Stacy Mayo Martinez
CEO & Co-Founder, Martinez Media & Marketing Group
Stacy Mayo Martinez has always understood the power of story. A fourth-generation K-Stater who grew up in Garden City, she came to Manhattan with deep roots in agriculture and a natural curiosity about communication, eventually earning a degree in agricultural communications and journalism from Kansas State University. What began as a passion for agriculture education evolved into something broader: helping people, brands, and organizations find their voice and connect with the right audience.
After professional stops in Chicago, Milwaukee, the Kansas Department of Agriculture, and Kansas Corn, Martinez and her husband, Ray, took a leap in 2020 and launched Martinez Media & Marketing Group. What started as a two-person venture has grown into a multi-layered creative company serving clients in Manhattan and far beyond. Under her leadership, MMMG has expanded into strategic marketing, content creation, podcast production, event activation, and more, all rooted in one guiding principle: work with good people and do good work.
Just as important is Martinez’s commitment to Manhattan itself. She praises the city’s small-town feel, strong business community, and culture of support—qualities that mirror the way she leads: with purpose, optimism, and a desire to pull others up along the way.
Dr. Olivia Law-Delrosso
Assistant Dean, Kansas State University College of Business
Dr. Olivia Law-Delrosso is a long-time Manhattan resident and the Assistant Dean for the Kansas State University College of Business. In 2021, she founded K-State’s Rise Up Scholars program to support business students navigating the unwritten rules of the professional world. The cohort-based program provides students with access to leadership training, mentorship, networking, and scholarships.
Dr. Law-Delrosso grew up in the Little Apple after moving from New Zealand at age six. A Manhattan High School graduate, she attended K-State, where she completed her undergraduate degree in psychology, a master’s in public administration, and a PhD while working in the College of Business. Her doctoral research focused on the experiences of working-class students in business school, exploring how signals in academic environments can shape whether students feel they belong.
That research directly informs Rise Up Scholars. Unlike many programs that prioritize grades or test scores, Rise Up focuses on potential, welcoming students from a wide range of backgrounds. Through its small cohorts, workshops, and both peer and professional mentorship, students learn the professional skills needed to achieve both academic and career success. Additionally, they gain a community of peers who support one another through any inevitable bumps in the road.
Dr. Law-Delrosso encourages students to stay open to opportunities and focus on taking small steps toward the life they want. “There’s this career theory called planned happenstance,” she shares. “If you’re open to opportunities and people know what your strengths are, [good] things can happen. But you have to pay attention that a door is opening.”
Ali Goss
Owner, Enamored by Ali & Co-Owner, Syndicate Tattoo
Ali Goss has never been one to chase the spotlight, but her work has a way of drawing people in anyway.
As co-owner of Syndicate Tattoo and the artist behind Enamored by Ali, Goss has spent nearly two decades building something rooted not just in business, but in connection. After 16 years downtown, she and her husband Matt recently moved into a new, owner-occupied space on Manhattan’s west side—a transition that marked both growth and a sense of arrival. “We loved downtown,” she says. “But everything has its season.”
Goss’s path wasn’t linear. After a brief stint at Kansas State University, she found her footing in cosmetology, spending years behind the chair in Aggieville. But it was a chance discovery—an image of permanent makeup brows—that changed everything. “I remember thinking, ‘What is this magic?’” she says. “I instantly knew that’s what I wanted to do.”
That curiosity quickly turned into commitment. Goss invested heavily in advanced training, traveling to study under top artists while navigating the rigorous path to licensure in Kansas—where only a select few practice at her level. Today, she specializes in permanent makeup (PMU), offering services like brows, eyeliner, and lip blushing, all designed to enhance natural features with subtlety. In every sense, she operates at the highest level of her craft, among the very best in the world.
“The best thing about my work is that nobody knows you’ve had it done,” she says. “They just think you look good.” But the impact of her work runs deeper than aesthetics. Through paramedical tattooing - such as scar camouflage and areola reconstruction for mastectomy patients - Goss helps clients reclaim a sense of identity and confidence.
“It’s not vanity,” she says. “It’s about feeling like the best version of yourself. ”That philosophy extends beyond her studio. Whether mentoring artists, supporting local nonprofits, or simply showing up for her clients, Goss sees her role as one of service.
“Every woman I’ve ever met is a woman of impact,” she says. “And I get to see that every day. It’s a gift.”
Dr. Zelia Wiley
Professor, K-State Department of Department of Entomology
Dr. Zelia Wiley has dedicated her career mentoring students in agriculture, leadership, and professional development. A proud native of Fort Worth, Texas, she grew up in a family of educators.
After earning her PhD in agricultural economics from Pennsylvania State University, Dr. Wiley spent ten years at the University of Kentucky before being recruited to K-State, where she became the first Black female tenured faculty member in the College of Agriculture and now also serves as Assistant Dean. Throughout her career, she has remained focused on expanding access and awareness, particularly in fields like agriculture, which many students overlook because they don’t understand the breadth of opportunities. “Agriculture is science, business, and technology,” she explains.
Her commitment to students is central to her work with MANRRS, a national organization supporting underrepresented students in agriculture. A former national president, she has helped connect thousands of students to internships and careers.
As a mentor, Dr. Wiley is known for her directness and care. “Students make all their mistakes with me,” she says, describing her role as guiding students through the inevitable “growing pains” of college and early career development. Her impact is best reflected in the words of her students: “Everyone else talked at me. Dr. Wiley talked to me.”
In addition to her work at K-State, Dr. Wiley serves on the board working to renew the Kansas Industrial & Educational Institute of Topeka (often called the Tuskegee of the West) and on the board of the Kansas Black Farmers Association. A member of Bethel AME Church and Board Chair of the Manhattan Juneteenth Committee, she appreciates Manhattan as a place where people can grow, find their niche, and connect through community events.
Looking ahead, Dr. Wiley believes the next generation is eager to lead if given the right support and encouragement. Her advice reflects guidance from her father, a principal: “Prepare for war in times of peace,” she recalls. “Plan ahead, stay humble, and always understand your ‘why.’”
Ashley Oliphant
Owner, Lemonade Aesthetics & Spa Clinic
Raised in Wamego, Kansas, Ashley grew up playing sports, riding bikes, and enjoying a small-town upbringing that emphasized hard work and resilience. That foundation led her to play college volleyball at Independence Community College, and later at Nicholls State University. While in Louisiana, she experienced Hurricane Katrina, an event that reshaped her perspective and reinforced her ability to adapt under pressure.
Her path into medicine was not rigidly planned. With both her mother and grandmother in nursing, she felt drawn to the field but kept her options open while studying at the University of Kansas. After earning her nursing degree and working in high-intensity environments like the medical ICU at KU, and later at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Oliphant built a strong clinical background. She continued advancing her education, becoming a nurse practitioner and gaining experience across urgent care, occupational health, and primary care settings. Along the way, she discovered a growing interest in skin care and minor procedures—an interest that would ultimately shape her future.
That turning point came during her time in Texas, where patients frequently sought practical, immediate solutions for skin concerns. “I realized I really enjoyed this kind of work,” she said, reflecting on the moment she began to see aesthetics as more than just a side interest.
When her family relocated to Manhattan, Oliphant saw an opportunity. With a deep understanding of the community and a desire to educate patients, she launched Lemonade Aesthetics & Spa Clinic with a simple, intentional approach: start small, listen closely, and grow based on real needs. Beginning with services like Botox and dermal fillers, she expanded into advanced treatments such as microneedling and laser therapy, including the area’s only Pico laser for tattoo removal and skin rejuvenation.
Today, Lemonade stands apart for its boutique feel and patient-first philosophy. Oliphant emphasizes education, realistic expectations, and personalized care, often reminding clients that if something doesn’t bother them, it’s not worth treating. Her mission is less about transformation and more about confidence—helping people feel comfortable in their own skin while maintaining a natural, authentic look.
Marcia Rozell
Executive Director, Visit Manhattan
Marcia Rozell has spent a lifetime exploring what makes places memorable, but for the executive director of Visit Manhattan, the answer to what makes Manhattan special is simple: the people. That belief is rooted not just in her work, but in the winding path that brought her here.
Born in Florida while her father worked as a construction engineer, Rozell spent her early years moving from state to state before her family eventually settled in St. Louis. She describes her childhood there as active, adventurous, and shaped by a time when kids stayed out on their bikes until the streetlights came on. Later, college in Columbia, Missouri led her to meet her husband, and graduate school carried them to the Pacific Northwest, where their love for exploring truly took hold.
That spirit of adventure only deepened over time. After a stop in Iowa City, where the couple welcomed two children, Kansas State University brought the family to Manhattan nearly 30 years ago when her husband was hired as a professor in animal science. They came for an interview and quickly fell in love with the community, eventually raising their children here.
One of the most formative chapters in Rozell’s life came during a yearlong sabbatical in Scotland. Living in Glasgow with two grade-school children, the family immersed themselves in the culture, traveled extensively, and visited an astonishing 72 castles. The experience shaped how the family viewed travel, community, and even hospitality. It also helped explain why Rozell seems so naturally suited for tourism work.
She began her career with Visit Manhattan as a service coordinator, eventually rising through tourism and sports sales roles before becoming director in May 2023. Today, she sees her job as one of connection: linking people, businesses, and experiences in ways that help the community thrive. Manhattan has changed dramatically since 1997, she says, but its greatest strength remains the same. In the end, what makes the Little Apple stand out is what has always made it home: its people.
“There’s a career theory called planned happenstance: stay open to opportunities and let people see your strengths. Good things can happen, but only if you’re paying attention—because sometimes opportunity is simply a door opening, and you have to recognize it.” (Dr. Law-Delrosso