Tagged news to know now:

Women in the News: Adele at the Grammys, Whitney Houston’s death, and a Crackdown on Street Prostitution in New York.

Levo’s favorite female vocalist, Adele, took six Grammy awards last night. She says it “hasn’t really sunk in yet”that she’s won. Give it time, Adele. That’s a lot of Grammys to process all at once.

Whitney Houston has died. Rumors circulate about Bobbi Brown’s involvement. Whitney’s daughter, Bobbi Kristina, was released from Cedars-Sinai hospital last night after treatment for health reasons that were not disclosed. Oprah is airing a two-hour tribute program to Whitney on OWN Thursday night at 9pm EST. [via The Hollywood Reporter]

The digital era has brought much of the escort industry off the street corner, and there’s now a crackdown on indoor and outdoor prostitution, in response to prostitution-related arrests in the city holding steady around 4,200 per year since 2006, according to the state’s Division of Criminal Justice Services.
Feb 13
Women in the News: Adele at the Grammys, Whitney Houston’s death, and a Crackdown on Street Prostitution in New York. Levo’s favorite female vocalist, Adele, took six Grammy awards last night. She says it “hasn’t really sunk in yet”that she’s won. Give it time, Adele. That’s a lot of Grammys to process all at once. Whitney Houston has died. Rumors circulate about Bobbi Brown’s involvement. Whitney’s daughter, Bobbi Kristina, was released from Cedars-Sinai hospital last night after treatment for health reasons that were not disclosed. Oprah is airing a two-hour tribute program to Whitney on OWN Thursday night at 9pm EST. [via The Hollywood Reporter] The digital era has brought much of the escort industry off the street corner, and there’s now a crackdown on indoor and outdoor prostitution, in response to prostitution-related arrests in the city holding steady around 4,200 per year since 2006, according to the state’s Division of Criminal Justice Services.

There’s nothing that inspires us more than seeing the sheer volume and variety of women’s news and inspiration around the Internet. Courtesy of Frances Advincula, here are our favorite pick-me-ups from our sister sites.

 

1. Winter getting to you? Recycle your grumpiness into a positive opportunity for growth.  Learn how to make a good apology [Lifehack] and how to use criticism to actually improve youreself [Tiny Buddha].

2. This year, let’s not just exist, let us truly L-I-V-E! Here are reasons on why we need a bucket list [Personal Excellence], plus even more ideas for your own [Life2PointOh].

3. Take a note from the kitchens of the greats with a few lessons from gourmet food companies. [The Daily Muse] 

4. Discover if the world of advertising is for you, whether you are curious about being an account executive, planner, or HR director. [I Want Her Job]

5. Here is your blueprint for earning respect and making you mark as a woman of the world. [Ms. Career Girl]

6. If you’re feeling the winter doldrums, read up on how to rest, relax, and rejuvenate! [Life After College] And if you’re going through something really difficult in your life right now, author Jenny Blake has two amazing pieces on courage and perseverance.

7. Your best investment is in yourself. A few ways to get you started… [Wisebread]. And speaking of investments, Jen Dziura does it again with her complete guide to funding your business or investing in startups, part 1 and part 2. [The Grindstone] 

8. Need a dose of motivation to get through the winter? Give your office space or desk a makeover— be inspired by amazing offices all over the world [Office Envy], gather your favorite ideas here [Pinterest], and to top it all off, get some inspiration for your new business idea from Melanie Duncan [Entrepreneuress Academy]. 

9. No need to limit yourself when it comes to giving presentations. Stretch your creativity with über cool designs [Work Awesome], a presentation-maker that allows you to embed live twitter feeds [SlideRocket], and even a non-linear, zooming presentation maker [Prezi].  A word of caution on these tools: you will probably get addicted. The end result of this addiction will basically be that you’ll impress a lot of people. 

Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
Feb 03
Feb 03

Round and Around the Internet: February 3, 2012.

This week’s Women in the News: What’s making America so unequal? 

The Wall Street Journal and the New York Times Magazine published stories this weekend on inequality in America, and what defines the causes behind inequality. The New York Times’ Adam Davidson buckets Americans into two classes—the mobile and the immobile. Davidson points out that when there was still US left to explore and geography left unindustralized, the poorer classes were the ones who were more mobile, but this is no longer the case. Rather, prospects are so poor everywhere and growth is so scattered geographically that the only ones among us who are highly mobile are wealthier classes.

The WSJ, on the other hand, cuts America’s working classes into two towns: one of skilled upper middle class workers, and one of unskilled working class workers, then looks at their demographics from 1960 to now. The working classes have changed the most: they’re getting married less, they’re going to church less, and more of their working-age men are dropping out of the labor force or only working part time.

Scientific American and Psychology Today are going head-to-head on the “Women are from Venus” issue: Scientific American’s blogs went after Psychology Today’s exultation of Marco del Giudice’s recent study which emphasizes gender differences in communication and perception. A few good points that the author, Professor Agustin Fuentes of Notre Dame, draws out:  that “gender” and “sex” are used interchangeably in the study, that evolved differences in men and women are not being measured, and that relevant biological and anthropological datasets are ignored.  

If you’ve heard the rumors that women outnumber men in Manhattan, you’re about to have those rumors confirmed. According to the NYC Economic Development Corporation, Manhattan’s population is 53% female and 47% male. And according to their map, unless you’re heading up to Kingsbridge or out to Staten Island, the only place there are more men than women is the Lower East Side. 

In adorable-beyond-belief news, it’s officially the Year of the Girl over at the Girl Scouts Council. Check it out. Volunteer. There are a shocking number of Girl Scouts in Manhattan and Long Island. 

One last note on inequality: Senator Gabrielle Giffords officially stepped down from her Senate seat this weekend after the brutal assassination attempt in Tucson last year. Voices like Gabrielle’s— voices that fight for equality and a rational conversation to rebuild a sustainable economy—  are few and far between. 
Jan 23
Jan 23

Women in the News: Income Inequality, The Female Species, and Gender Ratios in Manhattan


Some of you may already be aware of The Pipeline Fellowship, which trains women philanthropists to become angel investors—through education, mentoring, and practice. We at Levo want to take a moment to recognize the 2012 NYC Pipeline Fellowship class, which was announced on January 17th. 
If you don’t already know about the Pipeline Fellowship, here’s a good article to sum up the mission and the method. According to Susan Preston, General Partner at Clean Energy Angel Fund (CalCEF), “We are coming to a point in society where we are recognizing that you can’t just make money—you have to make money in an ethically and socially conscientious way.  It doesn’t mean that you can’t be wealthy by your investments, but it just means that the companies we want to invest in have to have integrity.  They have to have certain aspects in their practice that relate to the sustainability of our earth, of the environment, and of the economy.”

For Bill Schnoor, a Partner at Goodwin Procter LLP, “The mission the Pipeline Fellowship has of empowering women to become angel investors […] fills an extraordinary gap in the marketplace.  There are women starting companies, we’d like to see more, but there certainly are some.  But, the notion of having a track devoted to encouraging women to help other women by being investors we thought was novel and that the time was right for it.”
So, without further adieu…

The 2012 NYC Pipeline Fellowship Class:

Fradel Barber

Fradel is the Visionary Entrepreneur and Director of Expansion World Financial Group. She is a member of the Leadership Network of World Financial Group—a group of hand selected individuals who will serve as the next wave of leaders for World Financial Group entrepreneurs—and is a Brooklyn Community Services Fundraising Dinner 2011 Honoree. She attended Beth Rivkah High School.

Leah Belsky

Leah is VP of Strategic Development & Associate General Counsel at Kaltura, an Intel Capital funded startup launching the world’s first open source media platform. She sits on the boards of Philadelphia Game Lab and Public Knowledge, an organization dedicated to preserving freedom on the web. She writes regularly about open technology, entrepreneurship, and the future of education at Opentec.org. Leah holds a BA in Human Biology and Political Theory from Brown University and a JD from Yale Law School.

Binta Niambi Brown

Binta Niambi Brown is a lawyer, philanthropist, and humanitarian based in New York City.  Binta has focused her efforts on advancing the cause of women and girls at home and around the globe, advocating for the arts and arts education, and manages a significant global pro bono practice focused on human rights advocacy.  Binta was recognized by Crain’s New York Business as a 2011 “40 under 40” rising star in the New York business community; by the National Organization for Women as a Woman of Power and Influence; and, by Super Lawyers as a New York Super Lawyer Rising Star.  She is a Trustee of Barnard College, a Trustee of the New York City Parks Foundation, a member of the American Theater Wing Board of Directors, and a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations.  Binta is also a 2012 Truman National Security Fellow. Binta holds a BA from Barnard College and a JD from Columbia Law School.

Kristin Calve

Kristin is a realtor and serial entrepreneur with experience in startups, mergers, acquisitions, new product development and nonprofits. Kristin is a past President of the Board for the YWCA Darien/Norwalk and currently serves as Nutrition Committee Co-Chair at the Whitby School. She graduated from Fordham University with a BA in English Literature and later went on to earn an MBA in Finance and Marketing, also from Fordham. Kristin lives in Darien, CT, with her husband and four children.

Anna Curran

Anna Curran is the Founder of a print on demand startup CookbookCreate.com. Prior to launching her startup, she was selected to serve as the New York Co-Founder for Startup Weekend’s pilot program, The Startup Foundation. Anna has worked as a freelance digital strategist and online communications specialist in New York City assisting startups and nonprofits in developing their digital communications campaigns. Current and past client work includes: Lama Surya Das, a nationally best selling Tibetan Buddhist author; America: Now and Here, a cross-country journey of art and artists with Eric Fischl, Paul Simon, and Chuck Close; and, Personal Democracy Forum, the leading conference on Politics and Technology. She is a formally trained artist, printmaker, and dancer. She believes in volunteering for great organizations like She’s Geeky, Startup Weekend, Crisis Commons, and New Leaders Council.

Caryn Effron

Caryn Effron is the Founder of GoGirl Finance, an online community empowering women to be more confident when dealing with money. She has spent her career in commercial real estate and currently is a Senior Managing Director for Ackman Ziff, a preeminent real estate capital advisory firm. She is passionate about financial literacy for women and is also active in youth education. Caryn has been a Say Yes to Education board member since the launch of the NYC chapter. She earned an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business and holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Michigan. Caryn lives in New York with her husband and three children.

Nicole Faurot

Nicole Faurot works in investor relations at Centerbridge Partners, L.P. and currently focuses on representing the firm’s control and distressed for control platform to investors. Nicole chairs the Emory University Alumnae and Women in New York and is the treasurer of the young professionals board of the Committee for Hispanic Children and Families. Nicole has worked with the Taproot Foundation, Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo, and the Valerie Fund among others. Prior to Centerbridge, Nicole worked at Morgan Stanley in roles including investment banking, strategic acquisitions and business development, and at Bear Stearns. She holds a BA in Spanish and Interdisciplinary Studies from Emory University.

Galia Gichon

Galia Gichon is the Founder of Down-to-Earth Finance, an independent financial education company based in New York City.  She is on the board of In Good Company, a community for women entrepreneurs and a regular speaker at Barnard University’s Athena Center for Leadership and the Freelancers Union.  She earned her BS in Finance from University of Florida and MBA in Finance from Fordham University.  She currently lives with her husband and two daughters in Westport, Connecticut.

Jocelyn Jacobson

Jocelyn is a litigation partner at Reitler Kailas & Rosenblatt.  She previously worked as Director of Policy and Budget for the Manhattan Borough President.  Jocelyn is a Co-Chair of the Solo and Small Law Firm Committee of the New York Women’s Bar Association.  Jocelyn has her JD from the Fordham University School of Law and a BA in Political Science from the University of Chicago.

Kellee Joost

Kellee Joost has a background as an entrepreneur, fundraiser, marketer, and public policy professional. Most recently she was co-founder and managing director of Integrative Pet Care, an animal rehabilitation center in Chicago, taking the entity from conception to capitalization to realization and its sale. Now residing in New York with her husband, she is an operations consultant for Hope Sings, serves on the Season of Cambodia planning team, and is an avid international traveler. Kellee holds a BA in Communications Arts and Sciences from Pennsylvania State University.

Angela Lee

Angela has over 10 years of experience in strategy consulting and corporate training. She is currently involved in an innovation capability-building program in a large pharmaceutical company and has formerly served as an Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company focusing on strategy and marketing issues for Fortune 100 clients. Angela is a guest lecturer at Columbia and Columbia Business School and speaks on topics including strategic problem solving and career coaching. She has trained classes of incoming McKinsey consultants in a one-week “Basic Consulting Readiness” program, which entails teaching the consulting skill set in a case based format. Angela holds an MBA from Columbia Business School. She lives with her husband in Manhattan, and they love to travel, cook, and play board games.

Holly Lynch

Holly Lynch is the Founder and CEO of The Good Girls. A native of New York City, Holly is an advertising, strategic planning, and brand communications veteran, with twelve years’ experience at agencies such as Ogilvy, BBH, and StrawberryFrog. She led the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty and Self-Esteem Fund; has consulted with Procter & Gamble on how to innovate and promote a healthier, more sustainable product line for future generations; and, sits on the boards of numerous nonprofits. After working across a multitude of channels, brands, and consumer segments, Holly began to envision a future and global economy in which at least 50% of the world’s successful and socially progressive brands and businesses would and should be led by women. As a result, Holly founded The Good Girls in 2010 to champion, position, and build this future for women. She holds a BA in Anthropology from Harvard University and an MA in Fine and Decorative Arts from Sotheby’s Institute of Art.

Nandini P. Narula

Nandini is an independent consultant, delivering strategic advisory services to nonprofits and social enterprises. Prior to this, she was the co-founder and CTO of GreenMango, a social enterprise that provides an online marketing platform to low-income entrepreneurs in India. Nandini’s passion for social enterprise was sparked while she worked in the microfinance sector for several years, supporting the growth of microfinance organizations internationally. She started her career in the technology sector where she managed large-scale web development projects at Fortune 500 companies. Nandini holds an MSc degree in Economic Development from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a BS in Computer Science from the University of Michigan. Nandini is an Echoing Green Fellow (2008) and Cartier Women’s Initiative Laureate (2007).

Helaine Olen

Helaine is the author of Pound Foolish, a look at the personal finance industry, which will be published by Penguin’s Portfolio imprint later in 2012. A freelance journalist, she writes frequently on issues pertaining to both women and money, and parenting and finances. Helaine lives in the Hudson Valley, just north of New York City, with her husband and two sons, and received her AB in English from Smith College.

Shaifali Puri

Shaifali Puri is the Executive Director of Scientists Without Borders, a public/private partnership that generates, shares, and advances solutions to the world’s most pressing global development challenges through open and collaborative innovation.  Shaifali serves on the Board of the New York City Economic Development Corporation and on the Advisory Council for the Digital Health Initiative of the United Nations Office of Partnerships.  She is a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations.  In 2011, she was named to Crain’s New York’s “40 under 40” list of the top young business leaders in New York.

Liz Roberts

Liz is the Chief Strategy Officer at SX2 Media Labs where she directs web site positioning, product development, and revenue optimization. She is actively involved in organizations that empower women. Liz holds a BA from Smith College.

Sheri Sandler

Sheri is the director of a family foundation and is engaged in investment management for a family office.  She received her BA in Finance from the University of Wisconsin and attended the Master of Arts Program in the History of Decorative Arts and Design offered by Parsons The New School and the Cooper-Hewitt, National Museum of Design.  She has worked at the Cooper-Hewitt and Architectural Digest. Sheri’s board affiliations include: The Ackerman Institute for Family Therapy, Goddard Riverside Community Center, The New York Women’s Foundation, The Jewish Women’s Archive, and The Women’s Donor Network. Sheri lives on the Upper West side with her husband and has a 26-year-old daughter.

Sheri Sobrato Brisson

Sheri Sobrato Brisson is a Trustee at Sobrato Family Foundation in Silicon Valley. Sheri’s long-term passion is working directly with children facing serious illnesses and their families. Other philanthropic interests include small arts organizations, youth development, and global programs targeting women and children. She also serves as an advisory board member of the Okizu Foundation, Dance Repertory, and Parents Helping Parents.  Sheri holds an AB from Stanford University and an MA in counseling psychology from Santa Clara University. She and her husband and two young children recently moved to New York from Paris.

Jade Netanya Ullmann

Jade Netanya Ullmann is the Director of Development, Membership, and Outreach for Romemu, the NYC transformative center for Judaism. Jade is on the board of ALEPH, Alliance for Jewish Renewal of which Romemu is an affiliate community. Jade received her BA degree from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, where she was the West Coast Area Coordinator for Students for a Free Tibet. She sits on the board of Common Fire Foundation, the builders of the highest-level green building on the Eastern US.  Jade is a member of the Threshold Foundation and has been involved in funding circles and grant making focused on restorative justice, co-existence, and community organizing.  She is also involved in her family foundation.

Ming Zhao

Ming currently works for a hedge fund. She is particularly interested in how the emergence of new technologies has impacted and reshaped our society. Ming holds a BS in Computer Science from Nankai University in China and a PhD in Statistics from Stony Brook University.


The 2012 NYC Pipeline Fellowship will launch with a Meet & Greet Dinner for the Fellows hosted by Min Ye, Co-Owner and CFO of Smorgas Chef Restaurant Group, and will be followed by the Pipeline Fellowship’s signature conference on angel investing.  

The 2012 NYC Pipeline Fellowship Conference will be held in NYC on Friday, February 10, 2012 is sponsored by Goodwin Procter LLP and is open to the public.  Aspiring angels, current investors, and entrepreneurs are encouraged to attend.  To register, go to:

For interested applicants based outside of Boston and NYC, the Pipeline Fellowship has created an executive program that will be held in NYC (February 2012 - June 2012).   

The Pipeline Fellowship executive program call for applications will close on Monday, January 23, 2012.

To apply, go to: http://pipelinefellowship.producteev.com
Jan 22
Jan 22

Actor Announcement! 2012 Pipeline Fellows Announced.

The Levo League

Posted on Monday February 13th 2012 at 12:53pm. Its tags are listed below.

Women in the News: Adele at the Grammys, Whitney Houston’s death, and a Crackdown on Street Prostitution in New York. Levo’s favorite female vocalist, Adele, took six Grammy awards last night. She says it “hasn’t really sunk in yet”that she’s won. Give it time, Adele. That’s a lot of Grammys to process all at once. Whitney Houston has died. Rumors circulate about Bobbi Brown’s involvement. Whitney’s daughter, Bobbi Kristina, was released from Cedars-Sinai hospital last night after treatment for health reasons that were not disclosed. Oprah is airing a two-hour tribute program to Whitney on OWN Thursday night at 9pm EST. [via The Hollywood Reporter] The digital era has brought much of the escort industry off the street corner, and there’s now a crackdown on indoor and outdoor prostitution, in response to prostitution-related arrests in the city holding steady around 4,200 per year since 2006, according to the state’s Division of Criminal Justice Services.

Women in the News: Adele at the Grammys, Whitney Houston’s death, and a Crackdown on Street Prostitution in New York.

Levo’s favorite female vocalist, Adele, took six Grammy awards last night. She says it “hasn’t really sunk in yet”that she’s won. Give it time, Adele. That’s a lot of Grammys to process all at once.

Whitney Houston has died. Rumors circulate about Bobbi Brown’s involvement. Whitney’s daughter, Bobbi Kristina, was released from Cedars-Sinai hospital last night after treatment for health reasons that were not disclosed. Oprah is airing a two-hour tribute program to Whitney on OWN Thursday night at 9pm EST. [via The Hollywood Reporter]

The digital era has brought much of the escort industry off the street corner, and there’s now a crackdown on indoor and outdoor prostitution, in response to prostitution-related arrests in the city holding steady around 4,200 per year since 2006, according to the state’s Division of Criminal Justice Services.

The Levo League

Posted on Monday February 6th 2012 at 09:39am. Its tags are listed below.

Women in the News: Tech Takeover Usually WIN is a medium to congratulate women who’ve made huge strides in the course of the past week or to spotlight issues that affect the women of the world imminently. But in light of Facebook’s IPO last week, we at The Levo League thought we’d bring you some news items that will add depth to your experience of the events upcoming in the next few weeks, plus a recap of IP issues around yesterday’s Super Bowl. Is Facebook Actually the New Google? Think about it. Google has been having a rough couple of months, User Experience-wise. PaidContent has a rundown of Google’s major issues over the last quarter, but the ones I’ve noticed are 1) Google Reader is now useless, and 2) Google Plus… What is going on there? In other words, it’s great timing for Facebook’s IPO. To put that in context, check out some basic Experian data on Facebook site usage courtesy of Heather Dougherty. Interestingly, 57% of visitors to the Book of Face (as the Economist lovingly terms it) are female. To demonstrate just how hype-y the entire IPO is, consider Reuters’ point: that Facebook is trading at 100 times earnings in a market where 12 times is average. Paid Content: the 2012 Super Bowl Wireless Streaming of the Super Bowl, plus Feds Seizure of hundreds of sites claiming to stream the Super Bowl live: Verizon this year offered live streaming of the Super Bowl over mobile devices. Who would ever want to watch the Super Bowl on a phone? Someone stuck in the world’s most thoughtless wedding, perhaps. Either way, VZ was the medium of choice for this behavior, as in a blast of very SOPA-like activity prosecutors shut down hundreds of sites claiming to help a viewer accomplish the same ends. The Super Bowl and NBC: What was NBC hoping to accomplish in their mad rush to get rights to the Super Bowl this year? It appears that they wanted to showcase their inability to produce live television in an FCC-friendly way (even though it just makes us love MIA a little bit more). Or maybe they just wanted to assure a great kickoff to The Voice II. Good luck with that, NBC. We’ll always tune in on Thursday to watch 30 Rock. Synch & the Super Bowl: No, you’re not supposed to know what “synch” means. Synch is what music industry folks call it when a film or video or advertisement uses a recording that they didn’t commission. And synchs were at an all-time high last night in the Super Bowl, as Billboard.biz reports. Combined with the Madonna l-u-v-fest, it was a really retro night. To us, that screams “comfort me with reminders of a better time”—with synchs from The Darkness, OK Go, Motley Crue, Echo & The Bunnymen, and even a very strange Ferris Bueller cameo.

Women in the News: Tech Takeover

Usually WIN is a medium to congratulate women who’ve made huge strides in the course of the past week or to spotlight issues that affect the women of the world imminently. But in light of Facebook’s IPO last week, we at The Levo League thought we’d bring you some news items that will add depth to your experience of the events upcoming in the next few weeks, plus a recap of IP issues around yesterday’s Super Bowl.

Is Facebook Actually the New Google?

Think about it. Google has been having a rough couple of months, User Experience-wise. PaidContent has a rundown of Google’s major issues over the last quarter, but the ones I’ve noticed are 1) Google Reader is now useless, and 2) Google Plus… What is going on there?

In other words, it’s great timing for Facebook’s IPO. To put that in context, check out some basic Experian data on Facebook site usage courtesy of Heather Dougherty. Interestingly, 57% of visitors to the Book of Face (as the Economist lovingly terms it) are female. To demonstrate just how hype-y the entire IPO is, consider Reuters’ point: that Facebook is trading at 100 times earnings in a market where 12 times is average.

Paid Content: the 2012 Super Bowl

Wireless Streaming of the Super Bowl, plus Feds Seizure of hundreds of sites claiming to stream the Super Bowl live: Verizon this year offered live streaming of the Super Bowl over mobile devices. Who would ever want to watch the Super Bowl on a phone? Someone stuck in the world’s most thoughtless wedding, perhaps. Either way, VZ was the medium of choice for this behavior, as in a blast of very SOPA-like activity prosecutors shut down hundreds of sites claiming to help a viewer accomplish the same ends.

The Super Bowl and NBC: What was NBC hoping to accomplish in their mad rush to get rights to the Super Bowl this year? It appears that they wanted to showcase their inability to produce live television in an FCC-friendly way (even though it just makes us love MIA a little bit more). Or maybe they just wanted to assure a great kickoff to The Voice II. Good luck with that, NBC. We’ll always tune in on Thursday to watch 30 Rock.

Synch & the Super Bowl: No, you’re not supposed to know what “synch” means. Synch is what music industry folks call it when a film or video or advertisement uses a recording that they didn’t commission. And synchs were at an all-time high last night in the Super Bowl, as Billboard.biz reports. Combined with the Madonna l-u-v-fest, it was a really retro night. To us, that screams “comfort me with reminders of a better time”—with synchs from The Darkness, OK Go, Motley Crue, Echo & The Bunnymen, and even a very strange Ferris Bueller cameo.

Round and Around the Internet: February 3, 2012.

Posted on Friday February 3rd 2012 at 07:51am. Its tags are listed below.


Round and Around the Internet: February 3, 2012.

There’s nothing that inspires us more than seeing the sheer volume and variety of women’s news and inspiration around the Internet. Courtesy of Frances Advincula, here are our favorite pick-me-ups from our sister sites.

 

1. Winter getting to you? Recycle your grumpiness into a positive opportunity for growth.  Learn how to make a good apology [Lifehack] and how to use criticism to actually improve youreself [Tiny Buddha].

2. This year, let’s not just exist, let us truly L-I-V-E! Here are reasons on why we need a bucket list [Personal Excellence], plus even more ideas for your own [Life2PointOh].

3. Take a note from the kitchens of the greats with a few lessons from gourmet food companies. [The Daily Muse] 

4. Discover if the world of advertising is for you, whether you are curious about being an account executive, planner, or HR director. [I Want Her Job]

5. Here is your blueprint for earning respect and making you mark as a woman of the world. [Ms. Career Girl]

6. If you’re feeling the winter doldrums, read up on how to rest, relax, and rejuvenate! [Life After College] And if you’re going through something really difficult in your life right now, author Jenny Blake has two amazing pieces on courage and perseverance.

7. Your best investment is in yourself. A few ways to get you started… [Wisebread]. And speaking of investments, Jen Dziura does it again with her complete guide to funding your business or investing in startups, part 1 and part 2. [The Grindstone] 

8. Need a dose of motivation to get through the winter? Give your office space or desk a makeover— be inspired by amazing offices all over the world [Office Envy], gather your favorite ideas here [Pinterest], and to top it all off, get some inspiration for your new business idea from Melanie Duncan [Entrepreneuress Academy]. 

9. No need to limit yourself when it comes to giving presentations. Stretch your creativity with über cool designs [Work Awesome], a presentation-maker that allows you to embed live twitter feeds [SlideRocket], and even a non-linear, zooming presentation maker [Prezi].  A word of caution on these tools: you will probably get addicted. The end result of this addiction will basically be that you’ll impress a lot of people. 

Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

Women in the News: Income Inequality, The Female Species, and Gender Ratios in Manhattan

Posted on Monday January 23rd 2012 at 12:08pm. Its tags are listed below.


Women in the News: Income Inequality, The Female Species, and Gender Ratios in Manhattan

This week’s Women in the News: What’s making America so unequal? 

The Wall Street Journal and the New York Times Magazine published stories this weekend on inequality in America, and what defines the causes behind inequality. The New York Times’ Adam Davidson buckets Americans into two classes—the mobile and the immobile. Davidson points out that when there was still US left to explore and geography left unindustralized, the poorer classes were the ones who were more mobile, but this is no longer the case. Rather, prospects are so poor everywhere and growth is so scattered geographically that the only ones among us who are highly mobile are wealthier classes.

The WSJ, on the other hand, cuts America’s working classes into two towns: one of skilled upper middle class workers, and one of unskilled working class workers, then looks at their demographics from 1960 to now. The working classes have changed the most: they’re getting married less, they’re going to church less, and more of their working-age men are dropping out of the labor force or only working part time.

Scientific American and Psychology Today are going head-to-head on the “Women are from Venus” issue: Scientific American’s blogs went after Psychology Today’s exultation of Marco del Giudice’s recent study which emphasizes gender differences in communication and perception. A few good points that the author, Professor Agustin Fuentes of Notre Dame, draws out:  that “gender” and “sex” are used interchangeably in the study, that evolved differences in men and women are not being measured, and that relevant biological and anthropological datasets are ignored.  

If you’ve heard the rumors that women outnumber men in Manhattan, you’re about to have those rumors confirmed. According to the NYC Economic Development Corporation, Manhattan’s population is 53% female and 47% male. And according to their map, unless you’re heading up to Kingsbridge or out to Staten Island, the only place there are more men than women is the Lower East Side. 

In adorable-beyond-belief news, it’s officially the Year of the Girl over at the Girl Scouts Council. Check it out. Volunteer. There are a shocking number of Girl Scouts in Manhattan and Long Island. 

One last note on inequality: Senator Gabrielle Giffords officially stepped down from her Senate seat this weekend after the brutal assassination attempt in Tucson last year. Voices like Gabrielle’s— voices that fight for equality and a rational conversation to rebuild a sustainable economy—  are few and far between. 

Actor Announcement! 2012 Pipeline Fellows Announced.

Posted on Sunday January 22nd 2012 at 12:39am. Its tags are listed below.


Actor Announcement! 2012 Pipeline Fellows Announced.


Some of you may already be aware of The Pipeline Fellowship, which trains women philanthropists to become angel investors—through education, mentoring, and practice. We at Levo want to take a moment to recognize the 2012 NYC Pipeline Fellowship class, which was announced on January 17th. 
If you don’t already know about the Pipeline Fellowship, here’s a good article to sum up the mission and the method. According to Susan Preston, General Partner at Clean Energy Angel Fund (CalCEF), “We are coming to a point in society where we are recognizing that you can’t just make money—you have to make money in an ethically and socially conscientious way.  It doesn’t mean that you can’t be wealthy by your investments, but it just means that the companies we want to invest in have to have integrity.  They have to have certain aspects in their practice that relate to the sustainability of our earth, of the environment, and of the economy.”

For Bill Schnoor, a Partner at Goodwin Procter LLP, “The mission the Pipeline Fellowship has of empowering women to become angel investors […] fills an extraordinary gap in the marketplace.  There are women starting companies, we’d like to see more, but there certainly are some.  But, the notion of having a track devoted to encouraging women to help other women by being investors we thought was novel and that the time was right for it.”
So, without further adieu…

The 2012 NYC Pipeline Fellowship Class:

Fradel Barber

Fradel is the Visionary Entrepreneur and Director of Expansion World Financial Group. She is a member of the Leadership Network of World Financial Group—a group of hand selected individuals who will serve as the next wave of leaders for World Financial Group entrepreneurs—and is a Brooklyn Community Services Fundraising Dinner 2011 Honoree. She attended Beth Rivkah High School.

Leah Belsky

Leah is VP of Strategic Development & Associate General Counsel at Kaltura, an Intel Capital funded startup launching the world’s first open source media platform. She sits on the boards of Philadelphia Game Lab and Public Knowledge, an organization dedicated to preserving freedom on the web. She writes regularly about open technology, entrepreneurship, and the future of education at Opentec.org. Leah holds a BA in Human Biology and Political Theory from Brown University and a JD from Yale Law School.

Binta Niambi Brown

Binta Niambi Brown is a lawyer, philanthropist, and humanitarian based in New York City.  Binta has focused her efforts on advancing the cause of women and girls at home and around the globe, advocating for the arts and arts education, and manages a significant global pro bono practice focused on human rights advocacy.  Binta was recognized by Crain’s New York Business as a 2011 “40 under 40” rising star in the New York business community; by the National Organization for Women as a Woman of Power and Influence; and, by Super Lawyers as a New York Super Lawyer Rising Star.  She is a Trustee of Barnard College, a Trustee of the New York City Parks Foundation, a member of the American Theater Wing Board of Directors, and a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations.  Binta is also a 2012 Truman National Security Fellow. Binta holds a BA from Barnard College and a JD from Columbia Law School.

Kristin Calve

Kristin is a realtor and serial entrepreneur with experience in startups, mergers, acquisitions, new product development and nonprofits. Kristin is a past President of the Board for the YWCA Darien/Norwalk and currently serves as Nutrition Committee Co-Chair at the Whitby School. She graduated from Fordham University with a BA in English Literature and later went on to earn an MBA in Finance and Marketing, also from Fordham. Kristin lives in Darien, CT, with her husband and four children.

Anna Curran

Anna Curran is the Founder of a print on demand startup CookbookCreate.com. Prior to launching her startup, she was selected to serve as the New York Co-Founder for Startup Weekend’s pilot program, The Startup Foundation. Anna has worked as a freelance digital strategist and online communications specialist in New York City assisting startups and nonprofits in developing their digital communications campaigns. Current and past client work includes: Lama Surya Das, a nationally best selling Tibetan Buddhist author; America: Now and Here, a cross-country journey of art and artists with Eric Fischl, Paul Simon, and Chuck Close; and, Personal Democracy Forum, the leading conference on Politics and Technology. She is a formally trained artist, printmaker, and dancer. She believes in volunteering for great organizations like She’s Geeky, Startup Weekend, Crisis Commons, and New Leaders Council.

Caryn Effron

Caryn Effron is the Founder of GoGirl Finance, an online community empowering women to be more confident when dealing with money. She has spent her career in commercial real estate and currently is a Senior Managing Director for Ackman Ziff, a preeminent real estate capital advisory firm. She is passionate about financial literacy for women and is also active in youth education. Caryn has been a Say Yes to Education board member since the launch of the NYC chapter. She earned an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business and holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Michigan. Caryn lives in New York with her husband and three children.

Nicole Faurot

Nicole Faurot works in investor relations at Centerbridge Partners, L.P. and currently focuses on representing the firm’s control and distressed for control platform to investors. Nicole chairs the Emory University Alumnae and Women in New York and is the treasurer of the young professionals board of the Committee for Hispanic Children and Families. Nicole has worked with the Taproot Foundation, Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo, and the Valerie Fund among others. Prior to Centerbridge, Nicole worked at Morgan Stanley in roles including investment banking, strategic acquisitions and business development, and at Bear Stearns. She holds a BA in Spanish and Interdisciplinary Studies from Emory University.

Galia Gichon

Galia Gichon is the Founder of Down-to-Earth Finance, an independent financial education company based in New York City.  She is on the board of In Good Company, a community for women entrepreneurs and a regular speaker at Barnard University’s Athena Center for Leadership and the Freelancers Union.  She earned her BS in Finance from University of Florida and MBA in Finance from Fordham University.  She currently lives with her husband and two daughters in Westport, Connecticut.

Jocelyn Jacobson

Jocelyn is a litigation partner at Reitler Kailas & Rosenblatt.  She previously worked as Director of Policy and Budget for the Manhattan Borough President.  Jocelyn is a Co-Chair of the Solo and Small Law Firm Committee of the New York Women’s Bar Association.  Jocelyn has her JD from the Fordham University School of Law and a BA in Political Science from the University of Chicago.

Kellee Joost

Kellee Joost has a background as an entrepreneur, fundraiser, marketer, and public policy professional. Most recently she was co-founder and managing director of Integrative Pet Care, an animal rehabilitation center in Chicago, taking the entity from conception to capitalization to realization and its sale. Now residing in New York with her husband, she is an operations consultant for Hope Sings, serves on the Season of Cambodia planning team, and is an avid international traveler. Kellee holds a BA in Communications Arts and Sciences from Pennsylvania State University.

Angela Lee

Angela has over 10 years of experience in strategy consulting and corporate training. She is currently involved in an innovation capability-building program in a large pharmaceutical company and has formerly served as an Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company focusing on strategy and marketing issues for Fortune 100 clients. Angela is a guest lecturer at Columbia and Columbia Business School and speaks on topics including strategic problem solving and career coaching. She has trained classes of incoming McKinsey consultants in a one-week “Basic Consulting Readiness” program, which entails teaching the consulting skill set in a case based format. Angela holds an MBA from Columbia Business School. She lives with her husband in Manhattan, and they love to travel, cook, and play board games.

Holly Lynch

Holly Lynch is the Founder and CEO of The Good Girls. A native of New York City, Holly is an advertising, strategic planning, and brand communications veteran, with twelve years’ experience at agencies such as Ogilvy, BBH, and StrawberryFrog. She led the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty and Self-Esteem Fund; has consulted with Procter & Gamble on how to innovate and promote a healthier, more sustainable product line for future generations; and, sits on the boards of numerous nonprofits. After working across a multitude of channels, brands, and consumer segments, Holly began to envision a future and global economy in which at least 50% of the world’s successful and socially progressive brands and businesses would and should be led by women. As a result, Holly founded The Good Girls in 2010 to champion, position, and build this future for women. She holds a BA in Anthropology from Harvard University and an MA in Fine and Decorative Arts from Sotheby’s Institute of Art.

Nandini P. Narula

Nandini is an independent consultant, delivering strategic advisory services to nonprofits and social enterprises. Prior to this, she was the co-founder and CTO of GreenMango, a social enterprise that provides an online marketing platform to low-income entrepreneurs in India. Nandini’s passion for social enterprise was sparked while she worked in the microfinance sector for several years, supporting the growth of microfinance organizations internationally. She started her career in the technology sector where she managed large-scale web development projects at Fortune 500 companies. Nandini holds an MSc degree in Economic Development from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a BS in Computer Science from the University of Michigan. Nandini is an Echoing Green Fellow (2008) and Cartier Women’s Initiative Laureate (2007).

Helaine Olen

Helaine is the author of Pound Foolish, a look at the personal finance industry, which will be published by Penguin’s Portfolio imprint later in 2012. A freelance journalist, she writes frequently on issues pertaining to both women and money, and parenting and finances. Helaine lives in the Hudson Valley, just north of New York City, with her husband and two sons, and received her AB in English from Smith College.

Shaifali Puri

Shaifali Puri is the Executive Director of Scientists Without Borders, a public/private partnership that generates, shares, and advances solutions to the world’s most pressing global development challenges through open and collaborative innovation.  Shaifali serves on the Board of the New York City Economic Development Corporation and on the Advisory Council for the Digital Health Initiative of the United Nations Office of Partnerships.  She is a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations.  In 2011, she was named to Crain’s New York’s “40 under 40” list of the top young business leaders in New York.

Liz Roberts

Liz is the Chief Strategy Officer at SX2 Media Labs where she directs web site positioning, product development, and revenue optimization. She is actively involved in organizations that empower women. Liz holds a BA from Smith College.

Sheri Sandler

Sheri is the director of a family foundation and is engaged in investment management for a family office.  She received her BA in Finance from the University of Wisconsin and attended the Master of Arts Program in the History of Decorative Arts and Design offered by Parsons The New School and the Cooper-Hewitt, National Museum of Design.  She has worked at the Cooper-Hewitt and Architectural Digest. Sheri’s board affiliations include: The Ackerman Institute for Family Therapy, Goddard Riverside Community Center, The New York Women’s Foundation, The Jewish Women’s Archive, and The Women’s Donor Network. Sheri lives on the Upper West side with her husband and has a 26-year-old daughter.

Sheri Sobrato Brisson

Sheri Sobrato Brisson is a Trustee at Sobrato Family Foundation in Silicon Valley. Sheri’s long-term passion is working directly with children facing serious illnesses and their families. Other philanthropic interests include small arts organizations, youth development, and global programs targeting women and children. She also serves as an advisory board member of the Okizu Foundation, Dance Repertory, and Parents Helping Parents.  Sheri holds an AB from Stanford University and an MA in counseling psychology from Santa Clara University. She and her husband and two young children recently moved to New York from Paris.

Jade Netanya Ullmann

Jade Netanya Ullmann is the Director of Development, Membership, and Outreach for Romemu, the NYC transformative center for Judaism. Jade is on the board of ALEPH, Alliance for Jewish Renewal of which Romemu is an affiliate community. Jade received her BA degree from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, where she was the West Coast Area Coordinator for Students for a Free Tibet. She sits on the board of Common Fire Foundation, the builders of the highest-level green building on the Eastern US.  Jade is a member of the Threshold Foundation and has been involved in funding circles and grant making focused on restorative justice, co-existence, and community organizing.  She is also involved in her family foundation.

Ming Zhao

Ming currently works for a hedge fund. She is particularly interested in how the emergence of new technologies has impacted and reshaped our society. Ming holds a BS in Computer Science from Nankai University in China and a PhD in Statistics from Stony Brook University.


The 2012 NYC Pipeline Fellowship will launch with a Meet & Greet Dinner for the Fellows hosted by Min Ye, Co-Owner and CFO of Smorgas Chef Restaurant Group, and will be followed by the Pipeline Fellowship’s signature conference on angel investing.  

The 2012 NYC Pipeline Fellowship Conference will be held in NYC on Friday, February 10, 2012 is sponsored by Goodwin Procter LLP and is open to the public.  Aspiring angels, current investors, and entrepreneurs are encouraged to attend.  To register, go to:

For interested applicants based outside of Boston and NYC, the Pipeline Fellowship has created an executive program that will be held in NYC (February 2012 - June 2012).   

The Pipeline Fellowship executive program call for applications will close on Monday, January 23, 2012.

To apply, go to: http://pipelinefellowship.producteev.com

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