VICE PRESIDENT & CHAIR OF SPECIAL EVENTS, IMPACT SAN ANTONIO; MEMBER NON-PROFIT BOARDS; UPS FRANCHISE OWNER; FORMER SR. VP, AT&T GLOBAL EVENTS; PRESIDENT SBC CALIFORNIA & NEVADA; PRESIDENT EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, NEVADA BELL
By photographer
Lora Watts has always known what it means to “lean in.” As President of SBC in California, and AT&T’s Senior Vice President of Global Events, managing their $100M plus sponsorship budget for the biggest sporting events in the world—the Olympics, the Super Bowl, Formula One, The Masters—Lora was usually the only woman in the room.
“I felt like I had to overcome being blonde and somewhat attractive, but once people got to know me, that didn’t last long. I think it was to my advantage. It was a nice place to be.”
“WHEN I STARTED WORKING WITH SOUTHWESTERN BELL, I DIDN’T HAVE HUGE EXPECTATIONS THAT I WOULD HAVE THE POSITIONS I DID. BUT I ENDED UP WITH SOME UNBELIEVABLE OPPORTUNITIES.”
FOUNDER, THIRD WAVE FASHION; AUTHOR; SPEAKER; ADVISOR
By photographer
If you want to know anything about the intersection of fashion and technology, ask Liza Kindred, head of Third Wave Fashion, a fashion tech think tank. AlleyWatch, a respected online news source covering New York City startups, entrepreneurs and investors, recently named Liza as one of “12 Amazing People” in New York Fashion Tech you need to know. Obsessed with technology and how it continues to change the way we shop, Liza Kindred has literally put the term “fashion tech” on the map.
In an industry where the technology behind online shopping changes faster than we can change clothes, Liza Kindred and her monthly Third Wave report is the go-to database for info about e-commerce companies. “I love fashion, but I love technology more because it’s changing the world,” said Kindred. Her soon-to-be published book, The Third Wave of Commerce: How We Buy Now, chronicles 21 new, innovative and/or disruptive business models, from nail polish you can rent, to computers you can wear.
“WHEN I’M RESEARCHING A COMPANY, AND I GO TO THE LEADERSHIP PAGE AND IT’S A SEA OF WHITE MEN, I GET REALLY DISCOURAGED.”
PRODUCER & HOST OF GOODTASTE.TV, FORMER INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER, EMMY AWARD-WINNING JOURNALIST, NEWS ANCHOR
By photographer
Tanji Patton is a familiar face to anyone who’s watched television news in Texas. A former investigative reporter, Tanji owned the 6 and 10pm news as the anchor at San Antonio’s NBC affiliate, WOAI-TV, working for the station more than 17 years. “It was rewarding to be able to meet these amazing people and to be a conduit to help them with the problems they had, find a solution, or shine light on something that needed fixing.”
Journalism and television news wasn’t Tanji’s original career path. “I was going into medicine, but couldn’t do the math, and thought, this isn’t going to work. Then Watergate broke. That story fascinated me, and I was hooked. I knew that was it. It’s journalism!” Continue Reading
DESIGNER, AUTHOR, MAKEOVER TELEVISION PERSONALITY
By content editorial director photographer
If you’ve ever watched Libby Langdon’s television shows—Daykeover with Libby Langdon, Design Invasion, or her segments on NBC’s Open House, The Rachel Ray Show, The Today Show, The View, or HGTV’s Small Space, Big Style—then you know Libby has lots of energy; a characteristic that’s served her well. Early in her career she was an actress who worked in everything from soap operas and television commercials, to voiceovers and movies. Her best training ground may have been the television and movie production company she and her ex-husband ran.
“I MOVED TO NEW YORK CITY BY MYSELF AT 15.”
COO VERDURA & BOARD MEMBER OF WOMEN’S VOICES FOR CHANGE
By content editorial director photographer
So the story goes, on her 90th birthday, Babs Simpson, a former Fashion Editor at Vogue, wore all of the Verdura pieces she owned. “That’s what I aspire to be. It’s all about the jewelry,” said Colleen Caslin, COO of Verdura, the American, international, fine jewelry firm. “To enjoy jewelry every day. Jewelry allows you to create your own style. Tone it up, or tone it down, but no matter what age, we should have fun with it.”
There aren’t many women who don’t fade into the background when wearing a brooch made with four rubies, 59 diamonds, 46 seed pearls and a Portuguese coin from 1780, but Colleen Caslin is no shrinking violet. Neither is Verdura’s Fifth Avenue salon, overlooking Central Park. Its plush walls are lined with history: breathtaking jeweled pieces designed and created for the most famous style icons in the world.
“MOST WOMEN, WHEN THEY HIT A CERTAIN POINT IN THEIR LIVES, ARE EITHER EMPOWERED AND HAVE FUN WITH THEIR LIFE AND ARE NOT AFRAID TO CHANGE AND PUSH BOUNDARIES, OR THEY BECOME COMPLACENT…”
ADJUNCT PROFESSOR, PARSON’S NEW SCHOOL; FORMER VP DESIGN, LIZ CLAIBORNE; DESIGNER, SUSANNA MOYER; ADJUNCT PROFESSOR, AMERICAN UNIV, PARIS
By content editorial director photographer
It’s not surprising that Susanna Moyer became a clothing designer. With a fashionable mother, who was a model and Miss Washington, DC, Susanna Moyer made clothes, houses, “…anything I could for my Barbies. I got a shoebox; they got a car.”
As a young student at the famed Parson’s School of Design, Susanna and her classmates were an elite group that included Mark Badgley and James Mischka, creators of the uber chic Badgley Mischka line, plus Calvin Klein was their class advisor.
“Today, I wouldn’t have a chance to meet somebody like Calvin Klein. He worked on the sketch with us, worked through the muslin and the fabric process. If the model didn’t show up, it would be ‘Hey, Susanna! Can you put on Jim Mischka’s outfit for Calvin?’ and Calvin Klein would pin my underwear to the muslin. It was amazing!”
“CLOTHES USED TO BE A STAPLE IN OUR LIVES, BUT NOW THEY’VE BECOME DISPOSABLE.”
OWNER & PRESIDENT OF AROS COMMUNICATIONS
By content editorial director photographer
Amy Rosi knows how to make an entrance. Whether she’s dressed in a black form-fitting coat, with a red skirt peeking out at the bottom, black high heel ankle boots and a black fur hat, or she’s wearing her favorite vintage pieces, Amy Rosi has an innate sense of style and grace.
Like many young women, Rosi came to New York with dreams of becoming a ballet dancer and an actress. And like many women, she got sidetracked by the business of making a living. “I got a job working in public relations, and I had a talent for art, and that’s been my career path. Marketing, branding and communications.” Continue Reading
OWNER, A. CICOGNANI COMMUNICATIONS
By content editorial director photographer
The book, Beyond Chic: Great Fashion Designers at Home, is sitting on a table in Alejandra Cicognani’s living room. A white Phalaenopsis orchid and a stylized, sterling silver cat sit nearby. Upon closer inspection, the cat turns out to be a purse with a braided silver chain. “Beyond chic” is an apt description for everything about Alejandra Cicognani. Continue Reading
LUXURY BRAND EXPERT, SPEAKER, CEO OF CAROL BRODIE, HOST OF HSN’S ‘RARITIES: FINE JEWELRY WITH CAROL BRODIE’ & HOST OF ‘ACCESSORIZE YOUR LIFE WITH CAROL BRODIE’ ON HSN
By content editorial director photographer
It’s easy to see why Carol Brodie is the queen of affordable luxury jewelry on Home Shopping Network (HSN). Her passions are luxury, jewelry, having her own television show, and empowering women. “I’m empowered by women everywhere,” Brodie says. “If there’s one thing I do in life, it’s that I hope I empower them in return.”
For a woman who walked away from Harry Winston after nearly a decade, Carol Brodie’s career has skyrocketed. During her years with Winston, Carol was not only the face of the brand, but she’s credited with expanding Harry Winston’s appeal to a younger clientele, as well as dressing red carpet celebrities in borrowed jewelry.
“I PRESENT MORE JEWELRY IN ONE MONTH THAN MOST JEWELRY STORES DO IN A YEAR.”
ATTORNEY, STRATEGIST, MASTER NETWORKER & CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER OF CUURIO
By photographer
Holding up a sexy pair of red soled, autographed, Christian Louboutin’s, Kelly Hoey’s smile is as big as Central Park. “Shoes are my addiction, although I’m not as bad as Imelda Marcos. I wear my shoes, and they are loved.”
Shoe addict is not what first comes to mind when reading a litany of Kelly Hoey’s accomplishments. In addition to over 88,000 followers on Google+, Forbes lists her as one of five women who are changing the face of venture capital and entrepreneurship for women. Fast Company says Kelly Hoey is one of the 25 Smartest Women on Twitter. If those credits aren’t enough, Forbes also lists Hoey as an Up and Comer: One of 100 Innovators and Women Over 40 to Watch.
ONE OF THE PIECES OF ADVICE I ALWAYS GIVE YOUNGER WOMEN IS TO BUILD YOUR EXPERTISE, BUILD YOUR NETWORK AND BUILD YOUR BANK ACCOUNT.
Hoey was co-founder of Women Innovate Mobile (WIM), a NYC-based startup accelerator that helped early stage, women founded, mobile tech ventures get resources and mentoring. “Women need to create the equivalent of the male investor pay pal mafia: the old boy’s network.”
As someone who’s always worked at changing the economic dynamics for women entrepreneurs, Hoey’s new position as Chief Marketing Officer at Cuurio is a great fit for everyone concerned. Cuurio connects brands and agencies with emerging technology startups to create partnerships that elevate everyone to the next level.
In addition to her role at Cuurio, Hoey mentors startups for ER Accelerator, Grand Central Tech and Straight Shot as well as the monthly Meet the Innovator speaker series at the Apple Store in SoHo, with similar events to come in San Francisco and Chicago.
“One of the pieces of advice I always give younger women is to build your expertise, build your network and build your bank account. The bank account is not about a retirement fund. It’s so you can say yes to opportunities. How many people have said I’d like to take that job, but it doesn’t pay enough? You need to have the bank account so you can say yes and take greater risks that may lead to greater opportunities.
“Being Canadian, I have to resort to hockey quotes, and out of the mouth of the great one, Wayne Gretzky: ‘You miss a hundred percent of the shots you don’t take,’” Hoey said. With Kelly Hoey’s help, women will learn invaluable skills that enable them to score shots previous generations of women only dreamed of making.
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