About Us/
Founded on the Premise of Trust and Transparency
the bench was founded by Jennifer Houston and Sarah Musgrove in 2018, to transform the way people work, so that freelancers and brand are empowered, and everyone wins.
An evolution to the traditional agency model, the bench provides a unique business model that breaks down barriers between brands and the right talent for their project. By leveraging a roster of over 700 vetted professionals in the marketing and events industry. the bench hand selects the expertise and background needed for each unique project.
About Us/
Founded on the Premise of Trust and Transparency
the bench was founded by Jennifer Houston and Sarah Musgrove in 2018, to transform the way people work, so that freelancers and brand are empowered, and everyone wins.
An evolution to the traditional agency model, the bench provides a unique business model that breaks down barriers between brands and the right talent for their project. By leveraging a roster of over 700 vetted professionals in the marketing and events industry. the bench hand selects the expertise and background needed for each unique project.
Meet the team/
FOUNDER
Sarah Musgrove
A connector by nature, Sarah Musgrove dove head-first into the gig economy in 2008, and has helped agencies, brands and freelancers navigate those waters ever since. She was 24 and working at an agency when the economy crashed; as companies suffering layoffs...
Sarah Musgrove
A connector by nature, Sarah Musgrove dove head-first into the gig economy in 2008, and has helped agencies, brands and freelancers navigate those waters ever since. She was 24 and working at an agency when the economy crashed; as companies suffering layoffs sought a path forward, Sarah discovered she had a knack for finding the right talent to meet even the most unique needs. With agency chops in experiential marketing, Sarah is intimately familiar with the many moving pieces that must fall into place for a campaign to succeed. At the bench. – which not only connects brands and agencies with freelance talent, but also provides oversight and management of those teams – Sarah is responsible for quality control. She ensures that freelancers are thoroughly vetted and produce work of the highest caliber for our clients.
Sarah began her career in events at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), upon graduating from Loyola Marymount University. After two years at AMPAS, she joined a boutique engagement marketing agency in LA and produced experiential campaigns for popchips, POM Wonderful, Nestle USA and Zynga. She launched Musgrove Productions, to support larger agencies with experiential execution. Her client portfolio included the Palo Alto International Film Festival, Toyota, Lexus, Activision, Konami, Beats by Dre, Simply Sporty, Nike, and Mercury Insurance.
In 2014, she joined On Board Experiential (OBEXP). Beyond producing experiential campaigns at OBEXP she led the Los Angeles and Portland based Production teams for the company. It was at OBEXP that Sarah met Jennifer Houston, and in 2018, she and Jenn co-founded the bench.
Sarah is the current President of the Los Angeles chapter for Women in Sports and Events (WISE).
DIRECTOR
Kristy Suworoff
You know that feeling you get when someone does something delightful, unexpectedly? Kristy Suworoff strives to deliver that feeling daily. It is a desire that fuels her interactions with artists and executives, leading to an ever-expanding grid of lasting relationships...
Kristy Suworoff
You know that feeling you get when someone does something delightful, unexpectedly? Kristy Suworoff strives to deliver that feeling daily. It is a desire that fuels her interactions with artists and executives, leading to an ever-expanding grid of lasting relationships.
Progressive roles in Professional Sports, Live Event Marketing, Retail, Tech, and Direct Sales have enabled Kristy to sharpen the skills necessary to provide efficient and effective work strategies while strengthening the productivity of her teammates.
It began with the Milwaukee Brewers. Kristy, a Wisconsin native, started with the organization in Operations, but her natural ability and reputation as a master facilitator led to a key oversight role on the MLB All-Star Game in 2002, after which she was hand-picked as the team’s liaison for the Bernie Mac sports drama, Mr. 3000. Recruited by GMR Marketing, Kristy spent the next 8 years on the agency side, honing her diverse skills across a range of accounts, from New Balance and Harley Davidson, to Ferrari (a highlight, thanks to the test drive). Time as Executive Assistant to the CMO of Kohl’s, and other C-level players, followed. Kristy relocated to Nashville, taking on the unique role of gatekeeper to the CEO of a privately held 18-company conglomerate. As always, forming and maintaining client and customer relationships was key.
To the bench, Kristy brings her deep experience and a passion for delivering exceptional service, as well as her keen eye for operational details and strong project management acumen. Further, with her diverse experience, Kristy can offer valuable perspective: “I don’t know if business was ever guaranteed, but it certainly isn’t now,” she observes. “Our artists know that they have one shot, one chance to score. What makes you stand out? How different is your offering? That’s where the bench comes in. It’s this excellent assemblage of talent that makes it what it is.”
DIRECTOR
Sophia Patten
An alumnus of the Missouri School of Journalism at the University of Missouri (M-I-Z!), Sophia Patten spent several years as a news producer and reporter at (CBS affiliate) KVAL-TV in Eugene, OR, and at KTVK-TV in Phoenix, AZ, before producing for media companies...
Sophia Patten
An alumnus of the Missouri School of Journalism at the University of Missouri (M-I-Z!), Sophia Patten spent several years as a news producer and reporter at (CBS affiliate) KVAL-TV in Eugene, OR, and at KTVK-TV in Phoenix, AZ, before producing for media companies such as the Oprah Winfrey Network in LA, then moving on to produce live/experiential events for Nike, Apple, Netflix, Adidas, Viceland and more, across the U.S.
Her experience includes an 18-month project for Nike’s Innovation Lab where she launched a fitness tech startup as a founding team member and managed city-wide operations in both Portland and Los Angeles. She has produced dozens of live/experiential events for brands large and small; produced and coordinated hundreds of photo and video shoots, secured corporate partnerships, and led social media strategy.
A people person who has traveled to 24 countries, Sophia also loves to spend time at home in Playa del Rey, a cozy beach town in the heart of chaotic Los Angeles. She likewise is passionate about her role as The Bench’s Regional Director for Los Angeles. “The Bench’s model is powerful because it allows for flexibility with a sense of community,” she says. “I’ve engaged with so many people in the creative industry who feel stapled to the floor when working in-house. They want to do great work in collaboration with exceptional people teams – on their own terms.”