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Humans of CREW: An Evening with the Women Behind CREW New York
On September 16, 2024, the CREW New York Board of Directors attended an intimate wine-tasting event, the FIDI West Reception, hosted by West St. Wine & Spirits. Sponsored by Universal Admedia, FIDI West, and Cannes Connect, the event offered a unique opportunity for personal reflections and meaningful conversations, transporting the women behind CREW New York from the bustling streets of New York City to the serene vineyards of the French Riviera through curated wines.
Commercial Real Estate Women Network, most notably known as CREW New York, stands as the real estate industry’s premier business networking organization. Uniting women across the globe to advance their careers in commercial real estate, the organization offers business connections, leadership and speaking opportunities, and most importantly, an empowering community full of hard-working and driven women.
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CREW New York is a community within the CREW Network, opening its doors to women living and working in New York to have opportunities for networking, outreach, leadership development, and a community ready to thrive together. Spearheaded by its President and Board of Directors, the organization symbolizes the strength and vitality of the power a community holds, fostering a space for women across diverse backgrounds, cultures, ages, and career paths, to gather and grow together.
Three prominent members of CREW New York — Kenne Shepherd, Anuska Amparo, and Viviana Addo
shared their journeys, offering career insights and the challenges and successes they’ve faced in real estate, architecture, and design.
Surrounded by a diverse wine selection, the women savored exquisite French wine accompanied by perfectly paired charcuterie boards. Guided by Universal Admedia’s team, the three ladies traversed the French Riviera as each glass told a story of heritage, tradition, and culture, from flavorful Rosés to refreshing white wines and finishing with a decadent red wine.
Kenne Shepherd, a CREW New York Board of Directors member, touched on a different side of real estate – architecture and interior design.
Owner of Kenne Shepherd Interior Design Architecture PLLC (KSI), she highlighted her professional journey, sharing her passion behind her interior designs. A previous construction worker on the Alaskan Pipeline, Shepherd discussed her multifaceted background with architecture and how it helped her get where she is today. Drawing on her experience as a construction worker, Shepherd shared her understanding of the various sides of architecture, allowing her the capability to work with a diverse range of people, across various backgrounds, experiences, and education. Surprising her colleagues, she shared that before earning her degree in architecture, she took a break from her studies to figure out what she wanted to do. Now, as an owner, she discussed that for her and her team, their focus isn’t on creating luxury, it’s about designing the space for the people – whether it’s a home, retail store, office, or business. Shepherd’s passion is creating sustainable designs that provide clients with access to clean air and eco-conscious features. Her firm is deeply committed to creating stunning sustainable spaces that are healthy for her clients, the environment, and the planet.
Anuska Amparo, President of CREW New York and VP of Sales and Marketing at Kensington Vanguard National Land Services, LLC, also shared her journey into the real estate sector.
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Like Addo, Amparo pivoted across industries until she found one that she loved. As a freshman in college, Amparo dreamed of being a dancer, especially a Flamenco dancer, which motivated her to major in dance at college. However, with the pressure and stressful nature of the dance industry, she ultimately dropped her major and ended up pursuing finance and business. With this shift to finance, Amparo started her professional career as a bank teller at JP Morgan. Her journey with real estate, however, truly began when she discovered title insurance – an area that she fell in love with and has thrived in ever since. Starting at an entry-level position in her first company, Amparo shared that she worked up to her current position of VP of Sales and Marketing. Now a seasoned professional within the real estate industry, Amparo discussed how her career opened her eyes to all the moving parts within the sector. More importantly, she highlighted how the industry is full of interconnected communities that work together to ensure effective and efficient results. Amparo then emphasized the significance of CREW and the network and opportunities it offers, especially as a working mother and leader. She noted that the organization empowers women and that now as President of CREW New York, she is always eager to attend CREW conferences and connect with other women within the CREW community. Amparo also shared that when she started as President, she experienced some hesitation when it came to speaking at CREW events. However, she noted that after a conversation with her friend, she was able to shift her mindset. Her friend encouraged her to view a speaking engagement as if you would a party and reminded her that instead of being a speaker, Amparo is the host of the party – communicating with guests, introducing each part of the party, and being the guide to the experience. Embracing that outlook and shift in mindset, Amparo stated that she now looks forward to speaking at CREW events, allowing her the opportunity to not only enjoy meaningful and powerful conversations but embrace the lasting connections and memories CREW continues to provide at each event.
Viviana Addo, founder of VMCASA and CREW New York Board of Directors member, discussed her path to the real estate industry.
Originally interested in the arts, Addo yearned to do something creative but feared it would be impractical. With this doubt, she pivoted to finance, where she struggled with the tangibility of numbers. This led her to the real estate world, where she discovered that she could blend creativity with concrete results. Real estate became her passion, allowing her to express her artistic vision through property development and investment. Addo then shared that she was an experienced athlete in extreme sports – a fact that surprised her colleagues. She emphasized how she continues to leverage this experience, reminding herself how empowered she felt to be comfortable outside of her comfort zone. She noted that while she may no longer be into extreme sports, her experience was vital in shaping the woman and leader she is today. With the daunting nature of extreme sports, Addo discovered that she could excel amidst uncomfortability. Being a woman in a male-dominated industry such as extreme sports, Addo, as a female, was a minority. However, this did not deter her from chasing a passion. Addo shared that her experience in extreme sports and being a minority amidst a majority of men, allowed her to understand her strength and resiliency. She reflected that her time in extreme sports showcased that when she may be faced with working outside of her comfort zone, she’ll be ready to succeed. Now, in the real estate industry, Addo doesn’t shy away from challenging moments or daunting times, she stands strong in her ability and knows that no matter what comes her way, she’ll not only handle it but come out victorious.
The FIDI West Reception offered an opportunity for these women to not only explore the world of French wines but also connect on a deeper level through personal stories and professional insights. The evening highlighted the strength, determination, and humanity behind CREW New York, showcasing the powerful women leading the charge in shaping the future of real estate, architecture, and design.
We would like to thank West St. Wine & Spirits for offering a space that allowed these women to be transported into the vineyards of France, having fruitful conversations over light refreshments. Amidst the backdrop of the bustling streets of the historic Financial District, Universal Admedia, FIDI West, and Cannes Connect created a night that showcased the power of community building, allowing powerful women to come together for an evening full of meaningful conversations and connections that will last a lifetime.
