for her strategic thinking, calm problem-solving, and her ability to build efficient, transparent systems that keep organizations both grounded and forward-focused.
As a Partner at Manifest Creative, Susan leads financial management and bookkeeping for client accounts, ensuring accuracy, insight, and accountability at every stage. She brings deep experience in process improvement, reporting, payroll oversight, and compliance-ready bookkeeping—always with a commitment to delivering financial information that clients can trust. Susan is also a Level 2 QuickBooks ProAdvisor, bringing advanced technical expertise to her clients’ financial systems.
Originally from the Land Down Under, Susan has lived and worked all over the world, giving her a global perspective and a warm, approachable style. Outside of work, she’s an avid traveler, a lover of good food, and enjoys both walking and knitting for a little creative light relief.
After a lot of twists and turns, deborah lawson became a non-traditional, collaborative attorney focusing on helping real people with their legal stuff, hopefully without getting stuck in the labyrinth of litigation. In addition to a boutique practice focusing on family and family-owned/micro businesses (like Manifest Creative!), deborah works with organizations to facilitate best practices in corporate and non-profit governance. deborah is proud to have worked with several organizations including Miss Texas (America), Lambda NextGen, and the Houston Aggie Women, as well as serving as President of Stonewall Law Association of Greater Houston, Houston’s LGBT bar association (lawyers, not adult beverages) and as a trustee for the Executive and Professional Association of Houston.
Cathi Hight, President of organizational development firm Hight Performance Group, is Manifest Creative’s go-to expert and resource on all things membership related, assisting Manifest Creative’s association clients to build strategies for membership recruitment and retention, journey mapping and more. Her firm aims to lead its clients to the development of healthier organizations that manage constant change, enhance customer loyalty and “work smarter, not harder.” She is the developer of “The Member Retention Kit,” “A New Approach to Tiered Membership,” and the “Work Smarter, Not Harder” program. Cathi and her team offer resources to help associations attract, engage, and retain members, as well as provide them with tools to stay relevant, deliver benefits that members appreciate, and effectively communicate the value of membership with proven strategies that save time and increase the bottom line. As a certified Wiley Workplace Solutions Partner, Cathi works with organizations to develop high performing teams, effective leaders and productive work environments. Cathi believes in living a balanced lifestyle and loves spending time with her grandkids, cooking, traveling, knitting, and watching her Netflix queue.
Ramon West of DesignsW, a creative services studio he runs with his lovely wife Christine West, is Manifest Creative's video editing and production partner. He specializes in creating and developing projects that include sound designs, video editing, motion graphics design, and voice over, as well as audio composition and correction for video projects. Ramon works in all aspects of video editing for projects including web streaming, conference videos, event productions, and web applications. He and Christine are based in Albuquerque, New Mexico and enjoy spending time hiking and exploring the great outdoors with their adventurous canine sidekick Riley.
Gayle Wheeler-Lesueur, who is originally from Houston and now based in Northern California, is a creative and multi-talented graphic designer with 20+ years of experience in the management of the complete design process, from conceptualization to delivery. Gayle has been Manifest Creative’s go-to designer for nearly 10 years, helping their clients bring their ideas to life through great design. She is well-grounded in a creative and deadline driven environment while upholding customer relations, organizational and creative design skills. She consistently upholds the Manifest Creative value to go above and beyond, and is always up for whatever challenge the team and their clients throw her way. She is a graduate of St. Edward’s University in Austin, where starting out as a Photography major, ultimately led her to a degree in Media Production and Graphic Design. When not designing, Gayle enjoys playing video games with her husband and their two children, attending Anime conventions with her oldest daughter and cooking with her youngest. She also loves animals and volunteers at the local SPCA.
Atiwa, one of Houston’s most responsive and reliable IT services companies for nearly four decades, is Manifest Creative’s trusted IT partner and committed to “helping others by eradicating office technology frustrations and improving office efficiency.” The core of their mission centers on Helping Others, two powerful words that serve as the heartbeat of every single Atiwa team member, including its founder and president, Wayne Springer, and every policy the company makes. It’s also why the company was named and branded as “Atiwa,” which is the Native American word for a “welcoming safe haven.” Atiwa embraces the mindset of providing a safe haven to others in order to free their time and energy on efficiently running their own businesses. They bend to accommodate their customers’ needs and challenges. These philosophies make Atiwa a great partner to Manifest Creative on all things techy. Whether keeping Manifest Creative’s IT infrastructure operating optimally or providing clients with top-notch IT support, Atiwa delivers exceptional customer service and goes above and beyond in every interaction, encounter and situation.
Password Productions is Manifest Creative's preferred AV partner, providing a variety of creative audio-visual solutions for conventions and social events, specializing in LED concepts and digital signage.
As a small business consultant, Bryan Neely and his team provide guidance in the areas of human resource management with specialization within the non-profit and hospitality sector, offering an enhanced level of knowledge and expertise in the ever-evolving Human Resources ecosystem.
Since 2016, HR Ally has been a partner to Manifest Creative, supporting the Manifest Creative mission and valuing the work Manifest does for its clients while managing any and all human resource initiatives and challenges that allow the Manifest team to focus on delivering exceptional results to its clients. With more than 20 years of HR know-how, Bryan and his team work collaboratively with Manifest Creative to identify specific needs and provide customized solutions. With a genuine passion for the work they do and the work Manifest Creative does for its clients, HR Ally and Manifest Creative’s partnership and the work they do together make a real difference.
Having a strong social media presence is essential to an organization's growth. However, between the ever-changing algorithms and unending updates, it can be confusing to know where to start and how to proceed in the most effective manner. Send in Mariel Allen of Sol Social Co to the rescue! Her passion for expanding non-profits through a carefully curated social media voice and her ability to develop and execute a solid and efficient strategy make her the ideal partner for Manifest Creative and its clients. Mariel provides affordable options for small businesses and non-profits to expand and engage their audiences and create high quality content. This Texas native currently resides in Austin, Texas with her two dogs and more than fifty houseplants. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, painting and listening to good music.
VERITAS is a boutique Merchant Services and ATM Solutions provider that takes the mystery out of Payment Processing by keeping it simple, consistent, and transparent. We specialize in low processing rates, Point of Sale, wireless and countertop payment terminals, self-service kiosk solutions, online payment acceptance, ATM processing, placements, and more. Our main focus is implementing the best possible scenario for your business while substantially lowering costs on every dip, tap, or swipe while increasing your revenue.
INFINI Marketing is a Houston-based marketing company. Their team believes in impacting the world by expanding businesses one at a time. They do so by creating custom, brand-driven marketing strategies for businesses across all industries, ensuring continuous optimization along the way. Their services include website design, Google Ads, social media management, content writing, graphic design, and more!
Shanna is a partner in Reimer McGuinness Hess audit group at Doeren Mayhew, a nationally recognized CPA and advisory firm. She has provided audit, assurance, and advisory services to various industries, including not-for-profit, financial services, construction, manufacturing, and employee benefit plans for over 20 years. She has worked with diverse clients, from start-up businesses to large corporations.
In her role as an audit partner, she is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the auditing process, from planning and execution to communication with clients and reporting to stakeholders. As a CPA and CFE professional, she ensures that the highest standards of professionalism, ethics and technical competence are met in the delivery of services.
Cheyenna received her first camera in 5th grade, and from that moment on, a camera has accompanied her everywhere she goes. Her passion for photography is deeply rooted in her family, as her grandfather was also a photographer, and she cherishes the shared love for capturing special moments.
Cheyenna attended the University of Houston, where she earned a degree in Public Relations. One of her favorite courses was Photojournalism, which taught her how to capture emotions and stories through photography. It was during this time that she developed a love for candid photography.
As a native Houstonian, Cheyenna has a background in nonprofit public relations and is the former Public Relations Director of the Children’s Museum of Houston. She also worked at a Public Relations firm in Houston, specializing in Civic Engagement. Her PR experience provides her with a unique set of skills when working with photography clients, particularly in creating impactful images for annual reports, marketing materials, and documenting community events, such as luncheons, galas, and service projects.
As a mother of three young children, Cheyenna has been documenting their lives through photography since they were born. She finds great joy in capturing children in their natural element, enjoying celebrations, and being with family and friends. Cheyenna has a passion for event photography and values the opportunity to capture special gatherings for her clients. She also understands the importance of ensuring that event planners are part of the photographic memories.
Cheyenna is an active volunteer at her children’s schools and a Girl Scout Leader. She enjoys documenting school events for yearbooks, fundraisers, and special occasions, as well as capturing her Girl Scouts engaged in activities they love.
She has had the privilege of working with or volunteering for clients such as the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council, HESS Corporation, the University of Houston Law Center, Best Buddies-Houston, Houston Technology Center, Coalition for the Homeless, Capital One/Pierpont Communications, LISC, Sinclair Elementary, Frank Black Middle School, Wharton Dual Language Academy, Genesys Works-Houston, CHeBA HUT Houston/Dacoma, Bestie Events, HPI Energy, World Affairs Council-Houston, BAG Art Gallery, Johnson Memorial School, Houston Corporate 5K, Legacy Soccer Club, GLF Equestrian Team, Prelude Music Foundation, Manifest Creative, and Precinct2gether, Inc.
As your organization’s creative collaborator, Manifest Creative will help you take action when you need it most. With our creative innovation, fresh inspiration and expert implementation, we will help your organization achieve its goals so that your audience remains satisfied!
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