The SheConnects Spring Panel brings inspirational women together from different walks of life to share how they have embraced change in their careers & what have they learned along the way.

We are all free to define success on our own terms – and to find our own routes to it.

Led by our Panel Host and Moderator, Marina Romashko, our Spring Inspiration Panelists will explain what this has meant for them. They will share the different paths they have taken so far, the stories of their decisions to change their careers, & how they have made their new choices happen.

Marina Romashko is the Founder of Big Idea Lab, a leading NYC based coaching platform that helps to create customized productivity styles for their clients.

Big Idea Lab is sponsoring the SheConnects Inspiration Panels in 2019.

Our Panelists are:

Arlene Angard – Arlene is the owner of Arlene Angard Designs (AAD), a NYC based Interior Design firm and Gallery offering a range of styles, from Mid-century modern to classical to contemporary. Angard’s Designs are colorful, comfortable, chic. Arlene also designs and manufactures a made-in-America bespoke furniture collection and vibrant line of area rugs. She has curated art exhibits, lectured in design, and participated in art and culture panels. Her work has been featured in the prestigious editorial pages including Elle Decor, The New York
Times, Traditional Home, New York Spaces among others.

Crystal Lee – Crystal is VP of Recruitment for Search Masters, specializing in placements for the world of Accounting, HR, Real Estate Development and Legal. Prior to becoming a full-time recruiter, Crystal had been in public accounting for over 12 years. As a Tax Manager she focused on helping high net worth individuals with their compliance and tax planning needs while heavily participating in firm growth via recruiting from on-campus recruiting all the way to experienced hires. Crystal’s love for recruiting started with her days at University of San Francisco where she worked in HR for four years. After seeing that she was responsible for having hired nearly 30% of the staff at her last firm, she realized she had a knack for it and went after her passion of recruiting full-time.

Irina Volfson – Irina is CEO of Luxe Catch (subscription box) & Jet Set Style (luxury travel), providing both a creative and strategic brain across business development, sales, merchandising, e-commerce and events planning around the world. Irina has always had a true curiosity for business and strategy. At age 22, she opened a first business venture in fashion, working 80 hours a week for an Australian retailer in buying while also being enrolled in a Master’s program and juggling a growing passion in travel. From failures and setbacks to challenges and growth – Irina’s curiosity for the world around us has opened many opportunities to learn & grow. Now with two expanding businesses in her favorite passions: travel and fashion, her goal is to share her vision with the world & inspire others to do the same. Irina & her businesses have been featured on Martha Stewart & The Knot weddings as one of the best romance travel specialists and named the best subscription box of 2018/19 by users.

Michele Berdinis – Michele is the founder, President and Senior Attorney of Beeline Legal. She spent 18 years representing startups from formation to acquisition. During her years of practice she was a frequent speaker on trademarks and lots of other stuff her clients needed to know. She’s had a blast finally doing her own startup and putting almost two decades of trademark practice into a decision tree for the Beeline website. Michele thinks some lawyers aren’t always great about knowing how to talk to clients. Clients want help, but some lawyers are too cautious or too busy to give the advice people need. Michele believes a lawyer should just tell clients what’s up and then help them find a solution that works for them. Beeline is Michele’s way to do that for trademarks.

Rachna Hukmani – Rachna is the owner and founder of Whiskey Stories, a Michelin Guide recommended luxury whiskey tasting multisensory immersive company where premium/high end whiskies are paired with music, comedy, blindfolds (Whiskey In the Dark) , gourmet chef food courses, whiskey based colognes and more. No two experiences are alike. Rachna has been working with whisk(e)y & designing new whiskies for more than a decade, has helped build The Macallan Double Cask, Highland Park Magnus, Noble Oak Bourbon and more. Rachna also recently launched first of its kind whiskey based colognes which were featured on Bloomberg News. She has been named the first South Asian woman to open her own whiskey company.

After the Panel, Rebecca Maxwell, Co-Founder of Asentiv New York will lead a discussion on tackling changes in our own lives and what our Panelists have inspired in us.

Doors open at 6pm with the Panel discussion starting promptly at 6.20pm.

Come along early to mix with the other members of the community – light bites and wine will be available, kindly provided by our SheConnects sponsors, WeWork.

SheConnects

SheConnects™ is a monthly opportunity for women in business to come together. Our members come from all walks of the business world and across all ages. All we ask is that you are open-minded, willing to share your experiences and genuinely interested in connecting with other like-minded professional women.

Each month we offer opportunities to network as well as learn about business, leadership and personal development topics.
Our events are always interactive – having fun is definitely part of the plan!

SheConnects Inspiration Panels take place every 3 months. In 2019, our host and sponsor for the Panels is Big Idea Lab.

Donation Tickets are available for $20 – all proceeds to be donated to Read 718 Children’s Literacy Project in Brooklyn and Women’s Education Project, supporting girls and young women in India and now also, New York City.