A passionate entrepreneur devoted to building great brands and innovative consumer experiences, Mara utilizes her multi-disciplinary background in design, business strategy, and brand consulting to create value in the crowded consumer marketplace of today.

Mara founded and is currently CEO of Utique Inc., a revolutionary automated retail and digital media platform named as a top innovation by the world’s most read consumer trend site, Trendwatching.com and listed in the Global Innovation Report in 2009.  U*tique has been profiled in top global publications including: W Magazine, Allure.com, Vogue Japan, InStyle Germany, and Oprah Magazine.

Mara has spoken to executive audiences at Pepsi, Procter and Gamble and conferences on the topics of innovation, consumer dynamics and next generation merchandising strategies. 

Previously, Mara advised leading global brands including Dove, Sunsilk, AXE, PepsiCo, Heineken, Yahoo!, and Absolut on brand strategy and global consumer trends at award-winning qualitative research consultancy Flamingo International, part of the Omnicom Group.  Mara went on to found BlackBox Brands, a consultancy which advised global brands and consumer goods private equity firms.   Mara received her BA with Honors, magna cum laude, in Architecture and Design from Yale University.  

Utique is building THE NEXT CHANNEL in a multichannel retail landscape. 

Utique develops and operates premium automated retail solutions (part of the double-digit growth self-service sector).   With cutting edge display technologies, streamlined processes, and deep consumer understanding, Utique delivers on the needs of its brand partners and a growing demographic of time-strapped consumers.