Cristina Betancur is originally from Medellin, Colombia, known as the city of eternal spring, where she grew up surrrounded by flowers and nature. She mentions the well-known Flower Fair festival, where specimens are exhibited creatively, as the place where her love for flowers was born.

Starting work at a young age to help support her family, she has had the opportunity to wear many different hats through the years. From pharmacy, to police work, to finally finding her place as a school teacher to very at risk young children, the underlying theme that ties them all together is her desire to give back, especially in her community, and to make the world a better place. In coming to America in 2022, she has made floral design her newest avenue for positivity on her journey.

Cristi has expressed her enjoyment in being surrounded by colors, aromas, and shapes, as it brings tranquility and peace to her mind. She describes working with flowers as a beautiful job, where she gets to witness the happy faces of customers when they recieve their bouquets or arrangements. She sees it as a way for her to give beauty and love to the world through her creations.

Cristi enjoys new experiences, as evidenced by her being here in the first place. Some of her favorite acivities include cooking, gardening, and going to the movies. She loves traveling and hiking or "trekking" as she refers to it, and really loves to be in new and beautful places, particularly out in nature.

Andrea Phillips hails from the sleepy Pacific Northwest where she grew up working on her family's Christmas tree farm and garden. An avid nature lover, Andrea was drawn to floral design from a young age.

After graduating with a degree in Performance Production from Cornish College of the Arts, she has been bringing her eye for color, texture, and storytelling, to the Arjan Flowers team. That is, when she isn't bringing that same eye to the big stage, working on creating costumes and dressing the performers. She has worked on shows such as "Hamilton," "Frozen," and "Six."

Andrea enjoys fusing her love for floral design with her theatrical background to help Arjan clients to make their big day as efficient and beautiful as possible. And it doesn't hurt that she's quite possibly the warmest and loveliest human being currently residing in the Bay Area.

A lover of life and a social butterfly, Andrea tends to fill up her free time going on adventures with her friends. You may find her out in a meadow to see the new growth of spring, or at the theator to see a new show. She enjoys crafting projects of all kinds, but particularly enjoys working with paper. Of course, when asked about her hobbies, she proudly replied that she was a full time BTS ARMY wife as "stanning" them is absolutely a full time job.

William (Bill) Valva is a third generation floral designer, and Oakland native. Brought out of his crib to help with unboxing roses in his grandparents basement, this 33 year old has over 30 years of floral experience and it shows. Immersed in the magic of the shop and learning through unintenional osmosis, he has been an actual designer for over 18 years.

His resume includes a stint working in SF. at Stanlee R. Gatti Designs, one of the largest and most successful event companies in the Bay Area, as a teen. Later he became the right hand of world famous floral designer Ron Morgan, who he worked with almost daily for over 10 years until he retired. In the Winter months he has his own business decorating houses for the holidays. He particluary enjoys mantelpiece installations and front door garlands.

Since then, under the tutilage of Mina, he has truly blossomed, finally finding his own unique style. When he is set free to do what's in his heart, he has no equals in this industry. Our shop nickname for him of "Princess Wysteria Lilac" does a lovely job of summing up his tastes, though, "King Sweetpea of Dogwood" would do almost as well.

A terribly untalented golfer, and a very talented writer, Bill maintains shop moral through a goofy and lighthearted sense of humor and an extensive taste in music which he will have playing most days, more often that not singing along just a touch too loud and two touches out of key.