Work/Life Integration
NYWICI Board Members and Scholarship Recipients at Meta
Have you ever wondered what it’s like being part of the NYWICI community? Are you influenced by likeminded individuals who are just as passionate in the communications industry as you are? Look no further because on August 21, 2023, NYWICI board members gathered at the Meta building to discuss how NYWICI positively impacted their lives to the 2022 and 2023 scholarship recipients.
Abi Evans, Karin Tracy, Chardia Christophe-Garcia, Chelsea Orcutt, and Alex Osten are some of the many influential women who attended and spoke at the Meta event. During this three-hour event, these women explained how they’re involved with NYWICI while hustling their own corporate jobs.
Abi Evans, the Chief of Staff for NYWICI and the Chief Growth Officer at Dentsu Creative has served on the NYWICI Board for four years. She teaches young professionals like me that having varied professional interests and “running towards the fire” is a unique skillset and one to be celebrated in the workplace. Abi encouraged those new to the industry to demonstrate their intellectual curiosity and passion—the qualities you can’t teach—as way to stand out.
Awareness and self-worth
In a similar manner, Karin Tracy explains how her love for fashion and media has gotten her where she is today and how to handle unexpected disruption in your career. Karin has been at Meta for eight years and joined NYWICI in January 2023, where she’s leading Matrix Corporate Partnerships. When Karin is not working with the NYWICI team, she leads the fashion and retail team at Meta where she and her team consult major fashion and retail brands about how to unlock the power of Meta’s platforms to drive their business goals. Although Karin has had an incredible career both at Meta and beforehand, running some of the biggest fashion magazines in the country, she taught us the lesson that, “there are setbacks.” How you pivot from setbacks and use them as a springboard to new and exciting challenges is key.
Karin also gave us the practical advice around being prepared, because just like school, every business interaction is more successful if you do your homework and prep. Take the time to research people you meet and work with. This extra attention will not go unnoticed and help build meaningful relationships. These relationships will be with you for the rest of your career if you nurture them the right way.
Be present and be bold
Believe it or not, every opportunity handed in life impacts you one way or another and no one knows that better than Chardia Christophe-Garcia, Alex Osten, and Chelsea Orcutt.
Chardia Christophe-Garcia has been active with NYWICI as the Vice President of Membership. When she’s not working as the Executive Director of Audience and Community Marketing at Forbes, Chardia brings awareness towards NYWICI and is the master behind helping multiple people get access to professional opportunities without price being a barrier. Chardia brings more members into the funnel and works across multiple channels to reach a wide audience of future communicators. She reminds us to utilize the board as a resource saying, “you can definitely look to us as a resource; we work at some of the most prominent companies in the country.” That being said, any and all meetings should be viewed as an opportunity. “It is your job to put yourself on people’s radar in the most respectful way. Don’t forget to send a thank you note and follow up.” Making an impression helps people remember who you are and when you’re new to a company it’s important to establish that kind of respect.
Perseverance
Alex Osten and Chelsea Orcutt are living proof that not giving up has its benefits. Alex won a NYWICI scholarship in 2014 and landed herself in the Forbes 30 under 30 list while maintaining a successful career at Meta. Chelsea received NYWICI scholarships in 2009 and 2010, and now serves as the Vice President of Scholarships and Grants on the NYWICI Board of Directors. She is currently the Associate Director of Strategy and Operations at Thirty Madison, a digital health company. Alex and Chelsea’s advice is to “understand how to communicate at all levels of your organization” and always highlight the impact of your work.
Connections
Overall, the event at Meta has not only introduced me to new people but also broadened my perspectives towards the communications field. If I wasn’t given the opportunity to receive a scholarship, I wouldn’t have known about the steppingstones the speakers went through nor would I have gotten the chance to speak to young women who are also in the midst of figuring out what to do with their future. Each of us is different and we understand the hardships of building a successful life. However, being part of NYWICI allows you to be present, bold, self-aware, and resilient just like the women before us.
For more information about Abi Evans, Karin Tracy, Chardia Christophe-Garcia, Chelsea Orcutt, and Alex Osten, check out the spotlights page on NYWICI’s website. To listen and participate in similar events, get a NYWICI membership today!
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