Patti Pagliei-Simpson

CEO Founder Creative Director

Patti Pagliei Simpson is Waxing Poetic’s founder, CEO, and Creative Director. To some of us, she is also our daughter, sister, wife, mother, heroine, boss, mentor, and beloved friend.

Patti grew up enveloped by love – and boisterous, joyful Italian-Americans. Imagine life as theatre as family, and you might get something close to an idea. Everyone had roles – but Patti’s parents wanted everyone to make their own. Patti’s handsome football hero father and her dancer-actress darling mother said things to the effect of Write your own life, be the great story, indulge your imagination, follow your heart, etc. and so she did. Patti has carried this inherent beauty and foundation, coupled with a childhood steeped in creative imagination, into her design innovation for Waxing Poetic. A Bachelors in Fine Art led her to develop a distinctive design sense, one that has informed the inventive artistry and craftsmanship in the Waxing Poetic collections.

Patti fully believes in the heart-as-map school of life navigation. Patti likes things that matter more than things that just amuse – but she isn’t averse to the two ideas in the same place. Patti likes heirlooms and old photographs, music and memory-making, letters and listening, art, sacred objects and adventure, and good wine and delicious food and sharing all of it, all the time, in any way she can. She also likes (and wishes for more plan-less) long wonderful days with her entrepreneurial husband John, adorable pointer Georgia, and the newest reason to create lasting designs…her daughter Lulu.

Lizanne Pagliei-Hales

Lizanne Pagliei-Hales CO-Founder Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing

Lizanne is Waxing Poetic’s Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, a title that only partially describes her role in our overall brand saga, but matches her official tenure back to early 2007. Given that she’s Patti’s sister, it’s both safe and accurate to say that Lizanne has been a pivotal player in this and other adventures for far longer, all the while wielding more skillsets than we could ever tabulate or even imagine.

Lizanne’s dynamic sales and product development sense stem from her profound innate ability to meld tradition with significant trend insight. A degree in Advertising Design opened Waxing Poetic’s insignia jewelry to the world of celebrities and influential and inspiring publications. Lizanne officially joined forces with Patti following a 10-year adventure in sales and product development within various arenas of the gift industry.

Voice of reason, irrepressible humor, and occasionally, baseball statistics. Angel of photo shoots, transcontinental source-finding adventures, and laughter. Makes a mean risotto. Makes an even meaner (and by meaner, we mean extraordinary!) comrade.

Lizanne rocks tremendous business acumen with equal parts Jersey-by-way-of-Philly sass, a quick wit, a great laugh, a kind heart…and general brilliance. Considers shopping, cooking, entertaining and gift giving tantamount to grail quests. Loves creating new concepts, scheming out themes and ideas with Patti and working with our excellent staff, and scoping Waxing Poetic jewelry worn by/on strangers. Generally fond adventures of the large and small kind, be they work-related, family-related, or with her wonderful husband Eddie, their daughter Ava and French Bulldog Gizmo. Lizanne is a heroine.