OUR TEAM
BETSY COHEN
Founder
Betsy Garcete Cohen, a native Washingtonian, is the founder of ZOPHIA. Shortly after obtaining her undergraduate degree in Psychology, Betsy seriously considered medical school and a career in neurosurgery. Having been drawn to fashion from a young age however, she made the decision to change course and pursued her childhood passion instead.
Having been raised in a family of strong Latina women, Betsy wanted her fashion to be an expression of the same strong, empowering femininity she grew up admiring and emulating. In 2010 and while attending Catholic University in a Masters in Management program, Betsy launched ZOPHIA, naming it after her Grandmother who was a highly skilled seamstress from Peru. Inspired by the women she met in her program, she wanted to design a product that would cater to women of all sizes and help them to feel confident about their own unique shape and body type. After two years of testing different products and researching the market intensely, in 2013, ZOPHIA proudly launched the powerskirt collection.
With a real passion for the business of fashion, Betsy enjoys the challenges of the entrepreneurial world. As an advocate for women, Betsy also feels strongly in working with other female entrepreneurs and helping them pursue and achieve their own dreams. She, her two sons and husband currently live in Maryland.
MICHELE ORDWAY
Stitcher / Patternmaker
Michele started her sewing career at a tender age of 10, learning from her grandmother and aunt. After high-school, she attended Sinclair community college in Dayton, Ohio, where she discovered her love for theater. She honed her stitching skills working in the costume shop and eventually transferred to Ohio University where she polished her skills and earned a BFA in production design and technology, emphasis on costume construction. After OU, Michele moved to Washington DC where she works full time for the Shakespeare Theatre Company. Michele joined ZOPHIA in 2011. She started as just a stitcher, and has since moved into patterning and production coordinating. She currently lives in Maryland with her spunky daughter and husband.
MANUELA DELGADO-MORALES
Stitcher / Patternmaker
Manuela has over 20 years of experience in high fashion sewing, pattern-making and fashion design. Her knowledge of fashion and garment construction inspired her to move to Washington, D.C> and start her own business. She’s worked with several fashion houses in LA, NY and DC. She has a certificate in industrial sewing from the San Diego Community College. In 2004, Manuela received a Certificate in American Culture and Language from the California State University in LA. In 2006, she also obtained a fashion design certificate from the LATTC: Los Angeles Trade-Technical College. She and her husband currently live in Virginia.
Alyssa Sadler
Stylist
Alyssa is a fashion stylist with years of on-set styling experience. She has a variety of styling skills, including e-commerce, editorial, and personal styling. After graduating from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science in Fashion Merchandising, Alyssa went on to work for Hudson’s Bay Company to style apparel for the Saks Fifth Avenue, Saks Off 5th, and Lord & Taylor websites. From there, she started her freelance career at QVC styling apparel, beauty and jewelry. Alyssa joined ZOPHIA in 2020, and currently lives in Virginia.