Ten years ago, I saw what women’s sports could be and I took the leap. Grateful to share my journey from the @laClippers , to Nike, to entrepreneurship in @Newsweek .
I left my well-established role at Nike to start @ONACreative , and since then, we’ve partnered with @WNBA , @USWNT /@USSoccer , @wyn Beauty and @SerenaWilliams , @Converse , @Oakley , @Jumpman23 , so many athletes…and even more brands that believe in purpose over hype—including Nike in several full-circle-moment campaigns. This isn’t just about me, it’s about betting on what (and who) deserves better.
Def a pinch me moment! Huge thank you to @incmagazine and Ali Donaldson for the feature in the Female Founders issue.
I had no idea what they published before it went live and when I saw this on Saturday my jaw dropped. Incredibly thankful for my journey and to everyone who has helped @onacreative Not just exist, but THRIVE!!! #FemaleFounders
📸: @maggiehshannon
Truly honored to be selected into the @aafnational for the honor. So thankful to all of those who have supported @onacreative and me on this journey. Inclusive of our partners and our amazing teammates.
MOMMA WE MADE IT!
eeeeekkkkkk so excited to have had soccer legends @sydneyleroux & @rileythree at ONA’s @woman.made.studios as some of our very first guests. And even though our toilets broke mid-shoot (they were total champs about it), the energy and vibes were on point! We had so much fun bringing a full Y2K-inspired, nostalgic vision to life with this creative + production (shoutout @onacreative team).
TV commercial running on a network near you!!
Director: yours truly
📹: @delagrimm
Social edit: @phillipszeto
📸: @emeraldarguelles
And many more!
We’re so happy to have @sanjak join us on our Advisory Council!
After working with the @laclippers and @nike as a Digital Marketing Lead, Sonja founded women-driven boutique brand + creative agency, @onacreative , in 2015, working with clients including @ultabeauty , @wnba , @oakley , and tons more! Sanja was also inducted into the 2024 AAF Hall of Achievement where young industry leaders are honored for making a major impact in our industry and community.
Is #throwbackthursday still a thing? Because I just realized I never shared these gems from the @aafnational (American Advertising Federation)Hall of Achievement last November.
It’s been a big year for me and @onacreative : full of growth, hard work, ups and downs, and a lot of joy. Grateful for the people, the projects, and moments like this that remind me how far we’ve come. Thank you @museman for the nomination - can’t thank you enough.
Also, huge love to the other incredible inductees (@issarae , @imaniimani , @meltothegram , @bi_guimaraes , @d.a.n.i.s.h.a , @neilwaller , @marqueszak , Karen Short) — honored to be in your company.
📸: @akintayoadewole & @kolinmendez
𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙇𝙚𝙣𝙨 is a new exhibition centering the voices, stories, and perspectives of women behind the camera, those whose work often goes unseen or uncelebrated.
This is for the women who frame the world through their lens, but rarely see themselves reflected in the spaces that matter.
Opening this September at 𝙊𝙉𝘼 𝙎𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙞𝙤𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙇𝙤𝙨 𝘼𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙨, the show will feature photography and film from women creators reclaiming authorship over how their lives, communities, and histories are documented.
Know a woman photographer or filmmaker whose work deserves to be seen? Tag them. Share this post. Submit your own work via the link in bio.
Submissions close August 2
Photos by @emeraldarguelles and @lyn.kim
At HBCUs, the game is just the backdrop. The real show? The band. And the heartbeat? The majorettes. We had the joy of capturing Southern University’s and Grambling State University’s (not pictured here) band and dancers on their road to the Bayou Classic—an unforgettable moment from the Ulta Beauty HBCU Joy Project. Joy. Culture. Legacy. All on full display. Thank you for the team @onacreative and thank you to @debfayewms@thecreativemuva@sav_cal@apesmith14@_whatsthetiff@krys.franklin Photos by the amazing @lyn.kim from New Orleans. Also check out @OnaCreative exhibition debut, Reclaiming the Lens holds a space
for women to take control of the narrative, stepping in as both the subject and the storyteller.
Two weeks ago, my dog Ella was diagnosed with something I had never heard of: IMHA (immune-mediated hemolytic anemia) a serious autoimmune disease where the body starts attacking its own red blood cells. We went from “she seems a little off” to emergency blood transfusion in under four hours.
IMHA is unpredictable. It’s terrifying. It’s life-threatening. They told me a third of dogs don’t make it. And that’s when I completely lost it. How can she go from healthy to fighting for her life in just days?
But my little fighter, thankfully, is pulling through (we think). Not all dogs do. And apparently, this condition is more common than I ever imagined. If it’s not caught early, it can cause irreversible damage. Worse, it can come out of nowhere. It can be triggered by anything: vaccines, flea/tick meds, infections, or underlying conditions, or sometimes, there’s no clear reason at all - they say ‘genetic’.
Ella still has a long road ahead, but today, she’s stable. She’s eating. Her blood count is climbing. She’s showing up.
So three things:
1. A massive thank you to VCA West LA, who literally saved her life in those first 48 hours and showed so much compassion. They let me sit with her during treatment, and if I wanted to, I could hold her in my lap for hours while they ran around saving other animals’ lives in real time.
2. A thank you to Dr. Pasternak for his holistic approach. I truly believe his advice was sage.
3. And lastly, if your dog ever seems off, stops eating, or you notice pale gums, don’t wait. Trust your gut. Get a blood test. It could save their life.
#IMHA #ImmuneMediatedHemolyticAnemia #DogRecovery #VCAWestLA #DrPasternak
