Katie Bean

I love telling the stories of businesses and leaders.

Photo by Leah Kelley on Pexels

Writing

Featured Articles

Much of my most recent work comprises leadership profiles.

The Christian Century •

Saving church buildings to save the planet

Editor’s note: This story is part of “Growing a Green Church,” an ongoing series focused on churches’ efforts to steward their buildings and land effectively in the context of a changing climate. The project is produced in collaboration with the Christian Century, Episcopal News Service, Faithfully Magazine, National Catholic Reporter, and Sojourners, with support from the Solutions Journalism Network and funding from the Fetzer Institute. Find more stories in the series here.

In the United Sta
American Association of Private Lenders •

Three’s Company for Founding Trio

Mortgage Automator’s partners rely on each other’s strengths to move the company forward.

Some say it’s not advisable to go into business with your friends, but the founders of Mortgage Automator wouldn’t have it any other way.

The Toronto, Ontario, tech company has evolved from a proprietary software project to an award-winning business with 50 employees and 275 clients across the globe. Partners Pavel Tchourliaev, Lawrence Schwartz, and Joe Fooks see more growth ahead.

‘We’re Going to Sell
American Association of Private Lenders •

Boldness and Bravery Defy Adversity

Cindy Nasser’s early life experiences taught her lessons about business, empathy, and leadership that drive her success.

Cindy Nasser’s career path has been anything but typical. But her life experiences have equipped her with insights that uniquely qualify her to lead teams at PCV Murcor.

As chief operating officer, she touches nearly all parts of the business, including IT, vendor management, client services, order fulfillment, quality control, and support teams.

Watching her successfully l
American Association of Private Lenders •

An Unexpected Journey

Susan Naftulin navigated a career from history major to fashion retail to private lending and entrepreneurship—a path she never envisioned.

Susan Naftulin is an unexpected entrepreneur. Perhaps no one was more surprised than she was to find herself on this path.

“I always call myself the accidental entrepreneur because I am not a risk-taker,” she said. “I’m not entrepreneurial. I like the security of knowing that someone else is doing most of the work to make sure I get my paycheck.”

Yet her

My Latest Work

Kansas City Business Journal •

KCBJ's 2025 Women of Influence: Kerryann Kocher - Kansas City Business Journal

After having her third child, Kerryann Kocher was ready to make another big change.She had spent her career in animal health and was passionate about the industry — she comes from a long line of Iowa farmers — but saw how things could be done differently. And so, at the end of her maternity leave, she decided to “jump off the corporate treadmill and start something from scratch,” Kocher said.She left her job as a corporate executive and started a consulting practice focus...
Kansas City Business Journal •

KCBJ's 2025 Women of Influence: Jolie Justus - Kansas City Business Journal

Throughout her life, Jolie Justus has noticed a pattern: Every so often, she comes to a crossroads where she could choose the safe and easy path or a bold and risky move. “I always seem to choose what I think is the bold, risky move, and it has always worked out in my favor,” she said.As a teenager, she wanted to pursue journalism and “take Tom Brokaw’s job,” she said. But when faced with the opportunity to attend law school or stick with a job she loved as a radio newscast...
Kansas City Business Journal •

KCBJ's 2024 NextGen Leaders: Alicia Kotarba - Kansas City Business Journal

Alicia KotarbaPresident, Notre Dame de SionNotre Dame de Sion is an independent Catholic school comprising a co-ed grade school serving pre-K through eighth grade students and an all-girls high school.Responsibilities: Kotarba oversees both campuses, fundraising, external alumni relations, recruitment, student life programming and academics.Favorite saying: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” — Nelson MandelaEntering education: When it came to choosing...
Kansas City Business Journal •

KCBJ's 2024 NextGen Leaders: Keith Bradley - Kansas City Business Journal

Keith BradleyCo-owner, Made in Kansas CityMade in Kansas City is a platform for local artists, makers and designers to sell goods through the company’s retail stores and cafés.Aha moment: Bradley, 40, started his career in the nonprofit sector because he wanted to help people, he said. Once Made in KC was able to provide its first full-time, salaried position with benefits, he realized “there’s a myriad of different ways that you can help people. I found that I enjoy employing people, the primar...
American Association of Private Lenders •

Right Place, Right Time

A cross-country move for a career change is one of the biggest leaps Melissa Martorella has made. The risk paid off.
Growing up in the small town of Winchendon, Massachusetts, Melissa Martorella attended Boston College for undergraduate and Tufts University in the Greater Boston area for graduate school. She spent a few years teaching Spanish before returning to a dream she’d had for a long time: becoming a lawyer.
American Association of Private Lenders •

Building a New Future

When Kendra Rommel wanted to grow her network, she didn’t have a university alumni group to tap into. Instead, she looked to her CrossFit gym, just one of many unconventional approaches she’s relied on to move her career forward.
Rommel’s approach to building her career and her company has been outside-the-box since she started mortgage lending at 17 years old. Going her own way has paid dividends, first as a successful salesperson and now as principal and co-founder of Futures Financial.
American Association of Private Lenders •

Ready to Grow

Tina DelDonna and Amy Doshi brought the right skills—at the right time—to scale Sharestates.
The paths that led Tina DelDonna and Amy Doshi to their roles at Sharestates—DelDonna as CFO and Doshi as general counsel—were wildly different. But kismet brought them together at a time when their diverse skill sets were needed. Beyond that, the two women on Sharestates’ executive team have come to deeply appreciate each other.
Kansas City Business Journal •

2023 Women Who Mean Business: Jy Maze - Kansas City Business Journal

© 2026 American City Business Journals. All rights reserved. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated August 13, 2024) and Privacy Policy (updated December 16, 2025). The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of American City Business Journals.

© 2026 American City Business Journals. All rights reserved. Use of and/or registratio...
Kansas City Business Journal •

2023 Women Who Mean Business: Brandiss Drummer - Kansas City Business Journal

© 2026 American City Business Journals. All rights reserved. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated August 13, 2024) and Privacy Policy (updated December 16, 2025). The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of American City Business Journals.

© 2026 American City Business Journals. All rights reserved. Use of and/or registratio...
Kansas City Business Journal •

2023 Women Who Mean Business: Julia Vander Weele - Kansas City Business Journal

© 2026 American City Business Journals. All rights reserved. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated August 13, 2024) and Privacy Policy (updated December 16, 2025). The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of American City Business Journals.

© 2026 American City Business Journals. All rights reserved. Use of and/or registratio...
The Christian Century •

Saving church buildings to save the planet

Editor’s note: This story is part of “Growing a Green Church,” an ongoing series focused on churches’ efforts to steward their buildings and land effectively in the context of a changing climate. The project is produced in collaboration with the Christian Century, Episcopal News Service, Faithfully Magazine, National Catholic Reporter, and Sojourners, with support from the Solutions Journalism Network and funding from the Fetzer Institute. Find more stories in the series here.

In the United Sta
American Association of Private Lenders •

Timing Is Everything

Private lending attorney has capitalized on serendipitous opportunities throughout his career.

Reflecting on his career, Nema Daghbandan can see that luck has played a large part in his success.

Today, he is a partner at Geraci Law Firm in Irvine, California, general counsel for the American Association of Private Lenders, and CEO of Lightning Docs, an automated loan document solution. The events leading him to law, to his firm, and to a specialty in private lending have a basis in hard work,
American Association of Private Lenders •

Three’s Company for Founding Trio

Mortgage Automator’s partners rely on each other’s strengths to move the company forward.

Some say it’s not advisable to go into business with your friends, but the founders of Mortgage Automator wouldn’t have it any other way.

The Toronto, Ontario, tech company has evolved from a proprietary software project to an award-winning business with 50 employees and 275 clients across the globe. Partners Pavel Tchourliaev, Lawrence Schwartz, and Joe Fooks see more growth ahead.

‘We’re Going to Sell
Load More

Follow Me