Speaker Spotlight

Ariane Kirkpatrick is president and CEO of AKA Team Construction Management (AKAT) and Mavuno of Ohio, both based in Cleveland, Ohio. The serial entrepreneur has a passion for the city and residents of Cleveland, lifting and supporting individuals and other small businesses as she climbs.

AKAT is a full service commercial construction and waterproofing company. Named for her two sons and herself, the 16-year-old multi-million-dollar firm partners with its clients to provide collaborative management and construction services. No matter the scale of a project, the company’s mission is to offer solutions with its motto in mind: Always Known As the TEAM You Can Depend On.

AKAT’s larger projects include the new Sailing Center at 55th, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland Museum of Art, Progressive Field Renovations, Thistledown Racino, Quicken Loans Transformation, Case Western Reserve University, and Sherwin-Williams.

Mavuno, formerly Harvest of OH, is a cannabis company headquartered in Cleveland with dispensaries in Cleveland and Athens. The company has a third dispensary scheduled to open in South Euclid in 2026. Kirkpatrick’s previous cannabis company made her the only female and the only Black individual who was vertically integrated in Ohio, with the ability to cultivate, process, and dispense cannabis.

Mavuno strongly believes in the power of education to inspire and shape the future of cannabis. Through innovative programs and initiatives, they empower individuals with the knowledge and resources they need to make informed decisions and navigate the evolving landscape of cannabis.

Kirkpatrick’s goal to become an entrepreneur started at an early age. In 1969, at age five, she recalls joining her family boycott of the neighborhood McDonald’s because Blacks were banned from owning franchises at the time.

Kirkpatrick serves on many boards in Northeast Ohio. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in nonprofit administration from Cleveland State University’s Levin College of Urban Affairs. She is also an alumna of Cuyahoga Community College from which she graduated magna cum laude with an Associate of Arts. Ariane is the mother of two sons, Ali and Kristopher; wife of Danny Couch; and the bonus mom of Camille and Jazmine