Our Team

Riley Craig- Shaffer, owner/stylist
specializes in hand-tied extensions, blonding, dimensional colors and styling

Being strong is what has built Riley, her business, and career. Riley strives to help others in the hair industry to grow behind the chair and in life.

Riley has known since she was a little girl that hair was always her passion. Riley graduated from the Paul Mitchell the School Chicago in 2014 and while in school, she was on the Design Team, and attended Caper in Las Vegas, a student-based hair show, where she was one of the first 100 students Nationwide in the Paul Mitchell network to raise $3,000 for various charities. Through this, she met Magic Johnson, Betty White, Marie Osmand, and many more influential celebrities.

Riley was apart of Beacon winning a trip to the North American Hair Awards in Las Vegas during school, where she attended educational events and saw awards being handed to top-performing hair artists! During this time, she started a Toy Drive for the Mercy Home in Chicago, collecting donations while in school to help out the city of Chicago.

After graduating, Riley assisted a salon in Mansfield, TX for eight months and then decided to return back to Chicago to further her career assisting Margaret Pasiennik, owner of Salon Blonde, who had worked for Elizabeth Arden, running the Grand Hotel Salon, and as a platform artist for MANY big name hair brands.

Riley was a part of One Hope United in Chicago, where she loved doing charity and networking events in Chicago. Eventually, she decided to move back home to Springfield, IL and assist a salon in town where she built her clientele.

After being there for a little over a year, Riley knew there was more out there for her and decided to open her own salon. In May of 2017, the doors to Bow + Arrow Salon opened and she began building her brand.

Riley has traveled the US educating in Hand-tied Extensions, taken three different courses for hand-tied extensions, and travels to Chicago and California several times a year for continuing education.

Riley believes that education is what keeps her business and brand growing.

“You never stop growing and learning, not just in the hair industry, but in life in general,” Riley says.

Riley doesn’t let any new guest see their transformation until it’s completely finished, and says what makes her feel good is the moment she turns her guest in the chair around to see themselves in the mirror for their first look.

Kierstin Ittenbach, Stylist
SPecializes in balayage, dimensional color, short cuts and extensions

“I have had a passion for hair since I was four years old. Throughout my teen years the passion only grew stronger.

I graduated from the PCI Academy in Plymouth, Minnesota, and began my career at a salon and boutique in Minnesota where I continued to work for about 3.5 years.

Eventually I moved back to my home state of Illinois and fell in love with Bow + Arrow Salon.

I once saw a quote that said, ‘If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.’

And I find that to be so very true.”

Olivia Mcnaught, Stylist/apprentice
SPecializes in blonding and extensions

“When I was in high school, I loved doing my friends' hair for prom, homecoming, Sadie Hawkins’ dances–you name the special occasion! By the time I was done with my friends’ hair, I would barely have any time left to do my own, but that didn’t even matter because of how much I loved their reactions to their hair and how they felt after I did their hair.

That’s when I realized I was destined for cosmetology school. I attended USCA in Springfield, Illinois and graduated in November of 2019.

I’ve always thought Bow + Arrow was the cutest salon. It’s definitely the right fit for me because of how welcoming everyone was and the ongoing education I was offered.

I’m so grateful for where I’m at and remain excited for where I’m going.”