Marketing agency founded by Inc. Female Founders 500 honoree brings over three decades of combined expertise to help organizations craft inclusive, community-centered messaging.

Origin & Oak Creative, a marketing and communications agency specializing in culturally competent, community-centered messaging, officially launched today to address a growing need in the B2B landscape: authentic connection with diverse audiences. Founded by Tai Pherribo Christensen, a nationally recognized voice in housing equity with over 20 years of mortgage industry experience, the agency brings a unique approach that blends heritage awareness with data-driven strategy.

As businesses face increasing pressure to communicate authentically with diverse communities, Origin & Oak Creative offers a solution that goes beyond surface-level diversity initiatives. The agency's services span strategic marketing consulting, content creation, campaign development, fractional C-suite support, and reputation strategy — all rooted in cultural competence and real-world experience across mortgage, financial services, nonprofit, and corporate sectors.

"For too long, marketing has treated diverse communities as afterthoughts — demographic boxes to check rather than people with rich stories and specific needs," said Christensen, who serves as the agency's founder and president. "We founded Origin & Oak Creative to change that conversation. When you honor where people come from, you can help them see where they're going. That's not just good ethics, it's good business."

Research consistently shows that culturally competent marketing drives measurable business results. Companies with inclusive marketing strategies see higher engagement rates and stronger customer loyalty, particularly as the U.S. continues to become more demographically diverse. Yet many organizations struggle to move beyond generic messaging that fails to resonate with the communities they aim to serve.

Origin & Oak Creative addresses this gap by combining deep industry expertise with cultural awareness. The founding team brings more than 30 years of combined experience in mortgage marketing, lead generation, nonprofit communications, and community engagement.

Chief Marketing Officer Nikki Trufant-Wade brings political insight and business acumen with backgrounds in both political science and fintech, as well as an MBA. VP of Content & Communications Stephanie Studer specializes in translating complex ideas into compelling narratives. Consulting Creative Director Ryan Warren contributes two decades of UX design and branding expertise.

"What makes Origin & Oak different is that cultural competence isn't retrofitted into our process, it's the foundation," Christensen said. "We start with listening and understanding lived experiences, then build strategies that connect authentically. Whether it's a mortgage lender trying to reach first-generation homebuyers or a fintech company communicating with underserved communities, we help organizations tell stories that actually land."

Christensen's track record speaks to this approach. Her work in the mortgage industry has earned recognition, including Inc.'s 2025 Female Founders 500, the Five Star Women in Housing Leadership "Keys in Hand" Award (2024), HousingWire's Woman of Influence (2023), and the National Mortgage Professional Women of Inspiration Award (2023). Beyond accolades, she has designed programs that expanded access to homeownership for communities historically excluded from the conversation.

The agency's launch comes at a pivotal moment. As AI and automation reshape marketing, the need for human-centered, culturally aware communication has never been more critical. Origin & Oak Creative positions itself at the intersection of tradition and innovation — what the team calls "front porch meets future possibilities."

Services include strategic marketing consulting, content creation and storytelling, cultural competence training and workshops, campaign development and management, gamification and alternative reality games (ARGs) for B2B engagement, community-centered messaging, fractional C-suite and internal communications development, and reputation strategy and development.

For organizations seeking to move beyond transactional marketing to authentic, culturally competent communication, Origin & Oak Creative offers consultation services and partnership opportunities.

For more information, visit www.originandoak.com or contact talktous@originandoak.com.

About Origin & Oak Creative

Origin & Oak Creative is a marketing and communications agency that helps organizations craft culturally competent, inclusive, and community-centered messaging rooted in over 30 years of expertise in housing, finance, and community engagement. Founded by Tai Pherribo Christensen, the firm blends heritage awareness with forward-thinking strategy, delivering campaigns that are both human and high-impact. From strategic storytelling to culturally rooted brand positioning, Origin & Oak Creative partners with clients across industries to rehumanize communication and reshape the future — one word at a time.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260106024803/en/

"What makes Origin & Oak different is that cultural competence isn't retrofitted into our process, it's the foundation." - Tai Pherribo Christensen