In 2016, at the height of my fashion photography career, I hit a wall. After years of producing global campaigns, I became deeply disillusioned with the industry’s narrow standards of beauty. So I did what I’ve always done in the face of resistance: I created what didn’t yet exist.

I fundraised, photographed, and self-published a body-positive art book that featured over 70 extraordinary women—from Miss Universe winners and disabled advocates to transgender icons and everyday disruptors.

The book ignited a global media wave—covered everywhere from The New York Times and CNN to BBC, India Times, Canal+, and ABS News. It inspired several international documentaries and catalyzed industry conversation on beauty, power, and representation.

One month after its release, the woman on the cover became the first curve model to walk New York Fashion Week.

This wasn’t just a project—it was a cultural intervention.

It helped move the industry from aspiration to authenticity.

Media: The New York Times, CNN, The Today Show, BBC, Canal+, India Times, ABC News, The Times
Medium: Self-published art book, global press, cultural shift

📎 [See Media Coverage]

In 2020, at the height of the pandemic, I co-founded and served as Vice President of a nonprofit in a largely overlooked town in Upstate New York. What began as a single Zoom call quickly evolved into a 300-member coalition that met weekly—and got things done.

Together, we elected a new mayor, brought in two cannabis cultivation centers projected to create over 300 jobs, launched a seasonal farmers market, opened a new art gallery, and co-authored a five-year strategic development plan that was formally adopted by the village board. We also produced a tourism guide that was distributed by Ulster County—reframing the narrative of what Ellenville could become.

But beyond the deliverables, we built something deeper: civic muscle. We redefined what power looks like in rural America—especially for women, immigrants, LGBTQ+ folks, and first-time organizers in a politically purple district.

This wasn’t charity work. It was strategy. Bottom-up, collaborative, and built to last.

Medium: Civic strategy, grassroots organizing, political storytelling

📎 [Read the NYT Feature]

In 2024, I applied to graduate programs at both Harvard and Columbia—without holding an undergraduate degree. I told the truth: my expertise wasn’t earned in a classroom. It was built in the real world—on set, in high-stakes negotiations, and while leading teams through chaos and change.

At first, the answer was no.

So I negotiated. I asked what would make it a yes—and then I exceeded every requirement.

Both universities ultimately waived their prerequisites and admitted me. Columbia awarded me a scholarship. Harvard gave me a 3.85 GPA in my first term. No special treatment. Just results.

This isn’t just my personal win—it’s a case study in rethinking who belongs in elite rooms. In challenging how we define merit. In using lived experience as leverage.

Medium: Narrative disruption, institutional negotiation, systems critique

📎 [Coming soon: “Merit Is a Myth” – Essay Series]

After years of producing creative for legacy fashion brands, I joined SWIM USA—the largest swimwear licensing company in the U.S.—to lead a strategic transformation. My mission: help create a department that will transition a decades-old B2B giant into a modern, direct-to-consumer powerhouse.

I built their first in-house visual asset production department from the ground up—developing workflows, hiring talent, and scaling systems to support over 50 licensed brands, including Polo Ralph Lauren and Reebok Swim.

This wasn’t just about content—it was about reshaping internal operations, aligning cross-functional teams, and evolving brand storytelling for a digital-first world. We shifted timelines, modernized tools, and delivered market-ready creative that retained brand integrity while expanding reach.

This project gave me a front-row seat to how organizational structure, identity, and execution collide during moments of transformation—and how to lead through them.

Medium: Organizational change, creative operations, systems leadership, strategic transformation

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