Democratizing Design in the UK with Word Swag

Word Swag App

Summer 2014-Ongoing

Social Marketing+ Outreach Director

Word Swag is the app that enables anyone to create beautifully custom text-over-image-designs with just a few taps on their smartphone. It was a privilege to represent Word Swag (and the US) at this year’s Social Day UK. (I was the only American presenter that year!) Social Day UK is the global social media conference for brands, agencies, creators, influencers, marketers and freelancers and the tools and tech they use.

I connected with social media marketers and influencers from around the world. And enjoyed three full days of engaging talks and panel discussions surrounding the latest social media trends and best practices. I led a workshop entitled “Contstantly Creating Content?” in the middle of Day 2.

Participants learned how to quickly create consistent, branded content for any platform . I shared best branding practices for Word Swag and the brand-new “Slider” app. (now called Story Swag) By the end of my workshop, everyone learned to easily generate engaging text over image designs and transform images into animated slideshow videos in the time it takes to respond to an email.

I’ve worked with Word Swag for over 5 years now. I’m empowered to work with an app that’s been so influential in democratizing design for social media marketers and entrepreneurs world-wide. To learn more about Word Swag or to collaborate use the links below.

Creating the Dream Retreat @ Gateway Ranch, Arizona

Restival Global

November 2016-January 2018

Independent Consultant, Outreach Director

Restival Global was an alternative festival retreat hybrid that partnered with indigenous populations to produce immersive and transformative events Worldwide. The goal of this event in Arizona @ Gateway Ranch was to provide a transformative wellness experience while creating a new platform for indigenous communities to share their cultural wisdom. Gateway Ranch is located on a remote private property near James Turrell’s latest Art Installation at Roden Crater.

Years later I’m still in awe of the successful experience I had at Gateway ranch. For four weeks I lived and worked on a remote solar ranch in the Arizona Desert alongside the Diné (Navajo) people. I co-managed a team of 38 volunteers, practitioners, staff and crew. I lead creative writing workshops alongside global wellness practitioners. I worked harder than I have in my entire career. Most importantly, I experienced first-hand the personal transformation I had spent months describing online.

I was initially hired as a branding consultant to improve Restival’s digital brand and maximize ticket sales for the Arizona Event. After experiencing the event, my involvement evolved into full-time responsibilities including partnerships and future event programming. I was able to use my many of my greatest strengths to help Restival Global grow as a brand.

I’m still digesting the lessons I learned alongside the Diné people in Arizona. Sadly, Restival Global is no longer an existing business or brand. Officially, I stopped working with Restival in January 2018.

For more information on this project please get in touch using the link below.

Hurricane Relief Gala Raises $130,000!

All Hands & Hearts Smart Response

September 2010- April 2015, Spring 2018

Intern, Communications Fellow, Event Communications

All Hands and Hearts Smart Response was once two separate mission driven organizations. Happy Hearts Fund and All Hands. Happy Hearts Fund raised funds to rebuild schools and communities that had been destroyed by natural disasters. All hands was a volunteer based construction organization with the same mission. Together these organizations now form a volunteer-powered disaster relief organization that addresses the immediate and long-term needs of communities impacted by natural disasters.

The Hurricane Relief Gala on April 14, 2018 was Organized on behalf of All Hands and Hearts Smart Response.

I collaborated with Young New York Professionals Kyle Dropp, Alex and Liz Betesh on behalf of All Hands & Hearts to organize the silent auction at the Hurricane Relief Gala. Kyle, Alex and Liz were incredibly motivated to raise the most money possible to assist the ongoing recovery efforts of All Hands and Hearts in the Caribbean.

It was an honor to represent the organization alongside Ellie Manko the evening of the event. The silent auction alone raised nearly $30,000. Altogether the evening raised $130,000 toward Hurricane relief! You can read more about the event here.

I began my professional career at Happy Hearts Fund as a communications intern while I was still at NYU back in 2013 and the experience continues to inspire and instruct me.

Learn more about the amazing impact All Hands and Hearts are having using the link below.

The 'Patagonica' Tour with Parties4Peace

Parties4Peace

Winter 2018 - Ongoing

Hospitality + Communications

Parties4Peace is is a non-profit event production and fundraising organization that hosts music and art events to support various global initiatives focused on education, sustainability, equality and disaster relief. P4P unites people to create a culture of peace through dance and music, emphasizing collaborations with those who seek the platform to make a difference.

The Patagonica tour organized by Parties4Peace hosts educational events and electronic dance parties throughout Chile in seven cities: Valparaíso, Viña de Mar, Concepción, Los Andes, Santiago,Patagonia, Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales. I joined the tour for the 15th anniversary of this tour as the hospitality manager. My responsibilities included accommodation and travel logistics, tour communications with press and the general well-being of my tour-mates including musicians, artists and our very own Vegan Chef.

Each city provided a unique opportunity to reach more people with our message of peace and sustainable development. In Chile, Parties4Peace’s main goal is to declare Patagonia a World Heritage site recognized by UNESCO.

Patagonica started on the Peace Boat with the oldest environmental non-profit organization in Chile called CODEFF - the National Committee to Protect the Flora and Fauna. This has been an ongoing mission now for over 16 years! It was an honor and a privilege to participate. The tour also supports one youth representative from CODEFF to join Peace Boat's "Youth for the SDGs" program. For more information visit the Peace Boat website here. Learn more about my experience in my blog post “Defining Success in Patagonia” .

I was able to witness the mission of this organization alongside the unreal natural splendor that is Chile. I continue to be inspired by my experience on the Patagonica tour. My collaboration with Parties4Peace has extended to include their digital re-brand and communication best practices.

For more information on Parties4Peace or to Collaborate please use the links below.

Growing with the Brooklyn Mirage+ Reynard Productions

Reynard Productions + The Brooklyn Mirage + Cityfox

Summer 2015

Event Production Assistant

The build-out of the Brooklyn Mirage Venue was centered on the idea of massive outdoor space with natural vibes, smack dab in the middle of bushwick’s warehouse district. The space was meant to house the best of the best as far as sound but the beginnings were humble. The lot that started out empty except for a worn down warehouse that was not at all fire code ready. After 3 months of what seemed like round-the-clock construction, The Brooklyn Mirage was opened to the public, almost. Vice did a great write up of some of the challenges overcome! Then later so did The New York Times!

I was hired by Reynard Productions to assist in the pre-production of The Brooklyn Mirage. More specifically, to help source and manage the volunteers necessary to plant and build the living plant wall as well as many other massive palms. I recruited a team of local volunteer gardeners (aka my friends and their friends) to plant hundreds of the venue’s most photographed features, the living plant wall.

When the build was completed I was kept on to co-manage entrance procedures for the first events of the season before leaving New York for the summer. I’m invited back to work at the Brooklyn Mirage each season. I love to work and attend their events almost equally which is saying a lot! It’s a privilege to have learned from this venue’s early development and witness it’s transformation first-hand.