OUR TEAM
MELANIE ABRANTES
FOUNDER
Our Founder, Melanie Abrantes, started her business Melanie Abrantes Designs in 2013. She is a Filipina and Portuguese-Brazilian designer and artist. She grew up in Houston, TX and moved to Los Angeles, CA in 2008 to study Product Design at Otis College of Art and Design. In 2014 she moved to Oakland, CA to pursue her business full time. She wrote her first book in 2017 with Penguin Random House, “Carve: A Simple Guide to Whittling”. She was named by Country Living’s 100 Most Creative People. Her work has been featured in Dwell Magazine, Martha Stewart, NY Times and more. She still resides in Oakland with her little dog, Rover!
STEPHANIE RUIZ
opErations Manager
Stephanie is our operations manager and friendly face in the studio, packing orders, finishing our made-to-order designs, coordinating with our overseas clients and building subscription kits for Mel’s Carving Club. She graduated from San Francisco State with a Bachelor’s in Interior Design. In her free time she loves to hang out with her dogs Lana and Lily and work on renovations in her home.
ROVER
CHIEF BARKING OFFICER
Rover brings his extensive background in Security and Therapy to the studio, barking at any potential intruders and giving free cuddles to anyone who has earned his trust. While he has a tough exterior, he can easily be bribed with a treat or two. Rover is a great listener and encourages everyone to get their work done quickly so they can take him for a walk.