Isiah Christie 
Northern New Jersey is home to numerous local business owners and creatives who bring life and love to the area. Each month, The Montclair Girl highlights locals who make the Essex County area even more special. Read on for a list of people to watch in Montclair for November 2025.
Angela Beth | Creator of Angela Beth Studio
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Angela is a newborn and family photographer from Northern New Jersey, aiming to take photos that are natural, emotional, and attentive to presence. Angela works throughout Bergen, Essex, and Morris counties and has been featured on various platforms, including MSN, NorthJersey.com, and ABC7NY.
Angela’s biggest inspiration is stories of motherhood and family. “I draw inspiration from the women I photograph and from the sisterhood that forms when we share our stories and show up for one another,” Angela told MG. She aims to draw connections from her work and promote healthy dynamics around family and mental health. Outside of photography, she also hosts seasonal charity events to give back to the community.
“[I want] to create meaningful, heartfelt imagery while also supporting causes that matter,” Angela said.
Angela’s local favorites: Van Vleck House + Gardens and Brookdale Park
Business owners Angela looks up to: Inspiring photographers and local women-owned businesses
Keep up with Angela and her photography on her website and Instagram.
Read More: This Montville Café Serves Coffee Flights
Jenya + Leese Katsnelson | Founders of Rebel Aid LLC
Jenya and Leese Katsnelson are sisters and the founders of Rebel Aid, a nutrition brand specializing in electrolyte drink powders. Their story began when Jenya left the corporate world to support her passion for health and wellness with coaching and corporate wellness programs. After seeing a kid drink from a bright blue sports drink at a game, she told her son to “never touch that!” — a funny moment that set the stage for the business.
After sharing that moment with her sister, Leese mentioned her interest in launching a clean product that was not only tasty but healthy and hydrating for kids, teens, and families pursuing wellness. This inspired the sisters to start Rebel Aid together.
Jenya mentions that her biggest inspirations are the everyday ways of the world. Her goal is to be an advocate for rights in her community, from being a voice for students with disabilities in physical education to contributing to organizations that help individuals and families in need.
“I’d be gratified if my persistence in pursuing self-expression through art, despite the disruptions and challenges that invariably arise in a lifetime, inspires others to pursue their dreams and to value their own inherent star power,” Jenya told MG.
Jenya’s local favorites: Thought in Motion Waterbar, Jayce Baudry French Pastry, Montclair Farmer’s Market, Watchung Booksellers, and Amanti Vino
Business owners Jenya looks up to: Lynne DiGiacomo of Pickleball Alley and the owners of the Thought in Motion Waterbar
Keep up with Jenya and Leese’s work on their website and Instagram.
Lily Vakili | Musician
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Lily Vakili is a lifelong creative who has spent time transforming her experiences with the world into unique, electric music. Born in Honduras and raised across the world, including places like Florida, Thailand, Puerto Rico, and Iowa, Lily has absorbed pieces of every culture she’s experienced to help shape her artistry. Now, she resides in Montclair and has built a prolific career as a songwriter.
Before focusing on music, Lily spent time as a dancer, actor, lawyer, and mother, learning that she wanted to give her voice to the world around her. This drew her to songwriting, both independently and with her band, Vakili Band.
Lily has recently started an East Coast tour in support of her latest solo album, Oceans of Kansas. She describes the album’s songs as “orphan songs” — melodies and lyrics that stayed with her long after others faded. “I love the serendipitous nature of art,” Lily told MG. “It’s disruptive, it’s intentional, it’s an exertion of will.”
Lily’s local favorites: Watchung Booksellers, Paraiso Cocina Dominicana, Brookdale Park, and The Williams Center
Business owners Lily looks up to: Wendy Lacey of Cornerstone Montclair, Denise-Ford Sawadogo and Leo Sawadogo of Montclair Brewery, and Margot Sage-EL of Watchung Booksellers
Keep up with Lily’s music on her website, Spotify, and Instagram.
Katie + Dan Doyle | Owners of Dry Goods Refillery
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Katie and Dan are the owners of Dry Goods Refillery in Montclair, a gourmet grocery store. Their mission is to provide high-quality groceries and home goods with eco-friendly packaging. Katie and Dan want to keep the planet viable and healthy, and think inspiring people to shop and consume differently can help support that vision. “Even small changes can make a big difference, [and] that would mean a great deal to us,” they told MG.
Dry Goods Refillery is designed to be a one-stop shop for food, personal care, and home essentials, working as a unique shopping experience that is both sustainable and comfortable for customers. Katie and Dan focus on avoiding wasteful practices, including excess packaging, chemicals, and dyes. They want the business to encourage community wellness.
Katie and Dan’s favorite things about the North Jersey area are the food culture, diversity, and closeness to the beach. They also love its full showing of all four seasons, dark winter days aside. The experiences nature provides give them joy and inspiration, which reflects in their eco-friendly approach to business.
Katie + Dan’s local favorites: Their kids’ Westfield and Montclair sporting events
Business owners Katie + Dan look up to: Wendy of the General Store in Upper Montclair, Carl of Van Hook, and the Paper Plane Coffee Co. team
Keep up with Katie + Dan’s business on the store’s website and Instagram.
Natalia Espejo | Founder of Latinos of Montclair
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Natalia is the founder of Latinos of Montclair, a non-profit organization whose goal is to build community and uplift American Latino voices across New Jersey. The organization was originally founded to host the first Latino Heritage Celebration in Montclair and has since served as a voice for Latino-identifying residents across the state of New Jersey. Core values of the organization include cultural pride, education, empowerment, community engagement, and inclusivity.
Latinos of Montclair recently hosted a Día de los Muertos Community Festival in Montclair from October 31st to November 2nd. It featured several events, including a 21+ Halloween Party + Night Market, 21+ Catrina Candlelight Concert, and Colores de Frida Theater Production + Family Market.
Keep up with Natalia and future Latinos of Montclair events on their website and Instagram.
See More: Holiday Pop-Up Markets + Events in New Jersey for the 2025 Season
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