MEET
THE TEAM

John Wallace is a Co-Founder of Workbox. Prior to Workbox, John spent 20 years as a real estate and equities investor at Brookfield Asset Management, LaSalle Investment Management, and Legg Mason. He has led international teams and investment strategies at the Managing Director and Director level in the U.S., Amsterdam, and Hong Kong. John holds an MBA from the University of Chicago, BS from the University of Maryland, and is a CFA Charterholder.

Caitlin McAllister is the COO of Workbox. Prior to Workbox, Caitlin was the Executive Director of Catapult Chicago, one of Chicago’s earliest tech incubators (now part of 1871). Caitlin has also held executive roles at Starwood and IHG responsible for managing teams of up to 75 employees while developing experiential programming and managing strategic partnerships within the luxury brand segment. Caitlin holds a BA from the University of Portland.

Kyle O’Connor is the CFO of Workbox. Prior to Workbox, Kyle was the Vice President of Finance for Brookfield Asset Management and has held finance roles at Guggenheim Partners and Ernst & Young over the past 15 years. He has advised multinational corporations in the Real Estate, Financial Services, and the Automotive industries on financial structuring and implementation over his professional tenure. Kyle holds an MS from the University of Notre Dame, BS from Purdue University, and is a Registered CPA.

Phillip Leslie is Managing Partner at Workbox Ventures, where he seeks to grow the firm’s impact on the Future of Work.  Previously, Phillip was Managing Director at TechNexus, a multistage firm with a portfolio of 125+ ventures including investments at the Seed and Series A stages.  Earlier, Phillip grew and sold two B2B SaaS ventures, after concluding his time working on Microsoft’s earliest IoT technologies.  Phillip holds an MBA from University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a Computer Science degree from Purdue.

Tawny Safieddine is the Director of Systems and Training at Workbox. She leads operational system procurement and implementation strategy as well as internal training for all community operations staffing. She previously held positions at Kids Science Labs and Guaranteed Rate. Tawny holds a BA from Northwestern University.

Kelly Pease is the Director of Business Development at Workbox. Prior to Workbox, Kelly wore multiple hats, leading strategy and development for Catapult Chicago, a startup incubator that is now part of 1871. Early in her career, Kelly led city-wide community engagement for the Chicago Park District where she managed various programs on the North, West, and South sides of Chicago. She also currently serves on the board of directors for a local nonprofit. Kelly holds a BS from DePaul University.

Tyler Smith is the Director of National Sales at Workbox. Prior to Workbox, Tyler was the Regional Sales Manager for Expansive, leading their northern region with strategies, trainings, and mentoring. He is very passionate about the success of others given his previous experience in hospitality with companies such as Starwood, Marriott, and Hilton. Tyler holds a BS from Roosevelt University.

Samantha Schwartz is the Director of Business Services at Workbox. Having worked in the startup ecosystem of Chicago for over five years, she served as the Collaboration Manager at TechNexus Venture Collaborative and as the VP of Fontenelle Art. She is passionate about improving the entrepreneurial experience through connection, advocacy, and empowerment. Sam holds a BA from DePaul University.

Austin Taylor is the Director of Marketing at Workbox. Having held roles in marketing and advertising on both the client and agency side, Austin has managed digital and traditional advertising campaigns for multiple Fortune 500 corporations. Prior to Workbox, he spent 5 years with the Global Advertising team at United Airlines. Before United, he worked at Digitas, a global marketing and technology agency, developing digital advertising and marketing initiatives for Miller Lite of the Molson Coors Beverage Company. Austin holds a Bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University.

Sloane Goff is the Area Manager for Workbox’s Chicago locations. Prior to joining Workbox, they served as Community Manager at MakeOffices in the Loop. Though originally from Memphis, TN, they relocated to Chicago from Seattle, WA, and have over 10 years of experience in customer service roles. Sloane holds an MA in Creative Entrepreneurship from Columbia College Chicago and a BA from the University of Memphis.

Ben Northrop is the Senior Manager of IT Operations at Workbox. Prior to Workbox, Ben was the Infrastructure Operations Manager at James Hardie Building Products. Ben has been in the IT industry for over 11 years, starting his career at RSM as a Help Desk Analyst, advancing his way into engineering roles and eventually management at James Hardie. Ben holds a BS from Western Illinois.

Khala Bridges is a Sales Manager at Workbox. Prior to joining Workbox, she served as Sales Manager at Village Green. Originally from Michigan, Khala has experience in marketing, sales, and over seven years of experience in residential property management. In this role she continues to pursue her passion of connecting with people and helping others. Khala holds a BA from Western Michigan University.

Katie Hornsby is a Sales Manager at Workbox who enjoys working with clients to help find flexible office solutions to fit their needs. Prior to joining Workbox, she served as Impact Tech Consultant at Green Innovation Group in Lisbon, Portugal. Originally from St. Louis, Katie has experience in marketing, property management, sales, and over six years of experience in customer facing roles. Katie holds a BS from Indiana University.

Brian Hutchings is the Minneapolis Sales Manager for Workbox. Prior to Workbox, Brian worked in Destination sales and marketing addressing the meetings and events market and domestic/international tourism. Brian’s background also includes roles in Travel Technology, SaaS, and Consulting Services sales. Brian’s diverse experience helps him connect with Workbox members to better understand their individual work environment needs and position them for success. Brian holds a BS from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

Andrew Traxler is the Senior Accountant and Financial Analyst of Workbox. Prior to Workbox, Andrew spent over three years at KPMG in their external audit department. Andrew graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with his BBA and Master of Accountancy. He is also a Registered CPA.

Adam Mengesha is the Community Manager at Workbox’s Magnificent Mile location, handling all daily operations of the space and assisting members. Prior to joining Workbox, he worked at Rush Medical University Center as a Guest Relations Associate in the Emergency Department. Originally from Dallas, Texas, he relocated to Chicago five years ago, and has over 10 years of experience in customer support. Adam holds a BA from the University of Texas at Austin—and once held the world record for most push-ups into a pan of BBQ sauce.

Brooke VanHoutte is the Community Manager at Workbox’s Gold Coast location, handling all daily operations of the space and assisting members. Prior to joining Workbox, she worked with children and families in different capacities over the past five years providing customer service and assistance helping her continue to deepen her passion for serving and helping others. Brooke holds a BA from Roosevelt University.

Anya Hankerson Woods is the Community Manager at Workbox’s River North location, handling all daily operations of the space and assisting members. Prior to joining Workbox, she served as the Community Manager for a non-profit organization whose focus is providing STEM programs, resources, and technology spaces to under-resourced communities in Chicago. In this role, she combines her community engagement skills with her creative background to cultivate an enjoyable member experience here at Workbox. Anya holds a BA from Columbia College Chicago.

Sara Thornton is the Community Manager at Workbox’s West Loop location, handling all daily operations of the space and assisting members. Prior to joining Workbox, she served as the Operation Manager for an e-commerce marketplace providing specialty ingredients for restaurants. In this role, she was able to learn how to start a company from the ground up. With 8 years of operations management experience, Sara is a confident manager of people, projects, and business strategy. Sara holds a BA from Columbia College.

Barbara Goodman is the Community Manager at Workbox’s Downtown Minneapolis location, handling all daily operations of the space and assisting members. Prior to joining Workbox, Barbara dedicated her talents for over 10 years to special education in the public school system, specializing in math education. She also brings extensive experience in the hospitality industry in marketing, customer support, and guest services. Barbara’s history of community volunteerism, along with her work to support and engage people, combine to offer an elevated experience for Workbox clients. She attended college at Minnesota Statue University-Mankato and Bemidji State University, with a focus on Industrial Organizational Psychology.

Maddie Smith is an Operations Associate at Workbox, assisting Community Managers in handling all daily operations of the space and member assistance. Prior to joining Workbox, she was the Marketing Manager at the St. Louis Area Foodbank before moving to Chicago. Originally from Kansas City, Missouri, Maddie has over 8 years of customer service and communications experience. She holds a BA from Truman State University.

Harold Deulofeut is an Operations Associate at Workbox, assisting Community Managers in handling all daily operations of the space and member assistance. Prior to joining Workbox, Harold spent 2 years in the mortgage industry, processing approvals for home loans.  Originally from Dallas, Harold moved to Chicago to attend college and received his BA from Loyola University.

Bobby McPherson is the Operations Associate for Workbox’s Downtown Minneapolis location. Prior to joining Workbox, Bobby worked as an Operations Assistant and Facility Manager for the Minneapolis Athletic Club. Though originally from Washington, D.C., Bobby has spent the past 6 years living in Minneapolis. He holds a BS in Exercise Science from Morgan State University.