Like so many in America, I have been inspired by the momentum and energy I feel in this country right now. CNN named 2018 the Year of Women and the stories behind the #MeToo movement are no longer being ignored. Since March is Women's History month AND it's the Year of Women, it seems like there is no better time than now to feature some incredible female Tulane graduates and the indelible impact they are making each and every day on the world. I know we have a long way to go until gender equality is achieved. However, we can all feel the growing sentiment that women in this county (and at places like Tulane) are the true changemakers our world needs now, and into the future.
This Saturday happens to be Tulane's annual Women Making Waves conference that focuses on women's leadership. The theme this year is “Building Success Through Resilience” and will examine the struggles women face and the ways in which women can support each other. The keynote speaker for this year will be Lisa Jackson, vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives at Apple and Tulane alumnae. Before working for Apple, Lisa headed the EPA during Obama's first term in office.
In this spirit of extraordinary women, today I'm going to introduce you to ten incredible women who also happen to be Tulane alumnae. From James Beard and Emmy nominees, to pop music songwriters and social justice advocates, these women are truly what is right in the world today.
I asked these remarkable Tulane alumnae two simple questions: What do you do? And did Tulane play a role in the person you are today? Here is what they had to say.
Julia Sullivan '05: Chef and Co-Owner of Henrietta Red
Tulane Class of 2005 had some pretty fantastic graduates (in my non-biased opinion as an '05-er myself) and now we can include a James Beard nominee in that group! Julia Sullivan is the chef and co-owner of Henrietta Red in Nashville, an oyster bar, seasonal restaurant and one of the nominees for the 2018 James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant! Julia told me "I opened Henrietta Red on February 24th of last year and it’s been a challenging but rewarding journey. We have 100 seats and a staff of close to 50. I don’t think I would be in the restaurant business if it weren’t for the four years I spent in New Orleans attending Tulane. When I left Nashville for college, there was very little happening here. The convivial nature and food culture of New Orleans sucked me right in! I chose a double major in Finance and Management at the AB Freeman School of Business because I thought it was the most applicable degree for an aspiring entrepreneur. It was hugely helpful during the fundraising process and pre-opening stages of the business."
I'll brag on Julia for a second, too. In addition to being a James Beard nominee, Henrietta Red was also named one of Bon Appetite’s 50 Best New Restaurants in the Country, was reviewed in the New York Times, and Julia was featured in Vogue as one of America's rising female chefs. In an industry so heavily dominated by men, it is incredible seeing such a strong and successful female head chef and owner.
Katie Pearlman '15: Songwriter + Artist with Warner/Chappell Music
Katie sent me a CD of a few samples of her music when she applied to Tulane. All these years later, I still remember the moment I first listened to them. When she graduated from Tulane in 2015, we did a feature on her after she performed at a local venue during Jazz Fest, only a few weeks before her graduation. And two years later.... well let's just say, things are going pretty well. You know that song Kelly Clarkson performed on the Today Show this week? Yeah. Katie wrote it. You know that song that Gryffin released last month? Yeah. Katie sang it.
Katie is currently a staff writer at Warner/Chappell music, writing with and for artists such as Kelly Clarkson, Gallant, Rozzi, Gryffin, and many more. She recently wrote and featured on Gryffin's new single, Nobody Compares to You, and got to tour around the country with him, playing some of her favorite venues like Terminal 5 in NYC and The Wiltern in LA.
Katie told me that "living in New Orleans and attending Tulane definitely impacted my overall taste in music, as I became much more attracted to jazz and soul. I feel like my voice and sense of artistry really developed when I was living in NOLA, and being able to carry that emotion throughout my career is something that is truly remarkable and special in my opinion." Katie also co-wrote another song off of Kelly Clarkson's new album, called A Minute (Intro). Go give it a listen!
Claire Humphreys '13: Co-founder of Wethos
You have probably read the article in the New York Times last year about women in tech speaking out about harassment in the workplace. It prominently featured Claire Humphreys and the platform she co-founded, Wethos. "A year ago, I left my advertising job hoping to create a world where nonprofits can easily find the resources they deserve, and freelancers can find a way to do good AND make money," Claire told me. "I, along with two other female co-founders, built Wethos, the first freelance resourcing platform built specifically for nonprofits and the social good community. I currently have a 10-person team working in NYC with thousands of nonprofits and freelancers teaming up on work they're passionate about, and am excited to continue growing the company and social good community personally and through Wethos!"
To date, Wethos has raised $1M in venture capital funding, was featured in Forbes, and later in the NYT helping to spark the conversation on sexual harassment in Silicon Valley as they turned down $500k from an investor while fundraising this past year.
Mara LePere-Schloop '05: Production Designer, The Alientist
The #1 new drama on cable is the TNT series The Alienist and a Tulane alumna was behind the scenes (literally) of every episode. Meet Mara LePere-Schloop, the production designer for the show. Mara has been working in film for the past 13 years and was nominated for an Emmy for Art Direction for Season 1 of True Detective. She also won an Art Director’s Guild award for the same show. Mara rounds out her honors with a nomination for an ADG award for her work on Django Unchained (filmed in New Orleans). Mara told me: "My architectural education definitely was an integral part to bringing me where I am today. Being able to think critically about design and being challenged to stand up for my design perspective were both skills that came out of my time at Tulane."
You can check out Mara on IMBD here. And the photo above? The Alienist set that Mara designed. She and her team built the entire set on a back lot in Budapest, Hungary. Her set has been so critically acclaimed that Forbes just did a story on it this month.
Amani Jambhekar '09: Surgeon, Breast Oncology at Columbia University
Only 19% of surgeons in the USA are female. Enter: Amani Jambhekar. Amani triple (!!!) majored in Biology, Psychology, and English at Tulane. I asked her about her experiences on the road to becoming a surgeon: "It wasn’t an easy road to get here, but learning to multi-task as well as the research opportunities I had at Tulane helped set the stage for the rest of my career. I was able to continue research in medical school and in residency and when I had to do my own biostatistics, I was able to call upon what I had learned in college as part of my Psychology degree."
While at Tulane, Amani was the first president of Wall Residential College which "taught me to set my sights high and that women can do anything." As for Amani's future, "This year I will be starting my Breast Oncology fellowship at Columbia and finishing the final step of a journey that began 12 years ago. Thank you, Tulane!"
Anna Nguyen '14: Campaign Manager
2018 is definitely the Year of Women here in New Orleans as we will soon swear in our first female mayor in our 300-year history. How did LaToya Cantrell win this historic victory? Ask Anna Nguyen. She was her deputy field and data director during the campaign.
Anna is now in Portland, OR working as a campaign manager for Jo Ann Hardesty's campaign for City Council. Anna ended up in LaToya Cantrell's City Council Office after graduating from Tulane and served as Communications Director before transitioning over to the campaign in May. "Tulane helped me in several ways," Anna told me. "I made my connection to LaToya from a former Center for Public Service internship supervisor, who at the time, was her legislative director. My experience in Undergraduate Student Government shaped my love for campaigning and for understanding the process, which translated over to my desire to learn government processes. And finally, being a New Orleans native, I don't think I truly loved my city as much as I do now until I took music and history courses about New Orleans. It really broadened my perspective about the city's highs and lows, but overall, it really helped me to connect with natives from parts of town that I probably would've never thought to engage with or could understand."
Lauren Blair Aronson '11: Press Secretary, House Committee on Ways and Means
Let's keep it rolling with women making waves in the political sphere. I'll never forget meeting Lauren when she visited Tulane as a high school senior. Her mom had a lot of great questions (hi Nancy!) and I have a feeling she is super proud of her daughter today. For the last two years, Lauren has served as the press secretary for the House Committee on Ways and Means – the oldest Committee in Congress and the chief tax-writing Committee.
"Day to day, my job is to help the media and stakeholders understand how our policies help hardworking families across the country," Lauren told me. "Last year, the Ways and Means Committee led the first comprehensive re-write of the tax code in more than 30 years. I helped develop and execute the communication strategy and messaging around the legislation – which was signed into law in December 2017."
"There is no question my experiences at Tulane University have helped me develop a career in Washington, D.C. First and foremost, I had great professors who truly took an interest in my learning and growth. I became a stronger writer and a more critical thinker – and I developed a passion for politics. Beyond the classroom, Tulane gave me countless opportunities to thrive – from representing Tulane to prospective students as a tour guide and admission blogger, to improving students’ undergraduate experiences as the Undergraduate Student Government president. It’s Tulane’s unbeatable combination of experiences inside and outside the classroom that led me to where I am today."
And where is she today? Being named a Forbes' 30 Under 30.
Ghiya Ali '14: Financial Manager and Intervention Specialist
Ghiya is an educator residing in the Greater Los Angeles area. As a Posse Foundation Alumna, Ghiya works with Positive Results Corporation—a nonprofit dedicated to educating the community in Domestic Violence Prevention—as the Financial Manager and Grant Administrator. She also facilitates workshops for community members and local youth. Aside from this work, Ghiya is a full-time Intervention Specialist with Wilder's Prep Academy Charter School targeting students who need support advancing to the next level academically.
Even more impressive is the organization she founded in LA: "I am the co-founder and co-facilitator of the Young Women of Color Collective in Los Angeles. Our mission is to connect, support, and influence Women of Color in the Los Angeles Area to pursue their dreams while maintaining their authenticity and integrity. Seeing a need in the youth I work with, I developed a leadership development program at Wilder's, to give youth the tools to be in tune with their emotions, their professional and academic goals, and ultimately their selves in a group setting. With a background in education, community organizing and public health, I hope to make a difference by empowering, educating, and uplifting my community."
Laura Garcia '15: Investigator, Orleans Public Defenders
Laura's another powerful female in a traditionally male-dominated profession. She a staff investigator at the Orleans Public Defenders office (OPD). "OPD exists to provide the citizens of New Orleans with the highest quality client-centered legal representation in Louisiana’s criminal and juvenile justice system," Laura told me. "Our vision is to create a community-oriented defender office built upon the zealous defense of the poor and indigent while acknowledging the strengths of clients, families and communities."
"I absolutely love the work I do and am so thankful for my four years at Tulane. Those four years gave me the opportunity to familiarize myself with New Orleans, begin working in the community that I now serve, and embed my life into this city in a way that makes my current job that much more rewarding."
Amanda Tun '17: Environmental & Business Development Associate at the EPA
Tulane has plenty of alumna ties to the EPA, most notably Lisa Jackson, the former EPA head, who is speaking at Women Making Waves this weekend. Some recent grads, like Amanda Tun, also have found their calling at the EPA. Amanda graduated in May 2017 with a B.S. in Environmental Science and double minor in Public Health and Social Innovation & Social Entrepreneurship (SISE). She is currently working at the EPA in Washington, D.C. as an Environmental and Business Development Associate: "I help track and provide coordination of the EPA’s National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) scientific assessment and scientific support activities. Tulane gave me the opportunity to gain professional experiences through many internships (shout out to Grow Dat Youth Farm, The Well for Health Promotion, and Tulane-Xavier Center for Bioenvironmental Research), form relationships with amazing people, stay resilient during tough times, and, most importantly, learn how to always have fun."
Carolyn Brown '07: Nutritionist and Registered Dietitian
If you've ever turned on the news and seen an on-air personality chatting about healthy eating, there's a chance you've met Carolyn. She's a Nutritionist with a private practice in NYC called Foodtrainers. "I work one-on-one with clients on wellness, weight, and health goals, and am a regular contributor to many news and media outlets including CBS, Fox, TODAY show, Dr OZ, Men’s Health, Shape, Women’s Health, and WebMD. I also consult with food brands on new product development and as a spokesperson, and with new restaurants on menu design and nutrition. Foodtrainers’ founder, Lauren Kaplan Slayton, is a fellow Tulane alumnae (class of 1995), so needless to say, Tulane has been unbelievably influential for getting me here. We always joke that our less-than-healthy years in New Orleans lead us both to an obsessively healthy occupation, and to each other!"
There you have it. This just barely scratches the surface of the incredible impact women from Tulane make. Stay tuned for part two of this blog coming soon!
This Saturday happens to be Tulane's annual Women Making Waves conference that focuses on women's leadership. The theme this year is “Building Success Through Resilience” and will examine the struggles women face and the ways in which women can support each other. The keynote speaker for this year will be Lisa Jackson, vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives at Apple and Tulane alumnae. Before working for Apple, Lisa headed the EPA during Obama's first term in office.
In this spirit of extraordinary women, today I'm going to introduce you to ten incredible women who also happen to be Tulane alumnae. From James Beard and Emmy nominees, to pop music songwriters and social justice advocates, these women are truly what is right in the world today.
I asked these remarkable Tulane alumnae two simple questions: What do you do? And did Tulane play a role in the person you are today? Here is what they had to say.
Julia Sullivan '05: Chef and Co-Owner of Henrietta Red
Tulane Class of 2005 had some pretty fantastic graduates (in my non-biased opinion as an '05-er myself) and now we can include a James Beard nominee in that group! Julia Sullivan is the chef and co-owner of Henrietta Red in Nashville, an oyster bar, seasonal restaurant and one of the nominees for the 2018 James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant! Julia told me "I opened Henrietta Red on February 24th of last year and it’s been a challenging but rewarding journey. We have 100 seats and a staff of close to 50. I don’t think I would be in the restaurant business if it weren’t for the four years I spent in New Orleans attending Tulane. When I left Nashville for college, there was very little happening here. The convivial nature and food culture of New Orleans sucked me right in! I chose a double major in Finance and Management at the AB Freeman School of Business because I thought it was the most applicable degree for an aspiring entrepreneur. It was hugely helpful during the fundraising process and pre-opening stages of the business."
I'll brag on Julia for a second, too. In addition to being a James Beard nominee, Henrietta Red was also named one of Bon Appetite’s 50 Best New Restaurants in the Country, was reviewed in the New York Times, and Julia was featured in Vogue as one of America's rising female chefs. In an industry so heavily dominated by men, it is incredible seeing such a strong and successful female head chef and owner.
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| Katie on stage with Gryffin |
Katie Pearlman '15: Songwriter + Artist with Warner/Chappell Music
Katie sent me a CD of a few samples of her music when she applied to Tulane. All these years later, I still remember the moment I first listened to them. When she graduated from Tulane in 2015, we did a feature on her after she performed at a local venue during Jazz Fest, only a few weeks before her graduation. And two years later.... well let's just say, things are going pretty well. You know that song Kelly Clarkson performed on the Today Show this week? Yeah. Katie wrote it. You know that song that Gryffin released last month? Yeah. Katie sang it.
Katie is currently a staff writer at Warner/Chappell music, writing with and for artists such as Kelly Clarkson, Gallant, Rozzi, Gryffin, and many more. She recently wrote and featured on Gryffin's new single, Nobody Compares to You, and got to tour around the country with him, playing some of her favorite venues like Terminal 5 in NYC and The Wiltern in LA.
Katie told me that "living in New Orleans and attending Tulane definitely impacted my overall taste in music, as I became much more attracted to jazz and soul. I feel like my voice and sense of artistry really developed when I was living in NOLA, and being able to carry that emotion throughout my career is something that is truly remarkable and special in my opinion." Katie also co-wrote another song off of Kelly Clarkson's new album, called A Minute (Intro). Go give it a listen!
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| Claire on left (from NYT) |
You have probably read the article in the New York Times last year about women in tech speaking out about harassment in the workplace. It prominently featured Claire Humphreys and the platform she co-founded, Wethos. "A year ago, I left my advertising job hoping to create a world where nonprofits can easily find the resources they deserve, and freelancers can find a way to do good AND make money," Claire told me. "I, along with two other female co-founders, built Wethos, the first freelance resourcing platform built specifically for nonprofits and the social good community. I currently have a 10-person team working in NYC with thousands of nonprofits and freelancers teaming up on work they're passionate about, and am excited to continue growing the company and social good community personally and through Wethos!"
To date, Wethos has raised $1M in venture capital funding, was featured in Forbes, and later in the NYT helping to spark the conversation on sexual harassment in Silicon Valley as they turned down $500k from an investor while fundraising this past year.
 |
| Mara on her set (literally... the set she designed) |
Mara LePere-Schloop '05: Production Designer, The Alientist
The #1 new drama on cable is the TNT series The Alienist and a Tulane alumna was behind the scenes (literally) of every episode. Meet Mara LePere-Schloop, the production designer for the show. Mara has been working in film for the past 13 years and was nominated for an Emmy for Art Direction for Season 1 of True Detective. She also won an Art Director’s Guild award for the same show. Mara rounds out her honors with a nomination for an ADG award for her work on Django Unchained (filmed in New Orleans). Mara told me: "My architectural education definitely was an integral part to bringing me where I am today. Being able to think critically about design and being challenged to stand up for my design perspective were both skills that came out of my time at Tulane."
You can check out Mara on IMBD here. And the photo above? The Alienist set that Mara designed. She and her team built the entire set on a back lot in Budapest, Hungary. Her set has been so critically acclaimed that Forbes just did a story on it this month.
Amani Jambhekar '09: Surgeon, Breast Oncology at Columbia University
Only 19% of surgeons in the USA are female. Enter: Amani Jambhekar. Amani triple (!!!) majored in Biology, Psychology, and English at Tulane. I asked her about her experiences on the road to becoming a surgeon: "It wasn’t an easy road to get here, but learning to multi-task as well as the research opportunities I had at Tulane helped set the stage for the rest of my career. I was able to continue research in medical school and in residency and when I had to do my own biostatistics, I was able to call upon what I had learned in college as part of my Psychology degree."
While at Tulane, Amani was the first president of Wall Residential College which "taught me to set my sights high and that women can do anything." As for Amani's future, "This year I will be starting my Breast Oncology fellowship at Columbia and finishing the final step of a journey that began 12 years ago. Thank you, Tulane!"
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| Anna (far left) with our new mayor |
Anna Nguyen '14: Campaign Manager
2018 is definitely the Year of Women here in New Orleans as we will soon swear in our first female mayor in our 300-year history. How did LaToya Cantrell win this historic victory? Ask Anna Nguyen. She was her deputy field and data director during the campaign.
Anna is now in Portland, OR working as a campaign manager for Jo Ann Hardesty's campaign for City Council. Anna ended up in LaToya Cantrell's City Council Office after graduating from Tulane and served as Communications Director before transitioning over to the campaign in May. "Tulane helped me in several ways," Anna told me. "I made my connection to LaToya from a former Center for Public Service internship supervisor, who at the time, was her legislative director. My experience in Undergraduate Student Government shaped my love for campaigning and for understanding the process, which translated over to my desire to learn government processes. And finally, being a New Orleans native, I don't think I truly loved my city as much as I do now until I took music and history courses about New Orleans. It really broadened my perspective about the city's highs and lows, but overall, it really helped me to connect with natives from parts of town that I probably would've never thought to engage with or could understand."
Lauren Blair Aronson '11: Press Secretary, House Committee on Ways and Means
Let's keep it rolling with women making waves in the political sphere. I'll never forget meeting Lauren when she visited Tulane as a high school senior. Her mom had a lot of great questions (hi Nancy!) and I have a feeling she is super proud of her daughter today. For the last two years, Lauren has served as the press secretary for the House Committee on Ways and Means – the oldest Committee in Congress and the chief tax-writing Committee.
"Day to day, my job is to help the media and stakeholders understand how our policies help hardworking families across the country," Lauren told me. "Last year, the Ways and Means Committee led the first comprehensive re-write of the tax code in more than 30 years. I helped develop and execute the communication strategy and messaging around the legislation – which was signed into law in December 2017."
"There is no question my experiences at Tulane University have helped me develop a career in Washington, D.C. First and foremost, I had great professors who truly took an interest in my learning and growth. I became a stronger writer and a more critical thinker – and I developed a passion for politics. Beyond the classroom, Tulane gave me countless opportunities to thrive – from representing Tulane to prospective students as a tour guide and admission blogger, to improving students’ undergraduate experiences as the Undergraduate Student Government president. It’s Tulane’s unbeatable combination of experiences inside and outside the classroom that led me to where I am today."
And where is she today? Being named a Forbes' 30 Under 30.
Ghiya Ali '14: Financial Manager and Intervention Specialist
Ghiya is an educator residing in the Greater Los Angeles area. As a Posse Foundation Alumna, Ghiya works with Positive Results Corporation—a nonprofit dedicated to educating the community in Domestic Violence Prevention—as the Financial Manager and Grant Administrator. She also facilitates workshops for community members and local youth. Aside from this work, Ghiya is a full-time Intervention Specialist with Wilder's Prep Academy Charter School targeting students who need support advancing to the next level academically.
Even more impressive is the organization she founded in LA: "I am the co-founder and co-facilitator of the Young Women of Color Collective in Los Angeles. Our mission is to connect, support, and influence Women of Color in the Los Angeles Area to pursue their dreams while maintaining their authenticity and integrity. Seeing a need in the youth I work with, I developed a leadership development program at Wilder's, to give youth the tools to be in tune with their emotions, their professional and academic goals, and ultimately their selves in a group setting. With a background in education, community organizing and public health, I hope to make a difference by empowering, educating, and uplifting my community."
Laura Garcia '15: Investigator, Orleans Public Defenders
Laura's another powerful female in a traditionally male-dominated profession. She a staff investigator at the Orleans Public Defenders office (OPD). "OPD exists to provide the citizens of New Orleans with the highest quality client-centered legal representation in Louisiana’s criminal and juvenile justice system," Laura told me. "Our vision is to create a community-oriented defender office built upon the zealous defense of the poor and indigent while acknowledging the strengths of clients, families and communities."
"I absolutely love the work I do and am so thankful for my four years at Tulane. Those four years gave me the opportunity to familiarize myself with New Orleans, begin working in the community that I now serve, and embed my life into this city in a way that makes my current job that much more rewarding."
Amanda Tun '17: Environmental & Business Development Associate at the EPA
Carolyn Brown '07: Nutritionist and Registered Dietitian
Sydney Morris '07: Co-Founder and Co-Chief Executive Officer of Educators for Excellence
Sydney was born and raised in New York, but developed her passion for education while a student at Tulane. Following Hurricane Katrina, she worked in the New Orleans public school system leading after-school dance programs for low-income students with the nonprofit New Orleans Outreach. After a stint with Teach for America, she went on to co-found Educators for Excellence (E4E) in 2010 to ensure that teachers have a leading voice in education policymaking in order to provide all students the opportunity to succeed and elevate the teaching profession.
"Since its launch, E4E has grown into a national nonprofit with nearly 30,000 educator members in six chapters across the country," she told me. "E4E teachers have issued nationally significant policy papers; shaped new legislation, district policies, and union resolutions; and elevated their voices through thousands of media hits and advocacy actions on issues such as teacher evaluation, school funding, and school climate. For far too long, teachers have been treated as subjects of change rather than agents of change, and I'm so proud of the work that E4E teachers are doing across the country to flip that dynamic on its head!"
Sydney's incredible work has generated lots of interest over the last few years, landing her on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 in Education. She was also a finalist for the Peter Jennings Award for Civic Leadership.
There you have it. This just barely scratches the surface of the incredible impact women from Tulane make. Stay tuned for part two of this blog coming soon!
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