FOUNDER & IMPACT COMMITTEE
Executive Director/Founder
Tamara Horton
FIT graduate, designer, former NYC shop owner, Off-Broadway costume designer and most recently named Global Ambassador to Ethiopia by Women's Campaign International, Tamara launched Studio Samuel Foundation by pairing the passions of work and life experiences. Studio Samuel is based on a 'teach a man to fish' model while always focusing on sustainability, fair trade and the local community. Tamara is certified in Global Poverty from M.I.T. and is Program Chair, Women’s Occupational and Health Enablement on the board of Ethiopia Healthcare Network.
Experiences and relationships formed during the international adoption process were eye opening. Seeing the barriers that women face on a daily basis, from lack of access to education & healthcare to forced labor. Hearing the personal stories of child marriage and trafficking, were unsettling and became the motivating factors which planted the Studio Samuel seed.
FIT graduate, designer, former NYC shop owner, Off-Broadway costume designer and most recently named Global Ambassador to Ethiopia by Women's Campaign International, Tamara launched Studio Samuel Foundation by pairing the passions of work and life experiences. Studio Samuel is based on a 'teach a man to fish' model while always focusing on sustainability, fair trade and the local community. Tamara is certified in Global Poverty from M.I.T. and is Program Chair, Women’s Occupational and Health Enablement on the board of Ethiopia Healthcare Network.
Experiences and relationships formed during the international adoption process were eye opening. Seeing the barriers that women face on a daily basis, from lack of access to education & healthcare to forced labor. Hearing the personal stories of child marriage and trafficking, were unsettling and became the motivating factors which planted the Studio Samuel seed.
Marketing
Leah Bekele
Leah was born in Ethiopia and moved to the United States with her family at the age of 3 before briefly moving back to Ethiopia to attend high school. Leah has an immense passion for volunteering, and while living in Ethiopia, she volunteered for an organization that assists orphaned children who have lost their families to AIDS or have AIDS themselves. Studio Samuel’s mission is close to Leah’s spirit. She’s excited to help empower the future generations of young women from her native land excel and be the best version of themselves.
Leah attended Columbia College of Chicago where she majored in Integrated Marketing Communications with a concentration in Public Relations and a minor in Music Business. After graduating in 2012, Leah transitioned from intern to full time at Atlantic Records in Chicago. She later accepted a position as Operations Manager for independent label and events production company, One Off Entertainment. This experience opened doors in 2014, as she moved to Epic Records as the Director of Promotions and Lifestyle Marketing.
Leah was born in Ethiopia and moved to the United States with her family at the age of 3 before briefly moving back to Ethiopia to attend high school. Leah has an immense passion for volunteering, and while living in Ethiopia, she volunteered for an organization that assists orphaned children who have lost their families to AIDS or have AIDS themselves. Studio Samuel’s mission is close to Leah’s spirit. She’s excited to help empower the future generations of young women from her native land excel and be the best version of themselves.
Leah attended Columbia College of Chicago where she majored in Integrated Marketing Communications with a concentration in Public Relations and a minor in Music Business. After graduating in 2012, Leah transitioned from intern to full time at Atlantic Records in Chicago. She later accepted a position as Operations Manager for independent label and events production company, One Off Entertainment. This experience opened doors in 2014, as she moved to Epic Records as the Director of Promotions and Lifestyle Marketing.
Education
Kim Benvegna
Born and raised in South Africa, where she lived until age 23, Kim now resides in New York City where she teaches elementary school, practices yoga, and constantly seeks opportunities to incorporate globally relevant and culturally responsive curriculum into her teaching practice.
As part of a recent female-lead educators trip to Nicaragua, Kim witnessed the powerful stories of people within the local communities and returned with a goal of seeking out further opportunities to expand her own reach as a lifelong learner and global citizen. Kim is thrilled to join Studio Samuel and bring her experiences as an educator to the team while helping bring positive change for generations to come.
Born and raised in South Africa, where she lived until age 23, Kim now resides in New York City where she teaches elementary school, practices yoga, and constantly seeks opportunities to incorporate globally relevant and culturally responsive curriculum into her teaching practice.
As part of a recent female-lead educators trip to Nicaragua, Kim witnessed the powerful stories of people within the local communities and returned with a goal of seeking out further opportunities to expand her own reach as a lifelong learner and global citizen. Kim is thrilled to join Studio Samuel and bring her experiences as an educator to the team while helping bring positive change for generations to come.
Media Relations
Sarah Landy
Sarah is the GM of AWAL North America, a division of the international music company Kobalt, and has been working in marketing and publicity in the music industry over ten years. During her previous position as senior director of marketing at RED (a division of Sony Music Entertainment), she worked on various projects bridging music and charity, including the How Do YouCare performance series. She developed the video network, which aligned musicians with non-profits to amplify social awareness and action around global issues, with ShareTheMic and UnArmed Media. Sarah lives in Brooklyn, New York, and graduated with a B.S. in Economics and Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She has immense passion for learning about other cultures and for the development of sustainable impact programs.
Sarah is the GM of AWAL North America, a division of the international music company Kobalt, and has been working in marketing and publicity in the music industry over ten years. During her previous position as senior director of marketing at RED (a division of Sony Music Entertainment), she worked on various projects bridging music and charity, including the How Do YouCare performance series. She developed the video network, which aligned musicians with non-profits to amplify social awareness and action around global issues, with ShareTheMic and UnArmed Media. Sarah lives in Brooklyn, New York, and graduated with a B.S. in Economics and Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She has immense passion for learning about other cultures and for the development of sustainable impact programs.
Programming
Marissa Putney
Marissa comes to the organization as a Drexel University alumni and long standing employee of The Orchard, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. Marissa spearheaded a successful fundraising and awareness campaign for Malaria No More in 2010. In an effort to continue her education in International Development, she received a certificate in Global Poverty from M.I.T.
Marissa comes to the organization as a Drexel University alumni and long standing employee of The Orchard, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. Marissa spearheaded a successful fundraising and awareness campaign for Malaria No More in 2010. In an effort to continue her education in International Development, she received a certificate in Global Poverty from M.I.T.
Contributing Writer
Lorraine Shea
Born and bred in New York City and a graduate of NYU, Lorraine Shea brings more than 20 years of experience writing, editing and photographing for a variety of lifestyle magazines and websites. Favorite topics include health, nutrition, yoga, design, and travel. Through her yoga studies, she has had the rewarding pleasure of teaching confidence-building movement and meditation classes to high school girls and stress-reducing restorative workshops to adults. She’s thrilled to be a part of Studio Samuel and help empower future generations.
Born and bred in New York City and a graduate of NYU, Lorraine Shea brings more than 20 years of experience writing, editing and photographing for a variety of lifestyle magazines and websites. Favorite topics include health, nutrition, yoga, design, and travel. Through her yoga studies, she has had the rewarding pleasure of teaching confidence-building movement and meditation classes to high school girls and stress-reducing restorative workshops to adults. She’s thrilled to be a part of Studio Samuel and help empower future generations.
Advocacy
Melissa Stern
Melissa Stern is an artist and journalist living in NYC. Her sculpture and drawings have been exhibited worldwide and a solo exhibition is currently touring museums throughout the US. She has served on the Board of Directors of The Children’s Museum of the Arts in NYC, Watershed Center in Maine and has been part of the film screening committee for the Human Rights Film Festival since 2008. She is a contributing writer to Hyperallergic, reviewing exhibitions and offering opinion essays about art and culture.
Melissa Stern is an artist and journalist living in NYC. Her sculpture and drawings have been exhibited worldwide and a solo exhibition is currently touring museums throughout the US. She has served on the Board of Directors of The Children’s Museum of the Arts in NYC, Watershed Center in Maine and has been part of the film screening committee for the Human Rights Film Festival since 2008. She is a contributing writer to Hyperallergic, reviewing exhibitions and offering opinion essays about art and culture.
Social Media
Allison Ulrich
Allison is a Texas native who moved to New York City to pursue her career in the Music Industry. She manages the College & Lifestyle Marketing Department at The Orchard, a global Music & Film distribution company, helping College Students run physical and digital marketing campaigns for artists. She has previously volunteered for charities such as the SIMS Foundation based in Austin. Marissa Putney opened Allison's eyes to Studio Samuel and their cause and the girls they strive to empower now have special place in her heart.
Allison is a Texas native who moved to New York City to pursue her career in the Music Industry. She manages the College & Lifestyle Marketing Department at The Orchard, a global Music & Film distribution company, helping College Students run physical and digital marketing campaigns for artists. She has previously volunteered for charities such as the SIMS Foundation based in Austin. Marissa Putney opened Allison's eyes to Studio Samuel and their cause and the girls they strive to empower now have special place in her heart.
