Tag: Power Women

Categories
Featured Lifestyle NYC

From Illinois SoyBean Fields to NYC Maritime

From Illinois SoyBean Fields to New York City Maritime
Capt Diana CHL

“Think corn and soybean fields as far as the eye can see”

 

 

Today, we continue our series with Classic Harbor Line, Female Captains. The newest Captain found her love for sailing right here in New York. How luck can take you places and find a love for a new career when you least expect it!

 

Meet Captain Diana

 

DTM: How did you get started in this line of work and where are you from?

 

Capt Diana: I’m originally from Central Illinois (think corn and soybean fields as far as the eye can see) so working in the maritime industry in NYC was the last thing I thought I would be doing. 

 

 

 

DTM: What brought you to CHL?

 

Capt Diana: I lovingly say that sheer dumb luck brought me to Classic Harbor Line. I moved to New York to attend grad school for Occupational Therapy and my then-boyfriend, now-husband worked for the company and suggested that I interview. That was in 2012 and I haven’t looked back. 

 

 

 

Captain Daina CHL

 

From Illinois SoyBean Fields to New York City Maritime 

 

DTM: What type of education or updated education are you given with CHL?

 

Capt Diana: At a minimum, we conduct and/or attend monthly safety sessions for each of the boats we work on, but as a new crew (who was also new to sailing) I went through some serious on-the-job training in addition to self-study. 

 

 

DTM: What is your favorite thing about working for CHL in New York?

 

Capt Diana: One of my favorite things is the sense of community among the crew. I came in knowing virtually nothing and even though it meant more work for the senior deckhands they were all willing to share their time and expertise to facilitate my training. The same was and is true as a captain too. 

 

“I don’t think I will ever forget my first solo trip on each of the boats I captain for CHL”

 

DTM: Share one of your most memorable/rewarding moments?

 

Capt Diana:  While I’ve had so many wonderful moments in New York Harbor, I don’t think I will ever forget my first solo trip on each of the boats I captain for CHL.

 

 

DTM: What is the most common misconception people have about being a Captain of a vessel in New York vs sailing the ocean?

 

From Illinois SoyBean Fields to New York City Maritime

 

Capt Diana: I haven’t done any ocean sailing so I can’t speak to any of those misconceptions, but I am frequently surprised by the number of people who know that Manhattan is an island but are surprised by our active waterfront and the number of recreational water activities that NYC has to offer. 

 

 

 

Capt Diana and Capt Kat CHL

 

 

DTM: Do you ever get bored with sailing the same route?

 

Capt Diana: The route might be the same each time, but between the passengers, traffic, wind, and current each trip is different. Plus, I get a unique view of NYC’s ever-changing skyline. 

 

 

DTM: What makes a good captain?

 

Capt Diana: There are so many things that make a good captain, but communication and trust are two that are top of mind.

 

“Captaining a sail boat and motor yacht both require a similar skillset”

 

DTM: Is there a difference between being a captain for sailing vessels vs motor yachts?

 

 

Capt Diana: Captaining a boat and motor yacht both require a similar skill set; however, our schooners are much more at the mercy of Mother Nature, so we pay a great deal of attention to things like wind speed/direction and the tides. Additionally, the schooners have a lot of moving parts and the captain has direct control over only a small portion of them which is quite different from the yachts and what makes communication so important.

 

 

DTM: What’s the last thing you do on your ship before you depart for the day?

 

Capt Diana: I do one last visual inspection of the boat and dock to be extra sure that everything is safe, stowed, and secure. 

 

 

DTM: Because we are Downtown Magazine, what is your favorite place in Lower Manhattan Chelsea to the Battery to just get away and relax?

 

Capt Diana: I could spend hours in Battery Park just watching all the boats go by and catching a sunset over the Statue of Liberty from the land. 

 

DTM: Tips, I’m all about tips for the crew. It’s very important to show your gratitude, they work so hard in such a short time, why is it important to tip?

 

Capt Diana: The CHL crew works tremendously hard before, during, and after each trip to look after passenger safety and comfort, not to mention proper handling of the boat. The sails don’t go up and the drinks don’t go out without the crew and while they’re doing all of that they also act as lookouts and assist with other tasks for the captain. 

 

 

DTM: What’s the best advice to give new captains when working with the public?

 

Capt Diana: I’m still a pretty new captain myself, but for what it’s worth I try to reflect on something that went well and something to work on for next time. Also, it’s okay to be nervous-trust your training. 

 

 

Captain Diana Christopher Bio:

Captain Diana has been with Classic Harbor Line New York (CHL) since 2012. First as part of the sales team, then as crew, and now as captain. In 2018 she earned her USCG 100 Ton Master with Sail Endorsement. In her eight seasons with CHL, she’s passed by the Statue of Liberty well over 1,000 times. While NYC is home, she’s found a way to work at least one shift in three of CHL’s four locations on all but one of CHL’s 10 vessels (Sloop Eleanor in Newport, RI, would check all the boxes). When she’s not on the water you can find her exploring NY’s city and state parks with her dog and husband.

 

Categories
Business Featured Miami News

Christina Lucas, A Leading Voice

Christina Lucas, A Leading Voice
Photo by Universal Admedia

If you feel the winds of change blowing through NOHO, there’s a good reason. Christina Lucas is back in town.

 

Downtown was able to grab a quick chat with Christina about her career, vision, and tenacity.

 

Christina Lucas, A Leading Voice
Photo by Universal Admedia

  

Fresh off her multi-year world tour with insurance giant AIG –

 

Christina returns to Manhattan as an executive within Global Claims. It’s a role she’s undeniably suited for, having successfully led hundreds of people and managed multiple business units from Miami to Tokyo to Bulgaria, where she was in charge of over 500 multi-lingual insurance professionals supporting the UK and Western Europe. And everywhere she goes she brings change with her, transforming divisions to deliver groundbreaking results.

 

Bright and engaging, Christina is naturally drawn to the energy and diversity of life in NoHo. Slipping spur-of-the-moment into a table at Atla, waiting patiently for sushi at Uchū, or shopping at DiPalo’s to prepare an impromptu antipasti platter for friends in her home.

 

Christina Lucas, A Leading Voice
Photo by Universal Admedia

   

When Christina steps out, she’s always dressed for success –

 

whether she is heading out for tennis, attending an art gallery showing, delivering a keynote address, or discussing global trends with business leaders. “A solid, 90% of what I wear to work is, St. John,” she admits. “But I feel absolutely inspired when I wear Anya Ponorovskaya. I feel like I can do anything.”

 

 

Christina Lucas, A Leading Voice
Photo by Universal Admedia

 

 

Apparently, Christina can do anything she sets her mind to.

 

Fearless and courageous even at the age of 8, she boarded a jet from Louisville, Kentucky, for Wiesbaden, Germany, to join her mother who was serving in the U.S. Army. “I knew that I wanted to be a global citizen, to be international and see the world,” Christina says. “Now, I’m so glad to be back in Manhattan. It’s the right change for me right now.”

 

 

 

Christina Lucas, A Leading Voice
Photo by Universal Admedia

 

 

Christina Lucas is Senior Vice President, Global Claims Business Performance at AIG.

 

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Georgetown University, and a Masters of Information Technology from American Intercontinental University. She currently lives in Manhattan, speaks five languages, and is passionate about the arts, cooking, and tennis.

You can find her on Instagram at Instagram link.

 

Categories
Doctors Featured Health

The Lewin Fund Battles to End Women’s Cancers

The Lewin Fund Battles to End Women's Cancers
Dr. Sharyn Lewin performs robotic surgery with the Da Vinci Robot in Holy Name Medical Center. 2/6/17 Photo by Jeff Rhode /Holy Name Medical Center

By Fallon Harrington

Photos courtesy of Holy Name Medical Center

Dr. Sharyn Lewin
Dr. Sharyn Lewin

The Lewin Fund to Fight Women’s Cancers was founded in 2014 by Dr. Sharyn Lewin, a renowned gynecologic oncologist and Castle Connolly Top Doctor in New York City. This fund began through a generous gift from a woman who lost her battle to uterine cancer. Grateful for Dr. Lewin’s help, she wanted to support the expansion of Dr. Lewin’s vision and expertise to more people across the nation.  

The Lewin Fund

The Lewin Fund’s mission focuses on addressing the massive unmet funding needed for research, education, prevention, and support for women with cancer. The fund is particularly focused on underserved communities. The Lewin Fund is a family fund that not only helps women with cancer but is also committed to wellness and prevention initiatives to keep women cancer-free. Lastly, the Lewin Fund strives to help not just women but also their families, supporting them in a myriad of ways as they face cancer. For example, it funds a transportation program at Mount Sinai Hospital to help women travel for chemotherapy and doctor appointments. It also funds a Bronx-based program, The BOLD Brothers/Sisters Program at Albert Einstein College of Medicine to support children whose moms and grandmothers have cancer. 

Mount Sinai Hospital

Both the founder and the executive director of The Lewin Fund, Dr. Sharyn Lewin designed the organization’s strategic vision and oversees the operations. She serves as the chief ambassador, at the helm of advancing the mission to invest in grassroots initiatives and research that directly support women who are afflicted with cancer and their families. She brings more than 20 years of medical, research, and community outreach experience to her role and is a long-time advocate for women and women’s health initiatives. It also supports the ‘Woman to Woman’ program at Mount Sinai Hospital, a peer-mentoring program.

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

The Lewin Fund supports several innovative research projects, including the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. It has also embarked on precision medicine studies, including ones on genetics and immunotherapy.

The Latina Summit

The Lewin Fund also focuses on prevention. It hosts free community events to help educate the community about cancer prevention and wellness. Some of the events include “Own Your Health Power Panels,” “Tell 10 Women Events,” “National Education Symposia,” and the “Latina Summit: The Impact of Cancer On a Family” to be held in NYC (165 W 46th Street) on November 21st.   

Award-Winning Gynecologic Oncologist

A board-certified gynecologic oncologist, Dr. Lewin specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of ovarian, endometrial, uterine, cervical, vulvar, and vaginal cancers. She currently serves as the medical director of the New Jersey-based Holy Name Medical Center’s Gynecologic Oncology Division. Dr. Lewin’s expertise includes radical operations for ovarian cancer, including upper abdominal and extended pelvic resections. She has extensive training in minimally invasive laparoscopic procedures and robotic techniques using the da Vinci Surgical System. She has research interests in novel chemotherapeutic agents, including immunotherapy and hyperthermic chemotherapy (HIPEC) for recurrent ovarian cancer.

The Lewin Fund Battles to End Women's Cancers
Dr. Sharyn Lewin performs robotic surgery with the Da Vinci Robot in Holy Name Medical Center. 2/6/17 Photo by Jeff Rhode /Holy Name Medical Center

Education & Experience

Dr. Lewin is an assistant clinical professor at Mount Sinai Hospital. Prior to that, Dr. Lewin was an assistant clinical professor at Columbia University Medical Center, New-York Presbyterian Hospital. While at NYP, Dr. Lewin was the first medical director of the Woman to Woman Program, a cancer support initiative. She completed her training at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. 

Physician of the Year

A national educator on hereditary genetics, cancer survivorship and state-of-the-art treatment for advanced ovarian cancer, Dr. Lewin has authored or co-authored over 100 articles, abstracts, book chapters, and made many presentations at scholarly conferences. She was selected for the prestigious President’s Award from the Society of Gynecologic Oncology and NYP’s prestigious Physician of the Year Award. She is a Castle Connolly Regional Top Doctor since 2015. thelewlinfund.org 

Dr. Sharyn Lewin

Steven M. Cohen, Special Advisor

The Lewin Fund has many supporters from all walks of life. The fund’s voluntary board of directors carefully vets proposals for funding opportunities. Special advisors are also on hand to provide insight and support. Steven M.  Cohen, a special advisor to The Lewin Fund, explains that partnering with and supporting The Lewin Fund is a deep passion for him. He is committed to helping with fundraising efforts, identifying strategic partnerships, and engaging in community outreach on behalf of the organization. With a background in technology and capital markets, Cohen plans to launch a hedge fund focused on blockchain and digital assets. This fund will have a strategic alliance with The Lewin Fund. Studies show women’s cancers, other than breast cancer, are poorly funded across the United States. 

Did You Know

  • 1 in 3 women faces cancer.
  • Every 6 minutes a woman in the United States is diagnosed with a gynecologic cancer.
  • Every 2 minutes a woman in the United States dies from cancer.
Categories
Featured

Downtown Q&A: Mariana Atencio

MARIANA ATENCIO Peabody, Investigative Reporters and Editors, and Gracie Award-winning journalist who covers domestic and international issues for MSNBC and NBC News. Part of the NBC News team that helped break the coverage of the migrant caravan and the family separation crisis that ensued.

1. Name three women that inspire you, and tell us why.

My number one is my sister Graciela. After a hit-and-run accident in NYC, the doctors told her she may never walk again. Her life came crashing down and ours with hers. But she fought tooth and nail to recover. Against all odds, she did it. Today she puts me to shame at the gym every time. She is my partner in crime and my biggest hero, always. 

María Elena Salinas, the longest running female network anchor in the United States called the “Voice of Hispanic America” by The New York Times, dedicated her life to reporting on stories of national importance especially for Latinos. She’s a journalist with a capital “J” that also paved the way for new generations, while emphasizing how important it is to always stay close to the ones you love. 

And I can’t forget Shakira. She definitely impacted me when she crossed over into English, and I was in my last year of high school. But she’s more than a singer or dancer. She’s a producer and entrepreneur. She embraces her roots as an Arab-Latina and always, always, always gives back: be it with her nonprofit Pies Descalzos or as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

2. What has been the secret to your success? 

Of all the amazing things that happened since I received an email about my scholarship to Columbia University that eventually kicked off my career and would lead me to Univision, ABC and MSNBC, the common denominator is what I call the “yes attitude.” Although I often felt overwhelmed by the tasks in front of me, I slowly learned that the “yes attitude” meant showing up and doing what needed to be done, however imperfectly, with authenticity. Used well, the “yes attitude” can take you to places you never thought you’d go. 

3. If you were going to pass on one piece of advice to a young woman, what would it be?

Say Yes. Say yes even when you’re afraid or have no idea how to move forward. You never know how one split-second decision can unlock the door of opportunity. 

4. In the fight for equality, what area do you think needs the most attention?

Research shows that companies with more women in executive leadership and gender diversity make more money and are more successful. And yet, among the world’s leading companies, roughly only 10% of senior executives are women, according to Weber Schandwick’s Gender Forward Pioneer Index. In a significant share, 37 % have all-male leadership. Additionally, women in the workplace earn roughly half the income of men, especially when you take into account time off for family or childcare. Although the contribution of women to the workplace is quantifiably better, we continue to be paid less and even penalized for it.  And unless, we can create more diversity, we won’t be able to break this cycle. 

5. What are you most proud of in your career?

The thing that really makes me incandescent with joy is every time a young person either sends me a message through social media or comes up to me at an event and tells me that they were inspired to become a storyteller as a result of a story I did or of my work. When I see  high school students go off to study journalism and want to also shed light on the stories that deserve to be told, it is the most humbling and career-defining moment for me. 

6. Where do you get your confidence?

There are people who come into your life and give you air, support, love, and strength to face anything that comes your way. For me, that’s Mirna Stella Couto, one of the most successful executive producers at Univision. She turns everything around with her magic touch. Years ago, I asked her—with a handwritten note—to be my mentor, and she’s shown me that magic happens when women lift each other up. It’s like that famous saying, “behind every successful woman is a tribe of other successful women who have her back.” Together, there’s nothing we can’t do.

7. What makes a woman beautiful?

That’s easy: CONFIDENCE.  

8. What gives you joy? 

It’s about the little things; the rituals that keep you going. For me, it’s my power breakfast: Ezekiel toast, peanut butter, banana, honey or dancing. And if I can combine both—it’s a win!

Categories
Culture Featured Theater

Review: How We Love/F*ck is Intimate, Honest

How We Love/F*ck
Lillian is the author of How We Love/F*ck, as well as its narrator. Photo courtesy of Lillian Isabella
Image courtesy of Lillian Isabella

How We Love/F*ck explores sexuality with a simple honesty that draws you in, exploring a topic normally too taboo for discussion. That’s why we need it.

My 7th-grade health class had one day of sex education. A presenter came into our classroom and told us the story of a girl with a red paper heart. Every time this girl had pre-marital sex with someone new, her heart was ripped in half. When it was time to give her heart to the boy she wanted to marry, all she had left was a little red stub. And an STD. The presenter made sure to add that part, too. 

That was sex ed. The whole thing. Nobody even talked about genitals. High school got into the biology of it, but that’s all it ever was. Tab A; slot B; a baby comes out. Practical sex education is what you find out on your own, usually through trial and error. 

Maybe that’s why Lillian Isabella created How We Love/F*ck. Why she visited dozens of female-identifying sex experts to talk to them about their knowledge and experiences. How We Love/Fuck portrays these testimonies, as well as Lillian’s own experiences, with tenderness and honesty. Sometimes, her confessionals show her growing and reacting from what she’s learned. Other times, she’s reflecting on her past, often in light of what she–and the audience–are learning. 

The end result is an hour-and-a-half-long journey through female sexuality, as told by her subjects. A stripper compares her personal sexuality with the one she portrays for work. An anonymous woman tells how, as a child, she promised Jesus every night that she would stop trying to explore her body. Barbara, a sex educator, tells the audience about a test to tell the difference between a disturbing kink and one you’re just afraid you might like. Watch someone perform the act, she says, and become aware of your body. If you find yourself leaning back, then you know it’s not right for you. If you find yourself leaning forward, then perhaps it’s worth a try. 

The set is simple. Director Lorna Ventura’s stage direction is minimalist. Actors Lindsay-Elizabeth Hand, Tulis Mccall, Greer Morrison, and Nancy Sun, shift characters with a shawl or a headband. As one speaks, the others are usually still, or else performing delicate reactions like a silent Greek chorus. Lillian takes a back seat when she isn’t narrating. She is off to the side, scribbling in a notebook as you imagine she was when she first heard the monologue.

How We Love/F*ck
Lillian is the author of How We Love/F*ck, as well as its narrator. Photo courtesy of Lillian Isabella

How We Love/F*ck is all about those voices, and Lillian’s voice as well. Many of the interviewees had no one to talk to about their sexuality when they were growing up. Most had to figure it out on their own. For some of them, you wonder if Lillian was the first person they had ever talked to. How We Love/F*ck is the story of how Lillian and her subjects discovered themselves. It’s an archive of their mistakes and realizations, shared out loud because people need to tell them, and hear them. 

In many ways, Lillian’s play feels like a talking-heads documentary. Characters are introduced, share their experiences, and exit, as part of a larger story. In fact, Lillian tells one of her subjects early on that she is creating a documentary, not a play. As time goes on her explanation changes, and it’s easy to see why. In the confines of the Cherry Lane Theater, with its small stage and 50 or so seats, the monologues feel intimate and confessional. Like you’re in a trusted circle, waiting for your turn to talk. 

How We Love/F*ck might not be for everyone. These kinds of stories might make you feel uncomfortable. Then again, you probably have stories of your own. I know I do. I won’t tell you that you need to see this play, but I will give you a test. Take a moment to become aware of your body. Are you leaning forward, or are you leaning back?

Categories
Culture Featured Theater

Downtown Q&A: Sammi Cannold

SAMMI CANNOLD Theater director who is one of Forbes Magazine’s 30 Under 30. Recent credits include Ragtime on Ellis Island and Violet on a moving bus at the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.).

1. Name three women that inspire you, and tell us why.

I am inspired by Hazel MacKaye, a director of pageants in the early 20th century who used the mass musical spectacle to fight injustice.Her 1913 pageant about the women’s suffrage movement—Allegory—was so deeply inspiring to me as an event, a work of art, and a work of progress. 

Diane Paulus. I watched Diane win the Tony Award for best director of a musical in 2013, and it was a life-changing moment—cliché but true—because in a field that is very male dominated, watching someone who looked like me receive the highest honor possible was profound and invigorating. I’ve been fortunate to work for Diane as an assistant and associate director in the years since and continue to be inspired by her example. 

Rachel Chavkin. I served as Rachel’s associate director on the Broadway production of Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 in which she broke all the “rule”of Broadway by—among other things—creating a story-telling environment in 360 degrees. I’ve been deeply inspired by the ways in which she pushes the boundaries of theater and constantly strives to make the world a better place via her work. 

2. What has been the secret to your success?

Very little sleep. I have a strange capacity to have extra waking hours in the day than I should. I know it’s going to catch up with me at some point, but for now, it’s incredibly useful. 

3. If you were going to pass on one piece of advice to a young woman, what would it be?

I’m wary of giving advice, because I’m conscious that I’m young and have a ton to learn, but I’d say: don’t look for success in the typical sense of the word. I spent a while running away from theater, because I thought working in that industry wasn’t what “success” looks like, but now that I’m doing what I’m doing, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. 

4. In the fight for equality, what area do you think needs the most attention?

All of the areas. I worked on a play about Gloria Steinem’s life this fall and one of the things she always says is that movements cannot be put in silos. The issues are inextricably linked, so prioritizing can be dangerous. 

5. What are you most proud of in your career?

In 2016, I directed and produced what is called a “site-specific” concert production of the musical Ragtime on Ellis Island. In the Registry Room, through which 12 million immigrants passed, my collaborators and I told the piece’s story of different groups—including immigrants coming through Ellis Island—in America at the turn of the 20th century. It was so deeply meaningful to me, because all of my great-grandparents came through that island, so to be able to perform in the same room that they became Americans in was quite emotional. It was also the logistical challenge of my life because we had to figure out how to perform in a space that wasn’t built for theatrical performance, how to get audience members to the island on a ferry boat, how to work with the National Park Service, and so on.