Since its founding in 2018, Dual Wield Studio’s team has changed and expanded dramatically. In rounding the corner into year six and beyond, we’d like to introduce you to the current Dual Wield Studio team.
The Dual Wield Studio Team
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| Rowan Rowden, CEO & Co-Founder |
Rowan likes to say she started Dual Wield Studio out of spite, angry at how so many companies took advantage of artists and creators. But her distinct vision for the future attracted a team deeply committed to making a company that instead empowered and paid creators what they’re worth.
These are the staff and teams that comprise Dual Wield Studio to make that vision a reality, all of whom shared how they made their way to Dual Wield Studio or what they’d like it to be known for.
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Alice Putz, Executive Assistant |
Production Team
The Production team shepherds the products made on our digital storefront from inception to sale, orchestrating schedules between manufacturers, artists, internal and external stakeholders, and everyone in between.
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Paulomi Pratap, Producer “Dual Wield Studio is a place for growth. Growing is hard, and while folks can do it on their own, it helps to have a community of people who, if they aren't growing alongside you in their own way, are encouraging you as you do it.” |
Nick Trujillo, Producer “We live in a world where, functionally, getting a product made is easier than ever AND you're financially incentivized to do things as cheap and exploitative as you can. Dual Wield Studio is a place that looks those norms in the face and sincerely believes that they can fuck-off.” |
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Lauren Jordan, Producer “I knew of Dual Wield Studio online from peers and artists with their own storefronts and merchandise that spoke highly of the team. I love how Dual Wield Studio is aggressively pro-worker.” |
Kat McCollum, Producer |
Approvals Team
The Approvals team oversees submissions from our mass market partners. If you see an Among Us product out in the wild, if it’s official and not specifically the game, it’s likely the Approvals team shepherded its development from concept to final product.
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Heather Panetti, Approvals Director, Cut & Sew Lead “When I interviewed, I was blown away by how direct and honest the Dual Wield Studio team was. I have never worked for a company that actually looks out for the staff. My ideas are valued and never brushed aside–we have a team that really does care!” |
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Lindsay Ishishiro, Product Developer “I wrote a fanfic so deliciously angsty that it made Rowan track me down at a convention to yell at me (affectionate), and the rest of our friendship is history. I watched Dual Wield Studio grow from the ground up, raising the bar for ‘official’ merchandise that bridges the gap between intense, passionate creativity of fans and the creators of the things they love.” |
Katie McDermott, Product Developer “There’s so much that makes Dual Wield Studio special, but the compassion and care throughout the company is the one thing I’d want the team to be known for. Everyone is so supportive of each other; you really feel like folks have your back. And every day I'm grateful to work somewhere that really, truly treats its employees like people.” |
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Tash Donkoh, Junior Product Developer “Dual Wield Studio is a company that cares A LOT–about its people, about fans, and about the world around us! Not a lot of companies can say that they genuinely do care, while still wanting to put out kick ass products.” |
Art Team
The Art team at Dual Wield Studio transforms ideas into visual concepts that go on to become tangible products. They oversee the designs for all of our collections, marketing visuals, and everything aesthetic in-between.
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Zara Varin, Art Director & Senior Product Designer “I met Rowan through fandom and have been an avid supporter of Dual Wield Studio since its inception. Fandom has been a lifelong creative outlet and vital lifeline for me, and I love that Dual Wield Studio aims to exemplify the process and priorities we care about in the work we do while elevating the fandoms we love.” |
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Mengmeng Liu, Lead Artist “Rowan found me via Destiny 2 fanart and hired me to create art! Dual Wield Studio makes the best merchandise for cool IPs, because we all love and care so much about what we do and we want to show that through what we create.” |
Merchandise & Technology Team
The Merchandise & Technology team keeps all our internal processes running smoothly: from Shopify, to our fulfillment center, to our internal knowledge databases, and everything in between. They intersect and interconnect all teams at Dual Wield Studio.
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Alyssa Maynard, Merchandise & Technology Coordinator “I started working for Dual Wield Studio designing licensed Tamora Pierce products after I made some obsessive tweets about Veralidaine Sarrasri. I would want people to know Dual Wield Studio for how much we nerds love and care about each thing we make, licensed or original. We’re fans, too!” |
Erik Tetreault, Merchandise & Technology Coordinator “Rowan and I worked together in the past and I saw her make Dual Wield Studio from the ground up. I would want it to be known for standing up for what is good and, more importantly, how we treat the people we work with and around us!” |
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Abby Palma, Merchandise & Technology Coordinator “When I applied to join the team, I instantly resonated with Dual Wield Studio’s values and our staunch support of artists and creators. Our fandom-focused approach is what really drew me. Above all else, I want people to know Dual Wield Studio values people over profit–not just in the work we do, but also the people we hire!” |
Meghan Dornbrock, Merchandise & Technology Coordinator “As a book nerd, I love that Dual Wield Studio does quality merchandise for book series like Tamora Pierce’s The Tortall Universe and Xiran Jay Zhao’s Iron Widow. Book fandoms can be so underserved!” |
Finance Team
The Finance team facilitates everything money-related for Dual Wield Studio–from payments to freelance creators, reporting royalties to our partners, and building budgets to promote Dual Wield Studios’ long-term growth while supporting the staff.
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Sydney Brown, Accountant “I work with so many wonderful artists and creators on their taxes, and they recommended me to Rowan. If there was one thing I would want Dual Wield Studio to be known for, it’s our commitment to high-quality, artist-focused work and incredible products!” |
Marketing Team
The Marketing team promotes everything Dual Wield Studio does–our product collections, our company initiatives, and everything we’re proud to share with our fans and fans of the IPs we work with. From social media, to our blogs and newsletters, the Marketing team gets the word out however they can!
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Kara Markee, Marketing Coordinator “Initially, I met Rowan on a business call while I was at another company. I was really inspired by everything Dual Wield Studio stood for and how they aligned with my own personal beliefs, to the point where I could see myself growing & flourishing there! Dual Wield Studio is truly setting the standard for how businesses can and should be operating across all industries, and I could not be more proud to be here.” |
Business Development Team
The Business Development team manages all Dual Wield Studio’s business relationships, including our clients, partners, and vendors. They act as the first point of contact at the beginning and end of Dual Wield Studio’s initiatives and serve as support throughout the entire time folks work with us.
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Michael Moccio, Business Development Director “I joined Dual Wield Studio because of Rowan’s commitment to make this industry better. Her vision is galvanizing and infectious, and everything Dual Wield Studio touches becomes better because of that unparalleled commitment to excellence.” |
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Mallerie Hendrix, Business Development Coordinator “I joined Dual Wield Studio as Rowan’s first executive assistant before transitioning into business development. I love how Dual Wield Studio is a big protector and supporter of marginalized folks–whether it’s via employment, making their merch, or supporting a cause.” |
Mike DeVillar, Business Development Coordinator “I found Dual Wield Studio through a friend who was really familiar with the business. Now, as part of the team, I want us to be known for excellent merchandise made by excellent people, who work with a focus and commitment for doing what’s right instead of what’s easy.” |
Dual Wield Studio has grown significantly since it started, and we plan to keep growing to further our mission to make merchandising and licensing a more ethical, sustainable industry.
Keep up to date on everything we’re working on, as well as when the next installment of our Anniversary Blog series goes live by signing up for our newsletter here.
Note: All illustrations seen here were made by Meilee Chao (bkomei). You can follow them here.