“Models of Philanthropy” Back Row, L to R: Pamela Morgan, Carissa Lawson, Lorraine Silvetz, Sara Johnson Kaplan, PR/CEO, Ivonne Camacho, Reality Show Actress, Dolores Cantania, Rita Cosby, Kathleen Giordano, Daryl Devlin, Dena McCoy, and Deborah Galligan. Front Row, L to R: ReBecca Ricks, Cassandra Seidenfeld, Rick Galvin, Avadora Mimouni and Melisa Cristaldi
Photo Credit: Dennis Madigan @dennismadigan
What do you get when you couple fourteen extraordinary and accomplished women, models, actresses, entrepreneurs and, two TV Anchors with Philanthropy? “Models of Philanthropy” (MOPH). The dynamic New York Fashion Week (NYFW) show, at Rumi event space in Manhattan, was the second of its kind featuring timeless beauties walking for Supermodel/Designer of luxury handbags, Avadora Mimouni.
The models not only know how to strut for the camera but make a difference in the world. Each one of the models either founded, support or, lend their personalities to charity. Not only do these ladies know how “to talk the talk,” they “walk the walk” on the runway: Proof that a woman can “strut her stuff” while looking fabulous at any age! The world needs a message that celebrates timeless beauty since beauty does not end at 30!
Divine Designer and model, Avadora Mimouni was born in the Azores archipelago of Portugal. As a child, Avadora was always creative expressing herself through theater and modeling at fashion boutiques. She moved to Manhattan in 1994. She pursued modeling and graced the covers of magazines, walked prestigious runway and, appeared in acting roles. In 2017, she attended an event wearing a one of a kind purse she created and was surprised by the immense adulation that it received. She was immediately inspired to launch her Avadora Mimouni Collection at the end of 2017.
Partners, Ivonne Camacho and Avadora Mimouni Photo Credit: Charles Fara @cfaraphoto
Avadora has enjoyed a fruitful partnership with Ivonne Camacho, PR Creative Director of @AbsolutModerne. After hosting private events in various locations in New York, Avadora’s line opened with rave reviews at New York Fashion Week (NYFW). Avadora credits Ivonne with where Avadora Mimouni Couture Collection is today
Emmy Award Winning Anchor and Best Selling Author, Rita Cosby
At the top of the “Models of Philanthropy” list of ladies was Emmy-Winning TV Host, Radio Star, and Best Selling Author, Rita Cosby who spearheads countless philanthropic efforts for charities…with her main focus on heralding the military and families. She not only was first to step out on the runway with “Models of Philanthropy” but emceed the entire evening.
Rita Cosby
Rita Cosby is one of the most recognized and respected broadcasters in America. She is a renowned Emmy-winning TV host, veteran correspondent and multiple best selling author, who anchored highly rated prime time shows on Fox News Channel and MSNBC. She currently does frequent hosting on HLN/CNN and is a special correspondent for the top-rated CBS syndicated news magazine Inside Edition. Heralded as one of the Most Influential Women in Radio since 2014 by Radio Ink magazine, she was selected as Legend of the Year for 2018, chosen among all women on and off air in the radio industry. Throughout her illustrious media career, Rita has secured some of the biggest interviews, including exclusives with more than twenty world leaders, including six U.S. Presidents.
Mitzi Perdue
Photo Credit: Dennis Madigan @dennismadigan
Mitzi Perdue holds a BA with honors from Harvard University and an MPA from the George Washington University. She is a past president of the 35,000-member American Agri-Women. She’s also a former syndicated columnist for Scripps Howard and her column, The Environment and You, and in the 1990s, was the most widely-syndicated environmental column in the country. Her television series, Country Magazine, was syndicated to 76 stations. She’s the founder of CERES Farms, the second-generation family-owned vineyards that sell wine grapes to wineries such as Mondavi, Kendall-Jackson, Bogle, Folie a Deux, and Toasted Head.
Mitzi Perdue and Rita Cosby
Photo Credit: Dennis Madigan @dennisimadigan
Mitzi combines the experiences of three long-time family businesses. Her father Ernest Henderson co-founded the Sheraton Hotel Chain and her late husband Frank Perdue was the second generation in the poultry company that today operates in more than 50 countries. She herself founded CERES Farms in 1974. She founded Win this Fight an anti-human trafficking foundation whose primary focus is helping other anti-trafficking organizations with fundraising. With additional funding, the organizations can spend less time fundraising and more time delivering services. Win This Fight exists to help other organizations in their missions to educate, prevent, rescue and rehabilitate. To accomplish these goals, Win This Fight will host a variety of fundraisers, an online auction, as well as a live auction, requesting items in the million-dollar range or higher. For more information go to www.winthisfight.org.
Lorraine Silvetz
Photo Credit: Dennis Madigan @dennisimadigan
Lorraine Silvetz received her BFA from N.Y.U. Film School and her Master’s from N.Y.U. School of Social Work in 2005. She is a psychotherapist, active in philanthropy, having founded Global Stress Initiative (GSI) under the International Committee Against Mental Illness (ICAMI), a mental health foundation directed by her Uncle, Robert Cancro, MD in 2010. ICAMI-GSI’s goal is to provide non-invasive treatment for survivors of trauma. GSI utilizes individualized transcranial magnetic stimulation (iTMS) for the treatment of service members, domestic violence and human trafficking survivors impacted by PTSD.
Back row: Ivonne Camacho, Rita Cosby, Lorraine Silvetz and front row, Avadora Mimouni.
Photo Credit: Dennis Madigan @dennismadigan
TV Anchor, Rita Cosby serves as spokesperson for GSI’s service members’ and Actress/Supermodel, Kelly LeBrock as spokesperson for GSI’s human trafficking and domestic violence survivors. Lorraine and GSI supporters, Rita Cosby, Mitzi Perdue, and Robert Cancro, MD, received Congressional Awards for the treatment administered to service members and veterans in 2011.
ReBecca Ricks
Photo Credit: Dennis Madigan @dennisimadigan
ReBecca Ricks strutted her stuff on the runway with her sister “Models of Philanthropy.” She has worked with service members and their families while Manager for Global Stress Initiative (GSI). Her early career was spent as an accomplished dancer, athlete and coach (15x Boston Marathon Qualifier), MAC makeup artist, and Paul Mitchell hairdresser, and degrees in art and science. She has recently returned to school studying neuroscience, kinesiology, and nutrition with hopes to apply this knowledge to a continued career in mental health.
Melisa Cristaldi
Photo Credit: Noel Valero @noelvphoto
Melisa Cristaldi was born in Argentina, where she studied to become a physical therapist and volunteered for several non-profits raising awareness about health issues in low income communities. Passionate about helping patients through clinical research, she devoted her career to stem cell and autism research. After moving to New York in 2012, she pursued her Masters degree in Clinical Research Administration at George Washington University and currently works in the immuno oncology, stem cell research and treatment field and is a fervent advocate of this cause to improve people’s lives.
Daryl Devlin
Photo Credit: Charles Fara @cfaraphoto
Daryl Devlin has a multifaceted background in business development, sales, and production. Expertise in production includes hiring and managing filmmakers and editors and spearheading the process from concept to post-production. She is a tenacious leader who pursues opportunities and challenges to achieve results, with experience managing multiple offices, overseeing organizations up to 60 in staff and directing sales for a European company.
Prior to founding The Daryl James Company, Daryl worked at Bernstein & Andriulli, when she was recruited to build their film/ motion division, working with premier filmmakers, photographers, animators, CGI artists, and illustrators. She was president at MediaLogic, where she represented talent with key accounts and provided consulting services to corporations to maximize their advertising capabilities. She is an active advocate for human trafficking related foundations including Freedom for All and Win this Fight.
Kathleen Giordano
Photo Credit: Priscilla Periut @escapestudiosinc
Kathleen Giordano is a commercial print model/actress, entrepreneur, writer, men’s hair groomer and a member of SAG/AFTRA. She modeled throughout Europe/NY in magazines, catalogues, TV commercials and the runway. Kathleen takes tap dancing lessons, is an avid gardener and loves to decorate her beach cottage at the Jersey shore.
She has been featured on WE, NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s 20/20, QVC, Sky 1, Access Hollywood, Univision, Good Day NY, Us Weekly, LA Times, British Glamour, NY Post, NY Daily News, GQ, PHilly Mag, etc.
Kathleen supports a number of charities…The Horticultural Society, The Animal Medical Center, Culture for One and Women’s Health Organizations.
Dena McCoy
Photo Credits: Noel valero @noelvphoto
Dena McCoy is the Executive Director at AbsolutModerne, a dynamic branding, social media, PR, and VIP events company based in New York under the direction of CEO/ Creative Director Ivonne Camacho. She is a Director and proud fourth generation Trustee of the Woodard Family Foundation in her home state of Oregon, and is no stranger to the importance of supporting community needs. Dena looks forward to her son and daughter joining in the long tradition of family philanthropy. She is President of Grace Meadow Properties and Grace West Properties, LLC’s her latest ventures which were inspired by a long tradition of family business in Oregon, California and Hawaii. Dena is a SAG/AFTRA actress, model and fitness enthusiast with a discipline in dance and yoga. She believes that the best way to serve and inspire others is to come from a place of inner strength through fostering a healthy mind, body and spirit. With a B.A. in Humanities and minor in German from UC Berkeley, her love of language and faith, has led her to write a powerfully personal memoir, “Greed & Grace,” which will be published later this year.
Pamela Morgan
Photo Credit: Noel Valero @noelvphoto
Pamela Morgan is owner of Flirting with Flavors and a member of Les Dames D’Escoffier, Pamela Morgan has been praised for her work as a caterer, event planner, food personality and cookbook author. She began her career studying with chefs Alain Ducasse and Roger Verge in their highly acclaimed kitchens in the south of France. After returning to the USA, she trained with esteemed Madeleine Kamman, later working behind the counter at the renowned Silver Palate retail and catering store in New York City.
In 1984, she began her own company, Flavors Catering, a New York catering firm specializing in custom-tailored events, from private dinners to full-scale parties for up to 2,000 people, with clients such as Martha Stewart Living, Food Network Television and HBO. In January of 1993, she opened her first retail store, Pamela Morgan’s Flavors, in New York’s Flatiron District, where it became a fixture of the neighborhood and received the highest rating attainable from Zagat’s Marketplace Guide. Her cookbook, Pamela Morgan ‘’s Flavors, written with Michael McLaughlin (Viking) was published in May 1998. In 2000, she sold the retail storefront so that she could spend more time on the many other projects she’d become involved in, while maintaining a more boutique operation of her catering and events firm. She is working on her second cookbook, Love, Well Seasoned.
Carissa Lawson
Photo Credit: Charles Fara @cfaraphoto
Carissa Lawson is the morning news anchor at News 12 New Jersey. She is a New York City native who grew up in Queens. Lawson is a proud graduate of New York University with a degree in broadcast journalism. Lawson has won an Associated Press Award for feature reporting. She co-anchored the newscast at the CBS affiliate in Louisville that received the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award for best newscast. She was also part of the CBS affiliate team that received the coveted National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation (NABEF) Service to America Television Award, among the highest public-service honors in broadcasting, that honors exceptional public and community service. Upon graduation from NYU, Lawson earned the James Fenimore Cooper Memorial Prize, which is presented annually to the most outstanding undergraduate student of journalism. She was also inducted into the Kappa Tau Alpha National Honor Society in journalism and mass communication.
Janel Tanna
Photo Credit: Charles Fara @cfaraphoto
Janel Tanna is an actress, occasional producer and screenwriter who, just four years into her career, has appeared in more than twenty projects. She has won 16 acting awards at various film festivals, plus two writing awards. She has also received an additional 10 acting nominations. Impressive for someone who almost never went down the path of acting, which she had often daydreamed about, but life seemed to have other plans.
Janel’s most recent awards include the Mary Austin Excellence in acting award, which she received at the prestigious 2019 Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema. The award is based on cumulative acting skills as demonstrated in different roles. Also at Idyllwild in 2019, Janel was honored with the Kristoff St. John award, which is bestowed in memory of the talented and inspiring Kristoff, an actor, to someone who has demonstrated inspiration to their peers. At the New York City International Film Festival, Janel was recognized with an emerging talent award for her performance in Sienna’s Choice – a film that she also produced.
Cassandra Seidenfeld
Photo Credit: Charles Fara @cfaraphoto
Cassandra Seidenfeld is a graduate of Columbia University 2013, a Professional Actor, Humanitarian and an athlete. She is also active philanthropically. Cassandra received the 2016 Women4Empowerment Gold Medal of Honor for her philanthropic work closely associated with empowering women and young girls. She has also been nominated to be on the Advisory Board of LDEO (Lamont – Doherty Observation Earth Conservatory) as a direct affiliation with her interests at Columbia University.
Cassandra has appeared on TV Shows, in Indie Films, Feature Films and on “Person Of Interest”. She secured a role in the Guild Hall’s Labor Day Production in East Hampton, New York where she performed in “The Night of 75 Stars”, alongside Alec Baldwin and Bob Balaban, and she is slated for the Lead role in Kevin Sheaff’s upcoming Indie Feature Film entitled “In The Eyes Of Love & Vengeance” as ‘Apostle Saundra’, Iris Braun in Tyriq Mustaqyuim’s “From Sin To Salvation”, Mary Clarke in Steven Harris Anzelowitz’s “Hope Saves Manhattan”, and Constance in Gregory Brown’s “Eastern Citrus.”
Deborah Galligan
Photo Credit: Charles Fara @cfaraphoto
Deborah Epperson Galligan had a successful bi-coastal career as a model and actress in the late 80’s- 90’s with the prestigious Ford Models Agency. She and her family settled on Manhattan’s Upper West Side before relocating to Oyster Bay Cove on Long Island’s north shore. She raised three sons, all of whom became division one athletes playing baseball and lacrosse at University of Maryland, Georgetown and St. John’s University. While on Long Island, Deborah was active both in and out of her sons schools and the community; she established and led a women’s personal enrichment study group for 12 years. Deborah has made her return to the city as a busy real estate agent with the Lee/Greenfield Team at Douglas Elliman’s Upper Westside office. As well as, being the principle of her new home design company, which specializes in personalized luxury lifestyle design thereby helping clients create their perfect urban home.
Sara Johnson Kaplan
Photo Credit: Charles Fara @cfaraphoto
Sara Johnson Kaplan is an actress, fashion model and producer. Most recently, she appeared as an influencer on Liquid Lunch TV to promote women’s health, fitness and fashion. She has appeared in film and off-Broadway productions, including Vamperifica and Beyond Therapy. Sara is a graduate of the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute of Acting. Sara’s philanthropy work has included being the Benefit Chair for Broadway’s Astaire Awards to raise money to provide movement and dance classes for children with autism.
The gala also featured new up and coming, designer talents, Qaysean Williams and Sarah Minervini:
Manikin – Qaysean
Photo Credit: Dennis Madigan
Qaysean Williams is a celebrated fashion designer who created the luxury street wear brand Manikin Mob. His nickname “The one hand sewing man” evolved organically because of his ability to cut and sew gowns, tuxedos and outwear with one hand. He has been seen on VH1’s Basketball Wives/Season 3 Love & Hip Hop. He is sponsored by comedian and actress Sommore of One Thousand Kisses Inc. To learn more go to www.bsbgallery.com/qayseanwilliams
Manikin
Photo Credit: Billy Dee photographer
Manikin
Photo Credit: Noel Valero
Sarah Minervini is an American fashion designer whose line, SIRS, features lingerie designed to spread confidence by making women around the world feel beautiful. Her lingerie line and dresses were stunning and received major response from the audience. To learn more about the collection go to www.sirslingerie.com
Sarah Minervini and Avadora
Photo Credits: David Warren
SIRS
Photo Credits: David Warren @david_warren
SIRS
Photo Credit: David Warren @david_warren
Ivonne Camacho, PR Creative Director, from @absolutmoderne was responsible for making Avadora Mimouni’s show a great success. Her career in merchandising, designing, and sourcing the globe for fashion has been a dream come true. Graduating from Mount Ida College, with a focus on Fashion Illustration, Ivonne pursued her passion in Fashion Design and Merchandising at The Fashion Institute of Technology and Syracuse University. The highlight of her training took place after meeting famous fashion designer, Oleg Cassini who took her under his wing as his mentee. Ever since, Ivonne has had the tools that have enabled her to pave a successful 25 year career, in the fashion business, traveling the globe to over 30 countries as VP of Merchandising and Design.
Ivonne Camacho and NJ Housewives, Dolores Cantania
Photo Credit: Dennis Madigan
AbsolutModerne Fab Four: L to R: Lorraine Silvetz, Dena McCoy, Ivonne Camacho, and Avadora Mimouni
Photo Credit: Dennis Madigan
Rick Galvin partnered with Ivonne to make this Gala a grand success. Rick founded the Carol Galvin foundation in memory of his mother who he lost to cancer at age 11. Carol’s battle with cancer lasted four years. Because of his youth and the stress of watching a loved one die, Rick was not at his mother’s bedside on the night she passed. The guilt over not being there has haunted him ever since.
Rick Galvin and Rita Cosby
Photo Credit: Dennis Madigan
Lorraine Silvetz, Rita Cosby, Daryl Devlin, Adam Sands, Ivonne Camacho and Rick Galvin
Photo Credit: Dennis Madigan
“My mother was the type of woman who would put the needs of her family ahead of her own. I wanted to establish a foundation that would keep her memory alive and at the same time help other women like her. I wanted to give women battling cancer a night where they would be treated like a rock star. To walk the red carpet, speak, perform or just attend an event where they could feel the support of, not only their loved ones, but complete strangers as well. I also wanted to be able to provide them with a financial gift to pay their bills or take a trip or whatever they wanted to use it for. That is exactly what the Carol Galvin Foundation New York Fashion Week Gala does.”
Rick Galvin also runs a music entertainment company, CG Talent Management, which has two movies in the works and has worked with past celebrities such as Garrett Clayton/Elias Harger/Meredith O’Connor/Krista Allen/Brian Austin Greene and many more.
Rita Cosby, Sid Rosenberg, Ivonne Camacho, Lorraine Silvetz, ReBecca Ricks, and Dena McCoy
Photo Credit: Dennis Madigan @dennismadigan
Sid Rosenberg co-host of The Bernie and Sid in the Morning Show on 77 WABC in New York City hosted the VIP hour and was presented with an award for his unwavering support of The Carol Galvin Foundation.
Musical performances and appearances by:
Aaron Paul and Cognac Wellerlane
Photo Credit: Dennis Madigan @dennismadigan
Aaron Paul British Recording Artist and Style Arbiter performed during the VIP hour. Sarina Sono, an accomplished violinist, also performed before the fashion show.
Sarina Suno
Frank A. Haye & Brooklyn International Choir: Performing 2 original songs and two covers one from pop star Meredith O’Connor & the other from the Greatest Showman soundtrack.
Frank A. Haye & Brooklyn International Choir
Photo Credit: Ken Grille
Cindy Grosz, columnist and radio show personality who co-hosts on The Jersey Joe Show was a great addition to the evening.
Rita Cosby and Cindy Grosz
Photo Credit: Ken Grille
Thanks to all who made the Carol Galvin Foundation NYFW Gala a genuine success. Strong kudos goes to Sag Workshop for hair and makeup for all of the models.
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