Cara France

CEO

Cara France is the Co-Founder and CEO of the Sage Group (formerly Sage Consulting Associates). She has built her 20+ year career on a passion for understanding business needs and delivering results. Now in her ninth year as CEO, Cara and her team have grown Sage into an award-winning professional services firm that provides marketing & business consultants and contractors to leading Bay Area companies.

Under her leadership, Sage has been recognized as one of the Fastest Growing Companies in America by Inc Magazine in 2009 and one of the Largest Bay Area Women-Owned Businesses by the San Francisco Business Times in 2009, 2010, and 2011. In addition, Cara was awarded Woman Entrepreneur of the Year in 2011 by the Women’s Initiative where she received Special Congressional Recognition from Nancy Pelosi.

Prior to The Sage Group, Cara gained deep business acumen in management, marketing and strategic consulting positions at companies including Intuit, Charles Schwab, Sun Microsystems, Instill Corporation, and Oliver Wyman Consulting.

She is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), Watermark’s Women CEO Forum (www.wearewatermark.org), and a Board Member and Treasurer of Impact A Village (www.impactavillage.org). Cara has a BBA from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Stanford University. She resides in the Bay Area with her husband Scott and their six-year old twins, Tandara & Gabriel.

Cara loves the Bay Area because:

of the eclectic culture, the entrepreneurial spirit, the extraordinary nature, and the amazing food scene

Cara can’t live without:

her family, yoga and morning smoothies

“I’m passionate about creating a company where our core values drive everything we do – in good times and bad.”

Chris Yelton

SVP, Business Development & Client Management

Chris is the Senior Vice President of Business Development & Client Management at Sage.  Chris has a 25+ year track record of driving innovation, revenue growth and operational transformation in emerging technology, clean-tech, and   non-profit environments. Chris has a reputation for exceeding aggressive performance targets by fostering a culture of collaboration by bringing diverse stakeholders together to achieve outstanding results.

Before joining Sage, Chris was the Vice President of Worldwide Channel Sales and Market Development for Echelon Corporation, a clean-tech company. Prior to Echelon, Chris was the CEO of the International Museum of Women, where she built the first digital media museum of its kind in the world. Under her leadership, the museum received the Anita Borg Social Impact Award, the American Association of Museums MUSE Award, and a Special Congressional Recognition from Nancy Pelosi.

Chris also held various executive positions at Lucent Technologies including Vice President/General Manager, Japan, where she led the subsidiary to become the highest performing region worldwide.  She also developed their Latin American region, and ran worldwide sales operations for the $700M organization.

Chris has served on the Boards of the Professional Business Women of California, the International Museum of Women, and currently serves as a Director of the Dream University Foundation.

Chris has her BA from Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. She and her husband reside in the bay area with their two dogs Mancha and Spirit, cheering on their son in Los Angeles as he launches his career in sound engineering.

Chris loves the Bay Area because:

of its culture, natural beauty, food, wine and Mt. Tam

Chris can’t live without:

a phenomenal glass of pinot, cab or chardonnay from Napa, Sonoma or Anderson Valley

“Sage is a new breed of company unlike any other – we have an extraordinary team and culture committed to truly living our values.”

Mona Tseng

Head of Consultant & Placement Services

Mona is the head of Sage’s Consultant & Placement Services team. She brings over 15 years of expertise in executive level recruiting and personnel management in both the high tech and financial services industries. She has hand-built Sage’s Consultant & Placement Services Team, managing all aspects of assessing, selecting and placing consultants and contractors on assignment for our leading Bay Area clients.

Mona applies an impassioned and empathetic approach to the search process – she’s intelligent, results-driven and focused on empowering our consultants with career experience and assignments they love.

Prior to joining Sage, Mona worked for Google, managing recruitment for various C-level positions. Prior to Google, she headed up the recruiting team at Fisher Investments, a mid-sized financial services company.

Mona is a Bay Area native and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and minor in Managerial Economics from the University of California, Davis. She resides in Belmont with her husband and daughter.

Mona loves the Bay Area because:

of it’s natural beauty

Mona can’t live without:

her daughter, Kylie

“I believe in Sage’s future because we truly care about not just what we do, but how we do it.”

Tara May

Head of Business Operations

Tara leads Sage’s Business Operations team. With over 20 years of experience in operations, project management, and customer service at a variety of companies, Tara and her team ensure all day to day operations are seamless and productive.

Tara brings a passionate and mindful approach to providing excellent service regardless of the task at hand. Her commitment, authenticity, and detail-orientation have earned her accolades from our many consultants, employees, and clients.

Prior to joining Sage, Tara worked in customer service and operations management for such companies as Quest Diagnostics, Century 21 and the University of Maryland.

Tara is a Bay Area native and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication from the University of California at Santa Barbara. She resides in San Francisco overlooking the Bay.

Tara loves the Bay Area because:

the restaurants are abundant, the sunsets are stunning, and she’s loved the Transamerica Building since she was a young girl

Tara can’t live without:

 my friendly felines

“I’m inspired by and in awe of the team spirit and collaboration at Sage; everybody plays a part in our success.”

Ali Whitehurst

Consultant and Placement Services Team

Building on recruiting coordination experience within large high-tech and financial services companies, Ali can balance detail management and strategic engagement with our network of consultants. After earning her degree in English Literature and Media Studies from Colgate University in upstate New York, Ali returned to her hometown San Francisco to start her career with companies like Google and Ameriprise Financial.

Ali loves the Bay Area because:

you can get from ocean to city to forest in under an hour

Ali can’t live without:

the color orange and the San Francisco Giants

“One of the most exciting parts of working with The Sage Group is that our work and our relationships are created in style!”

Ana Duffy

Business Operations Team

Ana provides accounting and financial support ensuring The Sage Group is poised for long-term growth and success.  A Certified Management Accountant and San Francisco native, Ana received her Master’s Degree from Golden Gate University. Prior to joining The Sage Group, Ana was Controller for a San Francisco-based internet startup and Finance Manager at PG&E where she spent ten years of her career.

Ana loves the Bay Area because:

the food, music, outdoors, and activities to enjoy with her children are abundant

Ana can’t live without:

a cup of hot chocolate and a good night’s sleep

“Sage’s success solely lies in its employees, who are dedicated to finding the right candidate for each and every position through a highly collaborative process.”

Anna Lund

Business Operations Team

Anna supports Sage headquarters initiatives and crucial business operation functions, all while providing exceptional service to our clients and consultants. Anna graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of California Los Angeles before returning to her native San Francisco. Prior to joining The Sage Group, she was a Virgin America flight attendant and executive assistant in the legal field.

Anna loves the Bay Area because:

the combination of city, ocean, and mountains is unbeatable

Something Anna can’t live without:

her trusty running shoes

“I’m inspired by my work with The Sage Group because I have a dynamic role where I am constantly challenged to develop and grow.”

Barbara Caylor

Business Development & Client Management Team

With extensive expertise built working for Bay Area companies such as Intuit and Wells Fargo, Barb brings acute business acumen to assisting the clients we service. Barb’s approach to her business is hands on – she’s data driven while also being nimble and is a huge asset to our team and the hiring managers Sage supports. Barb is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in marketing, product management and business strategy. A California native, Barb received her MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Barb loves the Bay Area because:

it’s multi-cultural and people have acceptant attitudes

Barb can’t live without:

sunshine – it’s a hug from Mother Nature

“I love working for Sage because our service offers great relief to hiring managers in need of ’just the right’ consultant or contractor to support important business initiatives.”

Bonnie Doyle

Business Operations Team

Bonnie is a leader in database application development. Her interface and system design are so renowned she has been hired by the makers of Filemaker and IBM/Lotus not only to develop the templates that are packaged with their applications but also to develop and teach their train-the-trainer programs. Bonnie specializes in developing enterprise systems for small businesses and applications for corporate departments with specialized needs. She has developed systems for Apple, Smith Barney, Arthur J. Gallager, Barclay’s Global, Clorox Corporation, McKesson, and Epson America to name a few. In her spare time Bonnie writes, designs costumes, performs in 2-3 jazz groups, travels, and even welds just a bit.

Bonnie loves the Bay Area because:

there is an infectious attitude of creativity and possibility here

Bonnie can’t live without:

a spirit of inquiry

“The Sage team is dynamic and thoughtful and a joy to work with. “

Cameron Joyce

Business Development & Client Management Team

Cameron leads strategic initiatives to support overall client development, account management and business development operations. Building on experience working with senior executives in driving widespread organizational programs across various industries, Cameron’s key focus is on streamlining processes and developing lasting internal and external partnerships. A southern California native and former collegiate volleyball player, Cameron earned her Bachelor of Arts in Socio-Economics and Politics from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Cameron loves the Bay Area because:

she’s a foodie fanatic and loves the local culinary scene

Something Cameron can’t live without:

a good cup of coffee and her favorite NBA team

“I believe The Sage Group will change the marketplace by leading it with vision, focus and integrity.”

Danielle Layous

Business Development & Client Management Team

Danielle drives widespread lead generation and broad support efforts in support of Sage’s growth and business expansion efforts. A central California native, Danielle graduated Cum Laude from UCLA where she was also recognized with the Chancellor’s Award for Academic Excellence, the Ruth Luna Outstanding Senior Award, and the Four Year Belle Award. Another prolific traveler on the Sage team, Danielle has visited six continents and studied abroad in Brazil. Most recently, Danielle was a Corps Member for Teach For America in Seattle, Washington.

Danielle loves the Bay Area because:

the amazing diversity that is representative of the golden state.

Danielle can’t live without:

music, cooking, shark week, and Tarantino movies!

“I’m inspired every day by my work with Sage – I get to learn from some of the most intriguing and impressive people the Bay Area has to offer!”

Eva Walcott-Ayers

Consultant and Placement Services Team

Eva knows the key to understanding the unique skill sets and intangible characteristics of professionals in our network to form deep relationships with both consultants and clients. With top-notch customer service and an eye for detail, Eva expertly matches just the right talent with just the right assignment. This Oakland native is a University of California, Santa Barbara gaucho, and graduated with her BA in Physical Anthropology and French Literature. Eva is an experienced recruiter – she spent years in-house at financial services, technical, and non-technical companies.

Eva loves the Bay Area because:

she’s close to family, friends, and beautiful wine country

Eva can’t live without:

her Puggle, Macy

“The best part of working at The Sage Group is getting to know so many different people with such impressive, diverse backgrounds!”

Katherine Starros

Consultant and Placement Services Team

Katherine applies tenacity and a keen eye for details to expertly manage all stages of the placement process. As the Lead Marketing Team member, she works directly with our consultants to assess challenges, opportunities, short and long-term goals while understanding unique personal dynamics to ensure the best-possible cultural and professional fit. Her focus is on making the intangibles of our stellar consultants tangible for our clients. Before joining The Sage Group, this Los Angeles native graduated Magna Cum Laude from UCLA and worked in executive search and large-scale event planning.

Katherine loves the Bay Area because:

she prefers boots over flip-flops

Katherine can’t live without:

her watch

“The best part of my job is getting to work with people who genuinely love what they do – both at Sage and the consultants we work with.”

Lance Chu

Business Operations Team

Lance is a seasoned finance professional with over 20 years experience working for large and small companies across the San Francisco Bay Area.  As a member of Sage’s Business Operations Team, Lance serves as Sage’s Controller, overseeing large financial initiatives, accounting, and reporting. A Bay Area native, Lance earned his MBA from San Francisco State University.

Lance loves the Bay Area because:

it’s where he’s called home his whole life

Lance can’t live without:

cheering on his kids at their sports tournaments

“It’s a pleasure to work with such a great team.”

Megan Mirijanian

Consultant and Placement Services Team

Megan supports high-level strategic engagement and research within our Sage consultant network. She earned her degree in Nutrition from California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo before relocating to San Francisco. Prior to joining The Sage Group, Megan supported diverse programs and special initiatives across high-tech, public, and educational industries.

Megan loves the Bay Area because:

there’s so much energy and endless amounts of amazing dining options

Megan can’t live without:

dessert; it should be the 6th food group…

The Sage team has always been supportive and has had my best interest at heart.”

Melanie Vest

Business Development & Client Management Team

Melanie supports our clients with strong business expertise and superb customer service. She digs deep with our hiring managers to understand their challenges and business needs and manages the delivery of top-rated talent. Melanie’s background includes over 20 years experience as a management consultant, e-business strategist, and account and program management executive at Deloitte, E-LOAN and Navigant Consulting. Prior to joining Sage, she created and led a national marketing and business development program for Navigant. Melanie earned her MBA from Loyola University in Chicago while working full-time in commercial lending at National Westminster Bank.

Melanie loves the Bay Area because:

of the amazing trails for running, being close to the mountains and great wine

Melanie can’t live without:

her family

“Sage’s culture is unique – we have a fun and collaborative environment, an amazing group of colleagues, and a fantastic service to bring to the Bay Area!”

Stephan Winokur

Business Operations Team

Stephan ensures Sage’s IT needs are effectively handled. Building on his 15+ years experience as an applied engineer, Stephan works with a range of hardware and software solutions so that Sage can deliver its services in the marketplace. With an ability to translate complex technical systems into easily understood concepts, Stephan thrives in challenging situations, particularly those involving new services and growing companies. Originally from Philadelphia, Stephan has been a Bay Area resident since the 90’s. Stephan earned his Bachelor of Communications from Temple University in Philadelphia.

Stephan loves the Bay Area because:

the weather’s always great

Something Stephan can’t live without:

dark chocolate

“It’s engaging and fun to support a company from inception through extraordinary growth.”

Stephanie Mardell

Consultant and Placement Services Team

Stephanie is passionate about matching great talent with great opportunity. As Lead for Sage’s Business & Operations Team, she drives the candidate development and placement processes for senior-level consultants at top companies across the Bay Area. Her core focus areas include: project management, marketing, business operations and strategy. An avid international traveler and Minnesota native, Stephanie earned her BA in International Studies from American University in Washington D.C. Prior to joining Sage Stephanie spent years in executive search.

Stephanie loves the Bay Area because:

she loves to eat

Stephanie can’t live without:

her dog, Zoe, and her involvement with Taiko

“The Sage Group is a leader in the marketplace because we are passionate about matching great talent with incredible opportunity.”

Susan Rancourt

Business Development & Client Management Team

Susan brings a comprehensive point of view and innovative solutions to solving the key resource issues our clients face.  With over 25 years of experience working with companies such as Apple, Sun Microsystems, and Cisco Systems, Susan’s approach to assisting the hiring managers and executives we serve is aimed at efficient results that deliver what our clients need – fast. Susan’s key areas of expertise include strategic development, financial services, business planning, complex partner management, and international business throughout Asia Pacific.  Born and raised in Maine, Susan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, History, and Music from the University of Maine.

Susan loves the Bay Area because:

of the diversity, weather, food, and jazz

Susan can’t live without can’t live without:

dark chocolate and good books

“I love that Sage operates every day with high integrity and the best intentions for our clients, our consultants and our employees.  We think big and support each other in every way.”

Erin McGrath

Advisor

A former CEO, Erin McGrath is a Group Chairman for Vistage International and an Executive Advisor. Her clients are CEOs, presidents, and senior executives of Bay Area companies ranging from $10 million to $750 million in revenue.

While working with Erin, clients have: built award-winning teams, achieved consistent year-after-year double and triple-digit growth rates, successfully raised capital and sold companies, and gained higher levels of personal satisfaction as leaders in their businesses and lives.

Erin has a career history of management success in generating rapid growth and profitability in small and middle-market businesses and turnarounds, with functional expertise in strategy and marketing. She has over 30 years of experience as a business executive including: CEO and Founder of The Tasting Room, CEO of Nuprodx, President of McGrath and Associates, General Manager of Executive Resorts, and Strategy and Marketing Practice Leader for Arthur Young & Company (now CapGemini).

Past Treasurer and Board Member of the Harvard Business School Northern California Alumni Association, Erin has served on multiple nonprofit boards, and was a Director on the founding board of the Harvard Community Partners.

Erin holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a B.A. in Economics, with honors, from the University of California, at Davis.

When not out hiking in the hills of Marin, Erin resides in Sausalito.

Gary Weatherford

Advisor

Gary Weather has over 25+ years of experience as a senior executive who excels at leadership, building teams, managing change, and producing extraordinary results at both private and public companies.

He currently advises leaders of small, fast growing companies to assist with strategy, executive development, business planning, and execution. Clients include The Sage Group, BTTR Ventures, Blue Bottle Coffee Company, Fort Point Capital Partners, Altus Traffic Management and Bulls Eye International.

Gary served as COO at Bare Escentuals, a multi-channel cosmetics company, where new operating teams and processes enabled an accelerated IPO creating $2 billion in market value for investors. Under his leadership, the company built and managed operating infrastructure enabling annual sales growth to increase from 50% to 83% (over $250 million).

Prior to Bare Escentuals, Gary served as EVP reporting directly to the CEO of CostPlus, a publicly traded specialty retail chain, with over 200 locations and $1 billion in sales. As a member of the three-person executive team, the company achieved average revenue growth of 20% per year from 1995 – 2004, and average operating profit growth of 24% over the same period. Gary was responsible for leading teams and departments representing 95% of the company’s workforce (approximately 6,000 employees nationwide).

Gary has his BA in Economics & International Relations from San Francisco State University and his MBAE from the University of San Francisco Masagung Graduate School of Management where he received the Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence and Outstanding Student Leadership Award.