Our Team

Merritt A. Mulman

Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Merritt has served as Onyva Franchising, LLC’s Chief Executive Officer since he co-founded it in 2022. Prior to that he co-founded our affiliate, Mulman Dog Wash, LLC, in 2021, the spa upon which Onyva is based and where he continues to serve as Chief Operating Officer. In 2020 Merritt purchased “The Pet Cabaret” – a retail pet supplies store – so he could gain an insider’s view of the pet industry. From 2008-2020 Merritt owned and operated five Senior Helpers franchises. When he sold his company in 2020 his Senior Helpers franchise business was the fourth largest in the Senior Helpers system (out of approximately 280 ownership units). Before becoming a franchisee, Merritt spent over twenty years leading various non-profit and human service agencies. Merritt is also the proud pet parent of Satchel, a 110-pound St. Bernadoodle who is a dirt magnet and the inspiration for the entire Onyva enterprise. He holds an undergraduate degree from Harvard University and a graduate degree from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Lisa won’t hold that against him).

Lisa N. Mulman, Ph.D.

Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer

Lisa is the Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer of Onyva Franchising, LLC. She has held this position since our company’s founding in 2022. From its inception in 2021, she has also served as the Chief Executive Officer of Mulman Dog Wash, LLC dba Onyva, the business upon which Onyva Franchising is based. Prior to founding Onyva, Lisa was a tenured member of the Literature Department at Salem State University from 2003-2021, as well as a co-founder of the Salem State Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, which was formally established in 2015. She also served as the Director of the Graduate Program in English from 2005-2013. Lisa is also the proud pet parent of Satchel, a 110-pound St. Bernadoodle who is a dirt magnet and the inspiration for the entire Onyva enterprise. She holds an undergraduate degree from Harvard University and a Ph.D. from Duke University (Merritt won’t hold that against her).

Miles S. Mulman

President

Miles has been the President of Onyva Franchising, LLC since our inception in October 2022. Since 2021 he also serves in a similar capacity at Mulman Dog Wash, LLC, the spa upon which Onyva is based. Miles is also currently Owner and Chief Executive Officer for Mulman Health Services, Inc. (“MHS”). MHS operates six Senior Helpers franchises as Senior Helpers Boston North, Merrimack Valley, and Southeastern Massachusetts, one of the largest franchise groups in the Senior Helpers system. He has been in that position since January 2020. Prior to becoming Owner and Chief Executive Officer of MHS, Miles was the Regional Director for Senior Helpers Boston North and Southeastern Massachusetts from July 2017 until January 2020. From May 2013 until July 2017, he worked in-house at the franchisor for Senior Helpers, SH Franchising, LLC, where he held numerous roles including Manager of National Partnerships. Miles is the pet parent of Henry, a Bernese Mountain Dog, who definitely could be cleaner. Miles holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Aliaksandra “Sasha” Bolotova

Executive Vice President

Sasha serves as Onyva Franchising, LLC’s Executive Vice President and has done so since 2022. During her tenure she has facilitated the development of Onyva Solutions software and various operational procedures for the franchise. From July 2022 until joining Onyva Franchising, LLC in October 2022, Sasha served as the Special Projects Director of Mulman Dog Wash, LLC, the business which serves as the model for Onyva. From January 2015 – March 2022 Sasha worked at Weill Cornell Medicine in a variety of capacities, including Performance Improvement Senior Project Manager, Senior Ambulatory Project Manager, Project Manager for Out-Patient Implementation, and Senior Ambulatory Analyst. From March 2022 – Sep. 2022, Sasha served as Senior Project Manager of Clinical Applications at City of Hope Hospital in Duarte, CA. In her non-working time, Sasha organizes community events for the Greater Boston dog loving community. Sasha is the pet parent of Madeline, the sweet and photogenic Mini Bernedoodle that can often be spotted gracing our marketing material. Sasha holds an undergraduate degree from Ohio Northern University.

Peter Ross

Senior Franchising Advisor

Peter, a leader in the franchising world, has served as Onyva Franchising, LLC’s Senior Advisor since 2022. Peter has successfully co-founded and led four franchise brands: Senior Helpers, Doctors Express, Assisted Transition, and Town Square. Among these four brands are more than 600 units nationally. Having done it four times, Peter is recognized as an expert in the process of franchising new brands and bringing them to a national audience. Peter’s role at Onyva is invaluable. He provides guidance and a proven road map for both franchisee relations and the technical components of successfully running and rolling out a new franchise brand. His excitement regarding Onyva was apparent when within three minutes of visiting our flagship affiliated store in Boston he turned to the team and said, “I’m in!”

Mike Sperling

Senior Technology Advisor

Mike is the CEO and Owner of Sperling Interactive with over 15 years of website design, photography, marketing, and e-commerce experience. He built Sperling Interactive with his wife from the ground up, starting as a small office in his home with only a few employees and clients to one that has 30+ employees and more than 600 clients served all from our headquarters in Salem’s Historic District. Before founding Sperling Interactive, Mike worked his way up from staff photographer at the Eagle Tribune Publishing Company to the lead operator and manager of multiple websites for daily and weekly publications.

Ever the optimist, Mike believes that there is never a problem that can’t be solved with a bit of ingenuity and perseverance. It’s this positive, can-do attitude and know-how that allowed Mike to be recognized as Small Business of the Year 2019, by the Greater Beverly Chamber of Commerce. In addition, Sperling Interactive has also been named one of Inc. Magazine’s 5000 fastest-growing privately held companies for a second year in a row.

Karen Schnelwar

Senior Brand Advisor

Karen has 20+ years experience crafting brand strategies, shaping identities and driving brand marketing — building and leading cross-channel and cross-funnel teams and collaborating cross-functionally to bring the brand to life in all forms — from content and communications to culture. Karen has been an agency-side brand consultant driving the creation of a range of branding deliverables — brand strategy, brand architecture, brand voice, identity, expression and experience. She’s fortunate enough to shape brands including: Taylor Swift, Wolfgang Puck, American Eagle Outfitters — including the creation and evolution of Aerie — Gap, Chicos, Gymboree, Claire’s Accessories, Aruba, Carnegie Hall, The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones, CapitolOne, Pfizer, IBM/Lenovo, DreamWorks, Disney, Target, Campari, Constellation Brands, The Face Shop, It Cosmetics Clairol, Driscoll’s, Silk, Music Choice and for brands across the Nestle, Unilever, Pepsi, Beam Suntory and General Mills portfolios.