Founded in 1962, St. John Knits fashion brand stationed in Irvine, California, has dressed the likes of actress Kate Winslet and supermodel Chrissy Teigen to politicos like former First Lady Michelle Obama to former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Weathering the COVID-19 storm that especially battered the retail industry, general counsel Christina Zabat-Fran is at the forefront of changing lanes in accordance with the state’s pandemic needs.

Zabat-Fran worked with California state government, headed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, to transform one of the company’s manufacturing plants to a beta factory to produce much-needed personal protective equipment, such as masks and gowns, for health care workers and patients.