Our Mission
Launched in 2018, The Bench was founded with a goal of making the creative work experience better for brands, agencies and talent.
In all things, we value:
integrity, optimism, and problem-solving.
Meet the Team
Sarah Musgrove
Founder
As the Owner and CEO of The Bench, Sarah sets a high bar for the standard of excellence delivered by both her team and the creative talent network. Her leadership and vision...
Sarah Musgrove
As the Owner and CEO of The Bench, Sarah sets a high bar for the standard of excellence delivered by both her team and the creative talent network. Her leadership and vision drives the company, and provides the foundational values of The Bench.With a background in marketing agency life, and a connector by nature, Sarah has a knack for finding the right talent to meet even the most unique needs. At The Bench Sarah is responsible for quality control. She ensures that creative talent is thoroughly vetted and produces work of the highest caliber.
Her client roster includes Nike, Brand Jordan, Apple, Toyota, Lexus, Activision, Konami and Varonis.
Sarah is the former President of the Los Angeles / Orange County chapter for Women in Sports and Events (WISE) and is passionate about advancing opportunities for women in business. When she’s not working, you can find Sarah in Baton Rouge, growing her own vegetables and tending her new cut flower garden.
Erin Kent
Vice President – Creative Partnerships
Erin Kent is a seasoned creative leader who bridges the worlds of marketing, operations, and storytelling. As Vice President of Creative Partnerships...
Erin Kent
Erin Kent is a seasoned creative leader who bridges the worlds of marketing, operations, and storytelling.As Vice President of Creative Partnerships at The Bench, she helps brands unlock their creative potential by aligning top-tier talent with bold ideas that inspire, connect, and perform.
With more than a decade at Nike, Erin has led global campaigns, partnerships, and award-winning creative teams—building systems and strategies that empower innovation at scale.
Her work reflects a deep understanding of how creativity and structure work hand in hand to produce meaningful brand experiences.
Based in Oregon, Erin finds balance outside of work through golf, skiing, travel, gardening, and adventures with her husband, Troy, and their two dogs, Owen and Larry.
Kristy Suworoff
Senior Director
At her core, Kristy is driven by relationships. Her background in both agency and brand gives her a unique perspective into the hearts and minds of artists and executives alike, fueling her...
Kristy Suworoff
At her core, Kristy is driven by relationships. Her background in both agency and brand gives her a unique perspective into the hearts and minds of artists and executives alike, fueling her motivations for efficient and effective relationships.With a foundation in professional sports, event marketing, retail and direct sales, Kristy has a proven track record in developing strategies that strengthen the productivity of her teammates.
For The Bench, Kristy brings her deep experience and passion for delivering exceptional service, as well as her keen eye for operational details and strong project management.
Kristy manages the Independent Contractor Management / Talent Management business, clients include Nike, Wasserman and Minted. She also oversees a few core clients.
Though a Wisconsin native, Kristy currently resides in Nashville, and loves to try all the hottest and hidden gems the Nashville food scene has to offer.
Sophia Patten
Senior Director
An alumnus of the Missouri School of Journalism at the University of Missouri (M-I-Z!), Sophia spent several years as a news producer and reporter, before producing for media companies...
Sophia Patten
An alumnus of the Missouri School of Journalism at the University of Missouri (M-I-Z!), Sophia spent several years as a news producer and reporter, before producing for media companies such as the Oprah Winfrey Network in LA and live events for Nike, Apple, Netflix, Adidas, Viceland and more – across the U.S. She has worked on hundreds of events and productions for brands large and small while managing million-dollar budgets and crafting enjoyable experiences for consumers.At the bench, Sophia oversees dozens of projects, teams, budgets, clients and freelancers simultaneously. She can be described as the bench special Ops – keeping a birdseye view above all projects and dropping in to assist in ‘putting out fires’ when needed. Her strengths within her role are thinking strategically, looking for efficiencies, encouraging both hard work and having fun simultaneously and making people feel seen and heard.
Sophia can often be found strolling around Los Angeles in a big, dorky bucket hat, typically along the Pacific Ocean with her loyal companion (and shadow) Gigi trailing behind her. She is a big fan of live music, Mediterranean food, and tarot cards.
Joey Busse
Production Manager
Joey has been part of The Bench team for over six years, taking on roles as an Account Lead, Project Manager, and Event Producer. He brings strong communication...
Joey Busse
Joey has been part of The Bench team for over six years, taking on roles as an Account Lead, Project Manager, and Event Producer. He brings strong communication skills, operational discipline, and a strategic mindset to every engagement, bridging creative vision with scalable, organized delivery.Joey has led large-scale community events with thousands of attendees, managed multi-million-dollar budgets, and directed nationwide staffing programs that hired, trained, and booked hundreds of brand ambassadors. He’s capable of building structure out of complexity, guiding teams through fast-moving projects with clarity and accountability.
A reality-driven leader, Joey focuses on connecting people, process, and purpose, ensuring each project aligns with broader business goals and high creative standard at The Bench. His clients include State Farm, Nike, Students Run LA, Everlane, ALDI, and Portillo’s.
Outside of work, Joey is a songwriter and vocalist with millions of streams, and his music has been featured on ABC, Netflix, and Bravo.
Jean-Luc Cavnar
Sr. Director of Production
Jean-Luc Cavnar-Lewandowski is a production director and creative storyteller with over a decade of experience shaping large-scale activations, live events...
Jean-Luc Cavnar
Jean-Luc Cavnar-Lewandowski is a production director and creative storyteller with over a decade of experience shaping large-scale activations, live events, and brand experiences. Known for blending artistry with operational precision, he brings ambitious ideas to life through thoughtful strategy, strong collaboration, and seamless execution.Jean-Luc has helped define the creative and cultural presence of brands like Nike, State Farm, E-Toro & Apple—leading projects that range from citywide runs and national tours to immersive installations and digital storytelling campaigns. His work bridges design and logistics, creating experiences that feel both innovative and deeply human.
With a background that spans creative direction, production management, and team leadership, Jean-Luc approaches every project with curiosity and intention. He believes the best experiences are built at the intersection of creativity and structure—where vision, craft, and collaboration come together to make lasting impact.
Karen Labucki
Operations Manager
Karen is the operations engine behind the scenes at The Bench — handling AP/AR, talent onboarding, vendor setups, SOW distributions, and contractor...
Karen Labucki
Karen is the operations engine behind the scenes at The Bench — handling AP/AR, talent onboarding, vendor setups, SOW distributions, and contractor payments. Known affectionately as the “Sheriff of the Team,” she ensures projects stay on track, so creatives and clients alike can focus on what they do best.Before joining The Bench, Karen built a solid foundation in accounting and operations at a major automotive group, where her precision and process-focus became second nature.
A lifelong New Englander living in Massachusetts, she’s a proud mom of two boys. Outside of work, Karen serves as Vice Chair of her school‐district’s Special Education Parent Advisory Council—an advocate for neurodivergent children—and you’ll often find her cheering at soccer or Little League games or relaxing with family at their go-to spot, Wells Beach in Maine.
Our Clients
Our ideal clients
are those who seek:
Bandwidth
Increase your team’s capabilities and areas of expertise without increasing your headcount.
Quality
Top-tier talent that prefers the freelance life, so they aren’t angling for a job.
Efficiency
You get what you pay for, and only pay for what you get. No padded scope estimates or top-heavy rates.
Flexibility
We scale up or down on a moment’s notice, without any HR headaches. Your creative team flexes with the needs of the work.