Monique Reis is the Executive Director of the Center for Creative Economy. Her career began in industrial design, where she developed a sharp eye for the intersection of creativity and function. That foundation carried her into marketing and organizational strategy and eventually into mission-driven leadership across education, wellness, and social impact. Over more than a decade working in the U.S. and Brazil, Monique has guided organizations through growth and change, strengthened internal culture, and supported over $2.5 million in fundraising efforts. She has trained more than 100 professionals in design thinking, led cross-functional teams through complex transitions, and built communications strategies that measurably increased engagement, retention, and brand trust. She’s known for making complex ideas actionable and bringing structure where others see ambiguity. Bilingual in English and Portuguese, Monique holds an MBA from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she was inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma honor society, along with a master’s in marketing and a BA in industrial design. At CCE, Monique is shaping an ecosystem where early-stage creative entrepreneurs find the strategy, accountability, and support they need to grow.