MEET THE FOUNDER
Chris-Tia Donaldson
Chris-Tia Donaldson was the Founder of tgin®, a brand born from her journey to embrace her natural hair. After years of feeling pressured to conform to outdated Caucasian beauty standards and relying on wigs and other styles, Chris-Tia decided to stop hiding her natural hair. She created tgin® to empower women to embrace and care for their natural hair, giving rise to the name Thank God It’s Natural.
Today, tgin® products are sold at major retailers including Walmart, Target, Whole Foods, Sally Beauty, Amazon, Marshalls, and Walgreens. Chris-Tia was featured in publications including USA Today, Essence, Black Enterprise, Ebony, Marie Claire, and the Chicago Tribune. Her book, Thank God I’m Natural: The Ultimate Guide to Caring for Natural Hair, became a #1 Amazon bestseller and was called the “Natural Hair Bible” by Essence.
Before founding tgin®, Chris-Tia represented Fortune 500 companies in complex business transactions. She earned an A.B. in Economics with high honors from Harvard University and graduated from Harvard Law School. After being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, Chris-Tia used her experience to advocate for women facing the financial and social challenges of cancer treatment, while raising awareness of the racial health disparities.
Until her passing in November 2021, she continued this work through the tgin® Foundation. Her final book was, This Is Only a Test: What Breast Cancer Taught Me About Faith, Love, Hair, and Business.
“Cancer is just one storm, it didn't define me, and you don't have to allow your storms to define you.”
CHRIS-TIA DONALDSON
MEET THE CEO
Aris Singleton
Aris Singleton, serves as the dynamic CEO at the helm of tgin®, one of the leading textured hair care brands sold in over 20,000 stores globally.
Her journey with tgin® commenced in its early stages back in July 2009. After completing her BA in Finance from Texas Southern University, she rejoined tgin® as a rotational employee in May 2017.
As one of the youngest CEOs in the beauty industry, her remarkable achievements haven't gone unnoticed. Aris has graced the pages of esteemed publications such as Rolling Out and The Chicago Defender's Women of Excellence and was recently highlighted as Walmart's SheEO Beauty Disruptor. Additionally, she recently earned membership in the Young Presidents Organization - Chicago Chapter, a distinguished community of business executives. Aris' ascended into prominence as the youngest CEO in the textured hair care industry. She also celebrated her debut on the tgin® x Jet Magazine Collector's Edition cover. To learn more about Aris, click the link below.
MEET THE COO
Dr. Piper A. Farrell
Dr. Piper Farrell transitioned into the role of Chief Operating Officer at tgin® in October 2021. With a rich background as an educator, leader, and researcher, Dr. Farrell assumed this position following the journey of her sister, Chris-Tia Donaldson, the esteemed visionary and Founder of tgin®.
Her career across academia, government, and healthcare has been dedicated to empowering women. Her unwavering commitment to coaching and providing access to vital social and community resources has been instrumental in guiding women towards reaching their life goals.
Dr. Farrell is a distinguished scholar, having earned her PhD in Education Evaluation and Research from Wayne State University, MA in Mathematics Education from the University of Detroit - Mercy, an advanced degree in Pastoral Counseling from Liberty University, and a BA in Journalism from the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor.
Living in Chicago with her cherished family, when not immersed in her professional endeavors, she finds joy in travel, exploring fashion and interior design, and indulging in the art of culinary creations. To learn more about Dr. Piper, visit the link below.
Our Values & Mission
Our core values are the foundation of our work. They shape our culture, underlie our decisions, and guide all of our relationships. They are what we always wake up in the morning believing in. Our values inspire us to do our best everyday as we work to achieve our mission: to redefine beauty by cultivating a community that empowers women to be the best versions of themselves.
We possess “Yes I can!” and “Yes I will” attitudes. We maintain an optimistic outlook by turning challenges into opportunities. We are motivated, driven, and passionate about success. We think outside of the box to create bold ideas, innovate better products, and develop new processes.
tgin Foundation
The tgin® Foundation’s mission is to support uninsured women undergoing treatment for breast cancer, highlight the impact of health disparities on survivor outcomes, and stress the importance of early detection for black and brown women under the age of 40.