Blush, a global leader and vertically integrated wellness house, proudly announces a strategic restructuring of its leadership team. Staci Cruse has been promoted to lead the U.S. sales team, Joel Castillo has been appointed to spearhead marketing operations, and Monica Banarsi joins the company to head financial operations.
These strategic appointments follow the recent departure of former Senior Director of Sales Operations, JoAnn DeTurris. As Blush enters its next phase of growth, restructuring the executive team around this core triad of sales, marketing, and finance ensures the brand’s infrastructure is fully optimized to scale.
“Sexual wellness is no longer a niche category; it is a staple of everyday health and lifestyle,” says Verna Meng, CEO and co-founder of Blush. “To meet this mainstream demand, we are accelerating our product development to focus directly on real consumer needs, while ensuring that empowering, accessible education remains the foundation of how we connect with our audience. We are aligning our leadership team to seamlessly execute this consumer-first vision.”
Stepping into her new role leading the sales team, Staci Cruse brings 15 years of comprehensive experience in the sexual wellness industry. Having navigated the market from every angle, beginning as a retail sales associate and evolving through key roles as a buyer, manager, and regional sales manager, she possesses a profound understanding of the retail ecosystem.
As a certified sex educator, Cruse is deeply dedicated to delivering innovative, accessible education. Her leadership approach transcends traditional sales tactics, focusing instead on cultivating strategic, long-term partnerships. By leveraging Blush’s educational resources, Cruse aims to create collaborative retail relationships that uplift, inform, and drive mutual, sustained sales growth.
Taking over marketing operations, Joel Castillo is tasked with elevating Blush into a mainstream wellness powerhouse. Joining the company from the premium and luxury sectors, his background includes driving sustained profit and brand equity growth for global powerhouses, including LVMH’s Hennessy and Pernod Ricard.
Stepping in to lead Blush’s finances, Monica Banarsi brings over 20 years of highly analytical accounting experience. Banarsi previously served as Assistant Controller at David Peyser Sportswear, Inc., and has held key financial leadership roles including Accounting Manager at Alcott HR Group LLC and Assistant Controller at Travers Tool Company, Inc.
About Blush
Blush is a global leader and vertically integrated wellness house leveraging over a decade of manufacturing expertise to elevate intimacy into everyday self-care. With high-performance design at its core, Blush creates innovative toys for all bodies and identities. Spanning over 52 collections, the company serves an exceptionally diverse and evolving global customer base.
