The Crown Collective
We serve. We teach. We develop. We build legacy.
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The Crown Collective is the people-and-purpose arm of Art of Cecilia. It brings together stylists, educators, students, apprentices, ambassadors, community leaders, and strategic partners who believe our work should reach beyond the salon chair. We are connected by one shared vision: to use beauty, education, mentorship, and community to create confidence, opportunity, and lasting impact.
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The Collective was created from a belief that a successful salon should create more than appointments — it should create opportunity.That means caring for clients and families, developing the next generation of beauty professionals, creating space for continued education, supporting children and families through outreach, and building partnerships that help us serve beyond the walls of the salon. Every person in the Collective has a different role, but each role contributes to the same bigger mission.
Meet YourÂ
Curly Hair Team
Pauline helps connect the Crown Collective to the people and organizations who can help expand its impact. Her focus is on building relationships with sponsors, donors, nonprofit partners, community organizations, and other supporters who believe in creating greater access to healthy hair care, education, mentorship, and family-centered experiences. Through partnerships and development, Pauline helps identify opportunities that can fund outreach initiatives, support Crown Kids families, strengthen Hair-a-Thons and community events, and create long-term relationships that allow the Collective to serve beyond the walls of the salon. Her role represents an important part of the Crown Collective vision: turning community support into real opportunities for children, families, and future beauty professionals.
Pauline
Crown Collective Ambassador | Child Development & Family Advocate
Mark
Strategic Partner | Technology, Marketing & Product Development
Mark brings entrepreneurship, technology, marketing, and event support to the Crown Collective. As co-owner of Pixel AV, he contributes technical expertise within the salons, supports event production and sponsorship, and assists with the development and growth of Crown Kids products and experiences. Behind the scenes, Mark helps connect the creative vision to the technology, systems, and strategy needed to move the brands forward. His support strengthens the Collective’s ability to grow, reach more families, and create experiences that extend beyond the salon.
Tamara
Crown Collective Ambassador | Child Development & Family Advocate
Tamara brings her experience in child development and family support to the Crown Collective. She serves the BGP community while helping strengthen the connection between children, caregivers, community programming, and the experiences we create. Her role helps ensure that the Collective continues to think beyond hair and considers the needs of the whole family.
Mark
Strategic Partner | Technology, Marketing & Product Development
Mark brings entrepreneurship, technology, marketing, and event support to the Crown Collective. As co-owner of Pixel AV, he contributes technical expertise within the salons, supports event production and sponsorship, and assists with the development and growth of Crown Kids products and experiences. Behind the scenes, Mark helps connect the creative vision to the technology, systems, and strategy needed to move the brands forward. His support strengthens the Collective’s ability to grow, reach more families, and create experiences that extend beyond the salon.
Pauline
Crown Collective Ambassador | Partnerships & Development
Annette is a licensed cosmetologist, educator, and trusted Crown Collective community partner. She has been a dedicated supporter of Crown Kids outreach, serving families through our Hair-a-Thons, Back-to-School Fair, and community hair-care initiatives. Beyond the salon, Annette is the founder of Passionate Braiders 101: Fundamental, where she uses braiding education to pour into teens and young people, helping them develop practical skills, creativity, confidence, and an introduction to the beauty industry. As an Outreach Crown Artist, Annette helps extend professional hair care and education beyond our everyday salon walls and into the communities we serve.
Outreach Crown Artist | Licensed Cosmetologist | Youth Educator
Annette
Ryann is an emerging beauty professional currently enrolled in cosmetology school and developing under Cecilia’s mentorship through the Crown Collective. While continuing her formal education, she is gaining real-world exposure to salon professionalism, textured hair care, client experience, community outreach, and the business of beauty. She also brings a strong creative and digital presence to the Collective, using social media and content creation to connect with a younger audience and help share the beauty, personality, and culture behind the brand. Ryann represents an important part of the Crown Collective vision: creating space for the next generation of beauty professionals to learn, grow, build their confidence, and develop a career of their own.
Crown Collective Apprentice | Cosmetology Student | Digital Creator
Ryann
Alisah, also known as LeLe, is a licensed braider and natural hair care specialist with more than 15 years of experience in Early Childhood Education. Her passion for both education and hairstyling led her to Art of Cecilia Hair Gallery, where she is able to combine her love for healthy hair, teaching, and working with families. As a Senior Crown Artist, LeLe specializes in natural hair care, scalp care, locs, protective styling, and healthy-hair maintenance. She also serves as an educator, co-leading Crown Kids Hair Care classes and helping families better understand and care for textured hair with confidence. Beyond the chair, LeLe serves as a Crown Collective Program Coordinator, helping organize events, Hair-a-Thons, and community experiences. She is also the founder of Black Girl Play Dates (BGP), creating intentional opportunities for girls and families to connect, grow, and build community. Through every role, LeLe is passionate about helping clients feel confident, cared for, and proud of their hair.
Alisah "Lele"
Senior Crown Artist | Licensed Braider
ShekinahÂ
Crown Kids Artist | Licensed Braider | Natural Hair Care Specialist | Apprentice
Shekinah, also known as Kae, is a licensed braider and natural hair care specialist serving exclusively within Crown Kids Salon. She works with children and families while continuing to grow her skills, clientele, and professional foundation under Cecilia’s mentorship. Kae brings a calm, thoughtful, and nurturing approach to children’s hair care. She is passionate about helping young clients feel comfortable, confident, and cared for while supporting families through healthy, age-appropriate natural hair care. Outside of her Crown Kids role, Kae has a multidisciplinary wellness background that includes herbalism, restorative bodywork, breathwork, sound facilitation, and fitness. That experience adds a whole-person perspective to the way she approaches care, while her role within Art of Cecilia remains clearly focused on children’s natural hair care and the continued growth of Crown Kids Salon.
Ryann
Crown Collective Apprentice | Cosmetology Student | Digital Creator
Annette
Outreach Crown Artist | Licensed Cosmetologist | Youth Educator
Cecilia, also known as Cece, is the founder and visionary behind Art of Cecilia, Crown Kids, and the Crown Collective. A professional licensed cosmetologist with more than two decades in the beauty industry, she specializes in color transformations, premium hair extensions, designer cuts, and silk press services while continuing to build an experience centered on artistry, professionalism, education, and care. Beyond the chair, Cece leads stylist mentorship, family hair education, professional development, product innovation, and the overall vision for the Crown Collective. Her work has grown from serving individual clients to creating opportunities for families, developing emerging beauty professionals, supporting community outreach, and building systems that allow the impact of the salon to extend far beyond one appointment. At the heart of everything she is building is a simple belief: a successful salon should create more than appointments — it should create opportunity. Through Art of Cecilia, Crown Kids, the Crown Collective, and Crown Collective Academy, Cece is building a legacy rooted in beauty, education, mentorship, community, and purpose.
Founder | Licensed Cosmetologist | Master Stylist
Cecilia - Cece
Cecilia - Cece
Founder | Licensed Cosmetologist | Master Stylist
Alisha "Lele"
Senior Crown Artist | Licensed Braider
Dairion
Crown Kids Artist | Licensed Braider
Dairion is a licensed braider and natural hair care specialist serving exclusively within Crown Kids Salon, working with children from toddlers through high school. She is passionate about creating positive salon experiences for young clients and helping families feel confident about caring for textured hair. As an apprentice under Cecilia, Dairion is continuing to strengthen her technique, grow her clientele, and develop her professional foundation while expanding her specialties in children’s natural hair care, braiding, stitch braids, and kiddy locs. Dairion brings patience, creativity, and a genuine love for working with children and families. Her role within Crown Kids reflects the heart of the Collective: developing talented professionals while providing thoughtful, age-appropriate, healthy-hair care for the next generation.
The Crown Collective is also where growth happens. Through the Crown Collective Academy, professionals and future professionals can receive continuing education, mentorship, business development, and real-world guidance. Through Crown Kids and our community initiatives, we can also serve families, collaborate with agencies and organizations, create Hair-a-Thons and educational experiences, and help connect children to healthy hair care and resources.
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Most importantly, the Crown Collective is about legacy. We are building something that can grow beyond any one stylist, one salon, or one season. Whether someone sits in our chair, learns in our classroom, partners with our mission, supports a child, shops our products, or helps us reach another family, there is a place for them in the Collective.
There’s a place for YOU in the Collective.
Book With a Crown Artist | Become a Crown Student | Partner With Us
