Our Team
Raven Manocchio, CEO / Founding Partner
Raven has more than a decade of experience in art and design and under his leadership and creative direction Stop Studios has consistently been ranked as a top design firm by the Triangle Business Journal since it’s founding in 2005. The firm has received numerous awards including American Graphic Design Awards, Addy Awards from the American Advertising Federation, Davey Awards from the International Academy of Visual Arts and has also been featured in publications including GDUSA. Raven began his career collaborating with private art collectors as an Exhibition Designer and Gallery Manager for the Hurst Gallery in Cambridge, MA. Prior to founding Stop Studios, Raven worked for a leading intellectual property law firm in New York City attending to legal and business matters for diverse clients such as DC Comics, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, and Lego. He currently serves as Chair of the Advisory Board for the Contemporary Art Museum in Raleigh, North Carolina and is a member of both the Hampshire College Alumni Associate Program and AIGA, the professional association for design. Raven holds a BA in Art History and Cultural Theory from Hampshire College.
Whitney Wilkerson, Founding Partner
Prior to founding Stop Studios, Whitney spent the early stage of her career working with the Italian fashion house Giorgio Armani. In addition to managing marketing initiatives throughout the US and launching new product lines including Armani Casa, Wilkerson served as part of the team behind the Giorgio Armani exhibit at the Guggenheim Museum. Whitney’s work with Conde Nast Publications, the New York based publishing company, led her to envision and execute on-line and live event based marketing for House & Garden Magazine. In the community, Wilkerson serves on the board of the Contemporary Art Foundation, Committee of 100 for the nationally recognized North Carolina Museum of Art, Annual Gala Committee for the Nasher Museum of Art, as well as, the board for ACTUS, a charitable foundation supporting educational initiatives. Because of her active role in the Triangle, Wilkerson received the Triangle Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Leadership Award, which honors up-and-coming leaders under the age of 40 who are making a difference in the community. Wilkerson received a BA with a triple major in Photography, Spanish, and Community Organizing from Hampshire College in Amherst, Mass.