Designed by Women,
for Women
Sarah Pontius
FOUNDER
Sarah Pontius
FOUNDER
Nala Pod's Origin Story
Sarah Pontius, is the founder of Nala Pod and co-founder of Artisan, a boutique brokerage, design and build firm headquartered in New York City. Sarah has over 20 years experience in the commercial real estate industry having worked in major cities around the world including New York, London, Toronto and Sydney.
Over the past two decades, Sarah has witnessed the evolution of the modern day office with a focus on high-end amenities designed to support collaboration and healthy workplace environments. While businesses have invested heavily across their office portfolios to attract, retain and develop talent, mothers rooms have remained an afterthought – often appearing as an inconvenience rather than a supportive amenity for some of their hardest working employees.
Recognizing this oversight, Sarah met with her interior design business partner at Artisan, Dani Arps, to collaborate on the design of a nursing pod that fulfills all legal requirements and honors working mothers everywhere. After three years of research, design development, engineering innovation and fabrication work, the Nala Pod was born.
Sarah Pontius
FOUNDER
Nala Pod's Origin Story
Sarah Pontius, is the founder of Nala Pod and co-founder of Artisan, a boutique brokerage, design and build firm headquartered in New York City. Sarah has over 20 years experience in the commercial real estate industry having worked in major cities around the world including New York, London, Toronto and Sydney.
Over the past two decades, Sarah has witnessed the evolution of the modern day office with a focus on high-end amenities designed to support collaboration and healthy workplace environments. While businesses have invested heavily across their office portfolios to attract, retain and develop talent, mothers rooms have remained an afterthought – often appearing as an inconvenience rather than a supportive amenity for some of their hardest working employees.
Recognizing this oversight, Sarah met with her interior design business partner at Artisan, Dani Arps, to collaborate on the design of a nursing pod that fulfills all legal requirements and honors working mothers everywhere. After three years of research, design development, engineering innovation and fabrication work, the Nala Pod was born.
Artisan Experience
We’ve made a career out of finding, designing and building office space and furniture for our clients
Nala Pod is brought to you by the Artisan team. With over 15 years experience in design and fabrication, we’ve mastered the art of custom furniture. We’ve leased millions of square feet of office space, delivering bespoke design solutions to service our clients’ needs without sacrificing form for function. Designed by women, for women, the Artisan team is proud to present the first purpose-built lactation pod for the workplace.
Welcome to our collection, Nala Pod.
Select Artisan Clients
Select Custom Furniture Pieces
Artisan in the News
Our Advisors
Surrounded by Excellence
The Nala Pod Team is advised by a group of experts who have created a product that surpasses all market standards in quality, function and design.
Wendy Silverstein
Advisor
Investment Banking
Wendy has over 30 years of experience in the real estate debt and equity capital markets including executive roles in debt restructuring, acquisitions and dispositions. Wendy started her career in Citigroup’s Corporate Debt Restructuring Group followed by leadership positions as Head of Acquisitions & Capital Markets at Vornado Realty Trust, CEO of New York REIT, Inc. and Chief Investment Officer at WeWork. Wendy also sits on the Boards of TPG Real Estate Finance, Inc. and Alexanders’s Inc. Wendy previously served on the Board of Directors of Toys R Us, LNR Property (the nation’s largest loan special servicer) and Shuttle, Inc. which operated US Air Shuttle.
Kelly Williams
Advisor
Private Equity
Kelly is the CEO of The Williams Legacy Foundation and a recognized leader in the alternative investment industry. Kelly was a senior advisor and President of GCM Grosvenor Private Markets through 2019 as well as a member of its Management and Investment Committees, after having led its sale to Grosvenor in 2014. Kelly was a Founder, Managing Director and Group Head of the Customized Fund Investment Group of Credit Suisse Group AG from 2000 through 2014. Prior to Credit Suisse, Kelly was with DLJ and The Prudential Insurance Company of America where she founded CFIG in 1999. Kelly started her career as an attorney at Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP.
Rich Delaney
Advisor
Consumer Products
Rich Delaney recently retired from the position of Senior Vice President, Global Operations at Pepsico after a 30 year career with them. In this role Rich had responsibility for the Manufacturing, Transportation and Logistics, Engineering, Quality and Real Estate functions. Prior to this, Rich had responsibility for the Operations function at PepsiCo international with postings in the US, Puerto Rico, Ireland and Mexico. Rich is a Mechanical Engineering Graduate of Union College. He currently sits on a number of commercial and non profit boards including The Safe Water Network, The YMCA of Greater New York and as a trustee of Union College.
Lisa Kiell
Advisor
Enterprise Sales
Lisa Kiell is a Vice Chairman in JLL’s New York office. She is responsible for planning and implementing transaction strategies for a wide range of clients with a focus on technology, law firm and financial clients in New York City. She also leads JLL’s New York women’s group, focusing on the retention and promotion of future leaders. Lisa joined JLL in 1995, successor by merger to The Galbreath Company. Lisa has extensive experience providing strategic and implementation services to clients developing and executing real estate strategies both in New York City and around the globe.
Darcy Stacom
Advisor
Capital Markets
Darcy has marketed and sold more marquis capital markets transactions than any other real estate professional in the United States. Over $150 billion in sales, financings, joint venture, leasehold and development transactions. She has executed many of the nation’s most impactful transactions, including the single largest residential deal in history and the single largest office deal in history. Darcy founded Stacom CRE, a boutique advisory and brokerage firm specializing in the Capital Markets of NYC. She also sits on numerous Boards including REBNY where she is a Governor as well as Co-Chair of its Diversity Committee.
Nina Roket
Advisor
Legal Counsel
Nina Roket is a nationally recognized commercial real estate attorney at Olshan Law. Nina advises clients in sophisticated commercial real estate deals, including leasing of major real estate projects, and property acquisitions, sales, financings, and development across the nation. In the retail arena, Nina manages complex leasing projects for numerous developers and owners of significant, high-profile retail sites across the U.S. She co-chairs Olshan’s Real Estate Law Practice and chairs the firm’s Commercial Leasing Practice. In addition to maintaining an active law practice, Nina chairs the firm’s Hiring Committee, and is the founder and chair of the firm’s Women’s Committee.