Meet the team

Diana | Co-Owner & Community Director

Tori | Co-Owner & Creative Director

Diana is the reason we have been able to open our doors to share this space with all of you. As Co-Owner and Community Director, she has been the driving force behind the scenes—creating and managing the never-ending to-do lists that turned our big dream into a functioning, welcoming reality. A Springfield local and the owner of Dyed w/ Pride, she knows how to make people feel seen. She brings a sharp eye for detail and a deep love for community organizing to everything she’s a part of.


While she keeps the day-to-day operations running smoothly, her heart is in the mission: finding forever homes for local cats in need. Diana is also the Founder and Executive Director of Pose Society, a local nonprofit that raises funds for other organizations through fashion and collaborative arts. Her deep roots in the community—from the Hispanic Networking Group to grassroot nonprofit organizations —mean she’s always finding new ways to connect Casita with the neighbors who make this city so special.

As Casita de Miau’s Co-Owner and Creative Director, Tori—who also goes by her artist name, Vio Lapis—is the hands behind the lounge’s warm, vibrant aesthetic. A U.S. Navy veteran, she now works part-time teaching English to adult students through the International Institute of Southwest Missouri, and full-time making sure every corner of Casita feels like home.


While the creative details—from our logo to the layout of our cat climbing walls—came from her design background, the vision for Casita was a shared one. Alongside Diana, Tori spent countless nights painting walls, building furniture, and transforming a blank space into a sanctuary. She donates some of her time and graphic work to local nonprofit organizations. She is also a founding board member and the Creative Brand Director for Pose Society, a local nonprofit she helped build to support and connect creatives in the Springfield area.

Diana is the reason we have been able to open our doors to share this space with all of you. As Co-Owner and Community Director, she has been the driving force behind the scenes—creating and managing the never-ending to-do lists that turned our big dream into a functioning, welcoming reality. A Springfield local and the owner of Dyed w/ Pride, she knows how to make people feel seen. She brings a sharp eye for detail and a deep love for community organizing to everything she’s a part of.


While she keeps the day-to-day operations running smoothly, her heart is in the mission: finding forever homes for local cats in need. Diana is also the Founder and Executive Director of Pose Society, a local nonprofit that raises funds for other organizations through fashion and collaborative arts. Her deep roots in the community—from the Hispanic Networking Group to grassroot nonprofit organizations —mean she’s always finding new ways to connect Casita with the neighbors who make this city so special.

Diana is the reason we have been able to open our doors to share this space with all of you. As Co-Owner and Community Director, she has been the driving force behind the scenes—creating and managing the never-ending to-do lists that turned our big dream into a functioning, welcoming reality. A Springfield local and the owner of Dyed w/ Pride, she knows how to make people feel seen. She brings a sharp eye for detail and a deep love for community organizing to everything she’s a part of.


While she keeps the day-to-day operations running smoothly, her heart is in the mission: finding forever homes for local cats in need. Diana is also the Founder and Executive Director of Pose Society, a local nonprofit that raises funds for other organizations through fashion and collaborative arts. Her deep roots in the community—from the Hispanic Networking Group to grassroot nonprofit organizations —mean she’s always finding new ways to connect Casita with the neighbors who make this city so special.