The women shaping our community inspire those around them every day. They share their creativity, build businesses, volunteer their time, and often while also raising their families. Their resilience and dedication strengthen our community’s foundation. These women bring fresh perspectives, and their commitment continues to pave the way for future generations, making our community a better place for everyone.
Kellie Rose
Singer Songwriter
I've been writing songs since I was young, age 5, however I only started "pursuing music" at 24 years old and eventually came across the shocking realization that I could be paid money to sing songs. It rocked my world! My first paid gig was at The Cottage in Bothell and eventually, by 25 years old, I was able to book gigs at various wineries and breweries in the area and make enough money to earn a living. I remember my first time booking at a tasting room in Kirkland, making locals laugh and dance, and truly feeling like I'd *made it*.
When Covid happened, I lost the livelihood I knew and began the adventure of using my skill sets I'd adhered as a business owner to help others do the same: content creation, website management, social media marketing. I loved it, but it wasn't playing songs for people. In January 2024, I tried again. I got an apartment in Bellevue and a regular residency in Kirkland. Kirkland was SO good and loyal to me. The patrons built up my spirit and helped me remember why I loved giving people this art. Through the support of my community, my KRU, and my own personal development, my career transformed. I went from numerous gigs each week to booking private events to what I do now! I have the pleasure of facilitating interactive songwriting workshops, helping others bring their songs to life through production, and booking my own shows under my own name. My mission is to instill hope, encourage love through acceptance and improve mental fitness to elevate EQ.
I just released my first album, Multiple Choice (a) on my 32nd birthday, 12/2/2024. The album shows the range of my personality, including R&B, pop songs, some country twang, and ending with an acoustic performance about worth. I'm just so grateful to be a musician and songwriter and will forever appreciate the platform Kirkland and the east side has given me and other artists. I believe art, especially music, should be accessible to everyone and I'm grateful I get to contribute to making that a reality.
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/kellierosemusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellierosemusic/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kellierosemusic
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kellierose_music
Website: https://www.kellierose.com/
Dr. Shireen Mansoori, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS
Owner of Seattle Sports Institute & Physical Therapy, PLLC
Former Director of Rehabilitation Medicine, Philadelphia Eagles
I completed my undergraduate degree at UW, while also a walk-on athlete for the Division I Husky Women’s Basketball Team. I went on to complete my Doctorate in Physical Therapy at UW, followed by my Orthopaedic Residency at USC, and Division I Sports Fellowship at Duke University. While at Duke, I completed my Board Certification in Orthopaedics (OCS), and was also a part of the NCAA 2015 National Championship with Coach Michael Krzyzewski and Duke Men’s Basketball. Shortly after, I accepted a position with the Philadelphia Eagles, becoming the first female Director of Rehabilitation in the NFL. I loved seeing the world and meeting people that lived very different lives than I did. Being born and raised in Kirkland, however, my ultimate goal was to soak up as much knowledge as I could and build something extraordinary for our Kirkland community. I’m passionate about giving back to the city where I am from, while also helping athletes overcome medical adversity.
I started my vision for Seattle Sports Institute (SSI) on a sticky note, where I first wrote out my mission and values. The next week, I opened in a tiny storage closet inside of a CrossFit gym. I stayed there until the growing pains became so intense that it was inevitable that I needed more space, as most of my NFL offensive lineman barely even fit in my makeshift “physiotherapy closet”.
Fast forward five years, and our new space in Kirkland waterfront has all the bells and whistles I can dream up, but my three values have never changed. Firstly, SSI provides individualized, sports specific rehab that executes advanced manual therapy, biomechanical training, and sports science into each of our treatment sessions. Secondly, SSI consults for various NBA and NFL teams, helping organizations find ways to reduce the rate of injury and re-injury for some of our most genetically gifted athletes in the world. Lastly, I want SSI’s Legacy to be remembered as a company that positively impacted the world, whether that is through sports or our philanthropic efforts.
Website: seattlesportsinstitute.com
Instagram: seattlesportsinstitute
Courtney Wika Gibson
Owner of F45 Studios
I grew up here in Kirkland and I have so many fond memories of spending my summers on the downtown beaches and working at Newport Bay (now home of Kitchen & Market). I own 2 F45 studios on the Eastside (Bothell and Kingsgate). I opened the first one in 2020 and despite covid and business shutdowns, we were able to survive and come out of that with a thriving studio and supportive community.
I was inspired to open my studios after starting our family. While on maternity leave with my first child, I thought a lot about my next steps and what I wanted to do. I have always been a huge fitness enthusiast and have dabbled in many different fitness modalities. I heard about F45 from a friend in CA and when I took my first class at the studio in Kirkland back in 2019, I was sold! I knew immediately this was the type of studio I wanted to own and my passion for the brand has grown ever since.
F45 - F stands for Functional. We are all about functional movements and 45 the class time. You are in and out in 45 minutes and get the best HIIT workout in. F45 is about the holistic approach to health and fitness - incorporating fitness, nutrition, and recovery into one. You'll also never get bored because there are no 2 workouts that are the same!
My key to success is passion - if you love what you do, it doesn't become a job. I get to go to "work" every day, see people I love, connect with my community, get a killer workout in, and network in my community to spread the word about what F45 is all about.
Instagram :wika_gibson
Facebook: F45_Training_Bothell, F45_Training_Kingsgate
Monique Hercules
Owner of The Remontant
Hi, I'm Mo, the owner of "The Remontant," an eco-conscious luxury fragrance business. We create custom phthalate and paraben free fragrances to be used in our signature product line of candles, body mists, and soap. Currently we are working on a store opening in downtown Kirkland this spring in May. We will be offering candle classes, a refill program, and bespoke fragrance creation. The word “Remontant” means a flower that blooms more than once in a single season. In our case it represents our brand story, I created “The Remontant” while being bed bound, it was an amazing way to take my mind off my troubles. I was battling a chronic illness called dysautonomia. I like to explain it as my nervous system is out of whack with my body. I still deal with it today but its far more manageable, allowing me to walk and talk normally as once before. Battling an invisible illness can be lonely and sad but I wish to encourage other chronically ill women to take up the mantel and pursue their entrepreneurial dreams. When my illness was finally diagnosed, I thought that I would have no way of achieving all that I dreamed of. Funny enough I ended up achieving it all, just a bit differently. Your dreams do not have to die with your diagnosis, dream a new dream, reevaluate the current, and go on the journey of how you can still make it happen. Where there is a will there is a way and I have found that most women tend to find the most innovative ways. Be The Remontant and bloom more than once in a single season in your way.
Facebook: theremontant
Instagram: theremontant
Youtube: theremontant
Tiktok: theremontant