THE BACK STORY:
Meet Annie Davis, Director of Partnerships at World Centric.
Annie Davis was living an urban lifestyle when she started planning her 2013 Sonoma County wedding. At the time, the Boston native and Harvard Business School alumna was living in Oakland, building marketing and branding strategies for mission-driven startups like Couchsurfing International.
Annie and her fiancé fell in love with the sense of belonging they felt on their weekend “wedding planning” trips. So much so that they decided to leave the big city and move to wine country.
WHY SONOMA COUNTY?
The couple discovered Petaluma while taking engagement photos at Green String Farm, located just outside City limits. They liked Petaluma’s mix of rural-urban lifestyle, as well as its closer proximity to SF and the East Bay. A job offer from Petaluma-based World Centric–a certified B corporation manufacturing compostable to-go ware–sealed the deal.
“Petaluma attracts young families and young professionals who are in the same chapter in life that we are,” explains Annie. “All of us seek time and space for life outside of their jobs, whether for family time or for an individual pursuit. Yet meaningful work is still important to us. Something about Petaluma makes that kind of life possible.”
BIGGEST SURPRISE?
Annie and her husband were surprised at how easy it was to put down roots.
“We’ve been warmly welcomed by both long term residents and groups of newcomers like ourselves, says Annie. “It’s easy to become part of the strong community that exists in Petaluma.”
Another unexpected benefit?
“We love being able to walk or bike to work or around town, or choose to hop in the car and explore more of Sonoma County,” she notes.
“Our excursions to the coast or the redwoods make our weekends feel like vacations.”
WHAT IS SHE UP TO NOW?
After working as World Centric’s marketing director for two years, Annie moved into business and partnership development for the company.
It’s a position that allows her to round out her skill-set while having more flexibility for other adventures—like serving on the Board of Directors for the Petaluma Area Chamber of Commerce and Petaluma Mothers Club, organizing events for Harvard Business School alums in the North Bay, or simply enjoying life with her family and friends.
“In all respects my life is sustainable,” she says. “It’s my own version of happily ever after.”
