About Matterlab

As Co-Founder and President, Lane manages day-to-day operations, brand, and people. In her 20 years working with executives and entrepreneurs, she has transformed hundreds of visions into reality through building brands, crafting messages, and amplifying missions. Lane spent her early career as a designer and creative director, then found her way into the classroom through Teach For America. She now combines her marketing expertise and passion for education at Matterlab, helping leaders clarify their identities and communicate their impact.

Lane earned her MBA from The University of Texas McCombs School of Business and her undergraduate degree in journalism from James Madison University. She spends her free time exploring the outdoors with her husband, daughter, and two rescue dogs, Perry and George.

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Jessie began her career in tech where she specialized in account management, program and brand development, and team growth and retention. Through those roles and the experience of growing with a company from 36 to 225+ employees, Jessie recognized her strengths in building client relationships, creating scalable systems, and spearheading innovative communications to drive long-term goals. Jessie later transitioned her expertise into the social sector. She brings more than 12 years of experience working with new and growing organizations to find their identity. She joined Matterlab to build and lead the account management team and to contribute senior-level communications coaching and support across clients.

Jessie earned her undergraduate degrees from St. Edward’s University in communications and journalism and made Austin her permanent home after graduation. A believer in building connection through stories, Jessie is a published writer who features female business owners and creative entrepreneurs, and writes of her own experience in motherhood.

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Amy is a creative communications strategist with over 10 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. Her experience includes building and executing the communications and marketing strategy for a global education nonprofit in east and southern Africa to advancing educational equity as Associate Director of Strategy here at Matterlab. Amy is passionate about making an impact on her local community and thrilled to apply her global nonprofit experience here in the U.S. Amy received her B.A. from Texas A&M University with a degree in International Studies and a minor in French. She is a Certified Digital Marketing Professional recognized by the Digital Marketing Institute. Outside of work, Amy enjoys caring for her plants, painting, hiking with her dog, and debating the best Survivor strategies with friends.

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Afzal is inspired by the drive to connect individuals around the world through the power of digital marketing, branding, and communications. His experience leading marketing and digital strategies led him to Matterlab and social impact work, where he now gets to see positive change through his contributions.

Afzal has spent time consulting for organizations looking to create a powerful presence with their social media and branding. He is Digital Advertising Certified by Hubspot and uses his innovative skills to create and implement impactful digital ad campaigns. At Matterlab, he has overseen digital ad campaigns for over 50 Matterlab clients, with successes that have led to thousands of sign-ups/enrollments and over $20 million in earned revenue.

Afzal’s parents immigrated from South America to Queens, New York, where he and his twin brother were born, and he has been in Central Florida for the past 20 years. Afzal enjoys traveling near and far and has an extensive list of destinations he plans to visit. He enjoys spending quality time with his husband and loved ones and shares too many photos of his Standard Poodle, London, on social media.

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Nique is a multifaceted communications strategist with a passion for bringing innovative initiatives to life. She brings 15 years of experience to her role as Senior Manager of Business Development, where she combines her ability to distill high-level information into engaging content with a drive for social impact. Nique earned her degree in Business Administration from Abilene Christian University.

Nique’s experience involves developing communication strategies for the Medical and Social Services Division at Texas Health and Human Services Commission, including their WIC and SNAP programs. She also crafted key messages and awareness programs for breast cancer while working at Susan G. Komen Austin, Texas. Nique lives in Austin where she is an active volunteer with multiple nonprofit organizations and daydreams about homesteading. More than anything, she loves spending time with her husband, children, pets, and friends who are like family.

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Maya is eager to transform life outcomes for young people and is thrilled to be on a team with such a clear mission. After growing up in Glenn Dale, Maryland, Maya graduated from Eastern University in St. Davids, Pennsylvania and began her career in the social sector. Maya holds a Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification and her experience spans health, environment, and child welfare at nonprofits across the U.S. At Global Impact, she worked exclusively on the Combined Federal Campaign. In Los Angeles, she led development efforts for EarthShare. Eventually, she returned to her East Coast roots and worked for a local United Way managing projects across development, communications, and partnerships. Previous to her role at Matterlab, Maya led the creation of a new project management office for CHC: Creating Healthier Communities. Maya resides in Austin, Texas, with her husband, Josiah, and two daughters Morgan and Svea.

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Sarah works to amplify the voices of those who drive social impact. As a Senior Strategist, she cultivates success for Matterlab partners by building creative and strategic communication solutions.

With over 15 years in PR and marketing, her experience ranges across industries and includes high-profile clients such as Domino’s and Target. Among her achievements, Sarah has secured media placement in The New York Times, CNBC, Forbes, and Fortune. Sarah regularly participates in diversity and inclusion training and integrates new learnings into every aspect of her work. Additionally, She has led workshops and coaching sessions championing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) best practices in communications.

Sarah graduated summa cum laude from the University of St. Thomas, earning her B.A. in communications. When she’s not crafting eloquent prose, Sarah enjoys outdoor adventures and exploring Austin’s eclectic art scene with her assistant/dog, Charlie Pablo.

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Anna Casey is a servant leader, communicator, and true social entrepreneur. She has served both in-house and as a management consultant, specializing in strategic communications, leadership, as well as in innovative culture change and team practices. Over the past 20 years she has served CEOs, leaders and policymakers across various sectors, including: education tech, law, local & national government, public policy, green energy, and finance. She has trained teams across the UK, EU, Ukraine, Australia, and the U.S. Anna started her career as a local government press officer and since then has sat on various poverty alleviation-related boards and committees as well as worked on the ground on a number of economic literacy and empowerment programs.

British and Texan by heritage, Anna comes from a family of educators, has a degree in communications, is a Chartered Public Relations Practitioner, and is a certified Stonewall Ally. Anna has spoken — in her trademark irreverent style — alongside philanthropists, nonprofit leaders, a secretary of state, and private sector CEOs, always problem solving with a restorative practices lens, and always thinking big-picture with an uncanny eye for simplifying complexity. She believes that authenticity and heart have a place in every team, and in every communications challenge.

See Anna’s full resume on LinkedIn.