FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Sara Ziff is the founder and executive director of the Model Alliance, a nonprofit research, policy and advocacy organization for people who work in the fashion industry. At the Model Alliance, she established the first industry-specific support line for fashion workers and played a leading role assisting survivors during the #MeToo movement. Sara has successfully championed legislation to advance workers’ and survivors’ rights and protections, and she is currently working to pass the Fashion Workers Act in New York State. She received her B.A. from Columbia University and her M.P.A. from Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

Sydney Giordano is the associate director of the Model Alliance. In her role, she oversees the Model Alliance’s support line, where she speaks with fashion workers daily about a range of work-related concerns, including unfair contracts, payment issues, and sexual abuse. Sydney also helped to develop and lead efforts to champion the Model Alliance’s signature bill, the Fashion Workers Act. Sydney received her MPH from Columbia University, where she completed her masters thesis on exploitation across the global garment supply chain, and her BA in Psychology and BS.Ed in Human and Social Development from the University of Miami.

Born and raised in Houston Texas, Alex Shanklin is a former model who worked in the New York fashion industry for over 13 years. He is also a lead plaintiff in a pending class action lawsuit (Shanklin et al. v. Wilhelmina Models), which highlights many of the financial issues that have long challenged the working relationship between models and agencies, in the New York City area. Some of his past clients include Ralph Lauren, Jcrew, Kenneth Cole, and Lands End. Alex is proudly serving in his third year as a Worker Council member for the Model Alliance and looking to continue to push for the rights of fashion workers.

Born in Brisbane, Australia, Alyssa Sutherland began modeling in New York at seventeen. Over the fifteen years she dedicated to the fashion industry, she experienced and witnessed highly unsafe work environments and feels passionately about making a change for future fashion workers. She is now a full time actress, best known for her work on the TV show Vikings, and the film Evil Dead Rise.

Ambra Battilana Gutierrez, an Italian-born model and actress, gained widespread recognition for her courageous role in exposing sexual misconduct within the entertainment industry. Her pivotal involvement in a high-profile case led to significant reforms and ignited a global conversation about harassment and abuse. Ambra's unwavering determination to seek justice and promote a safer environment for all has made her a symbol of resilience and empowerment. Beyond her advocacy, she continues to excel in her career, showcasing her talents on international platforms. Ambra's remarkable journey exemplifies the transformative impact one individual can have on an entire industry and society at large.

A.M. Lukas (they/she) is a writer/director best known for the coming-of-age film Hollidaysburg and the short film One Cambodian Family Please for My Pleasure, which was embraced internationally by film festivals as well as by human rights organizations, including the UN Refugee Agency. As a fashion model, she worked for many years with Elite Model Management for clients like Marc Jacobs, Proenza Schouler, and The Gap. A passionate advocate for greater awareness around mental health, gender-based violence, and human rights, Lukas is proud to join the Model Alliance in its commitment to creating a more just global system for fashion workers.

After four years modeling in New York, Ashley Hinshaw Grace (she/her) transitioned to working as an actress in film and TV for over a decade. She then pivoted into a career focused on societal change and education by earning her masters degree in Social Work (MSW, PPSC, CWA) from the University of Southern California. She is passionate about addressing the social inequities and challenges currently present in our society, specifically for individuals who have experienced trauma related to childhood maltreatment and/or sexual assault. Ashley supports youth experiencing disproportionality and inequity in the child welfare system by serving on the National Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) board of directors and championing vital foster care reform efforts. She successfully utilizes her background in entertainment to highlight important change-making narratives in her role as a part-time faculty member at California State University Northridge teaching advocacy and child maltreatment. Her lived experience as a survivor of sexual assault in the modeling industry drew her to the important work of the Model Alliance and, among other things, supporting the proposed legislation of the Fashion Workers Act.

Barrett Pall is a Life Coach, Activist, and Digital Creator, who reaches over 2.5 million people across his social platforms. Throughout his humanitarian work he has traveled to all 7 continents, which lead to him being profile by the UN at the UNGA in 2019. In 2016 Pall hiked 800 miles on the PCT, and since then his mission is to fully lean into helping the world heal. Barrett’s journey has been anything, but linear, and his life’s purpose is to empower, educate, and inspire as many humans as possible.

Camryn Herold, a California native, has been in the fashion industry for 9 years modeling, writing, and creating content. She spent 6 years working in New York as a commercial model and has since been able to use her platform to support the Model Alliance in the past year. Her main goal is to protect and uplift the younger generation of models who fear standing up for themselves in this industry.

Dorothee Grant is a former model and the CEO & co-founder of Kaveat. She has a B.A. from Columbia University and a M.Eng. in computer science from Cornell. Having worked with major brands during her modeling career like Vogue, Cosmopolitan, & The Met Gala, she is passionate about ensuring fair labor standards and creating safe work environments for all fashion workers.

Esmeralda Seay-Reynolds is an author, actress, and artist, who began her career as a high fashion model at fifteen-years-old. Esmeralda worked for brands and companies such as Chanel and Vogue, while studying literature and art with tutors, as well as minors in Law and Ethics. Since transitioning into the broader creative sphere, Esmeralda has won numerous screenwriting awards for her original pieces, focused on psychology. She has done advocacy and awareness work for eating disorders and sexual assault, including her short film, Venus, which is currently in the festival circuit, and focuses focusing on sexual assault, PTSD, and domestic violence. As an actress, she has costarred in Netflix’s Emmy-winning Halston, the upcoming film Ex Husbands, and stars in Ric Burns’ upcoming Dante series. She also makes and sells oil paintings, inspired by her time as a muse for sculptor Rachel Feinstein and painter John Currin.

Jaylin Carlson is a creative, model and activist fighting for labor equity amongst creative professionals. Since earning a Bachelor’s degree in Retail and Consumer Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, she has maintained a successful career as a Fashion Model for the past seven years. Jaylin is focused on using her platform to uplift and support creatives through advocacy, fundraising and education.

Kai Braden is an actor and model from San Francisco who has worked in the nonprofit sector for over three decades. His life experience working as a model across Asia, Europe, and the Americas fuels his drive for change in the fashion industry. From picket lines to press conferences, highlights of Kai’s work with the Model Alliance include our RESPECT Program, navigating unemployment during COVID-19, raising awareness of male model exploitation, the Adult Survivors Act, and the Fashion Workers Act.

Kalae Nouveau is an Artist, V.O Actor, Singer and Model born and raised in New York City. Kalae has worked for brands such as Hauslabs by Lady Gaga, Savage X Fenty, Target and Old Navy. She has over 10 years experience in the entertainment industry and is a new member of the Model Alliance Council. She spent her childhood in art schools such as Harlem School of the Arts and Professional Performing Arts School, and continuing education at Jazzmobile and The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music as an adult. In her early 20’s Kalae was a popular underground Hiphop artist that won a New York Music Award for Rising Star. One of her goals is to create safe spaces for models in this industry to be heard and supported. Kalae also makes and sells collage self portrait photography which is currently on exhibition at Brooklyn Art Haus and is a co-star in the film GoodFunk.

Kenny Sale is a dedicated advocate with five years of active involvement in the Model Alliance, passionately championing rights in the entertainment industry. Having called New York City home since 2015, he brings extensive experience to his advocacy work, collaborating with brands such as American Eagle, Aeropostale, Target, Ermanno Scervino, and Loewe. With a B.S. in Behavioral Health Pre-Med and Psychology, his holistic approach informs his commitment to the Model Alliance's mission. In his leisure time, Kenny actively engages in soccer and chess, reflecting his dedication to strategic thinking and teamwork while tirelessly working towards a more equitable future in the industry.

Madisyn Ritland has worked as a fashion model for brands including Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Rodarte. Although she is no longer involved, she is a co-founder of the model management company The Lions. Madisyn currently works as a writer and filmmaker and directed the Model Alliance’s PSA for the Adult Survivors Act.

Mame Adjei is a Ghanaian-American international model, activist, and social entrepreneur, who got her start in the entertainment industry shortly after college, where she studied Political Science, African Studies, and Business. Mame most notably has starred in the 22nd cycle of Tyra Banks’ hit-show America’s Next Top Model, where she was the top female contender. She is also Miss Maryland USA 2015, and competed at Miss USA where she placed amongst the Top 5 in the nation. Mame has appeared in magazines like VOGUE Portugal, Harpers Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, and ad campaigns for brands such as Pandora Jewelry, Free People, Clinique, Ross, and Reformation. Inspired by her travels, Mame developed an immense passion for service and social justice, and hopes to use her growing platform & talents to continue to work on her philanthropic endeavors.

Born in Kerala, India, Nidhi is a model and activist. She previously worked as an environmental attorney, and switched careers to become a model in 2011. She has appeared in major fashion publications such as Vogue, Elle, and Harper’s Bazaar. In 2017, Nidhi was named Vogue India’s Model of the Year, and recently she became the first Indian model to sign a beauty contract and work as a global ambassador for L’Oreal Paris. Nidhi uses her platform to campaign on the issues that matter to her most: colorism and gendercide in India. She is an advisory board member and spokesperson for the Invisible Girl Project, an NGO working against gendercide and the neglect and violence disproportionately facing girls in India.

Nova is a fashion model, world traveller, occasional writer, and future cyber lawyer. She was raised nomadically by her artist parents, moving from Sydney to Paris, Amsterdam and Montreal. Since being scouted, moving to NYC at 17 to pursue modeling full-time, and working in the industry for seven years now, she’s become passionate about her nonprofit work with Model Alliance in advocating for model rights in the fashion industry. In 2022, her involvement rallying with Model Alliance to have the Adult Survivors Act enacted led her to Albany with the team to be part of the exciting moment when it was finally passed in the New York State Senate, which later held Donald Trump accountable on sexual assault charges that otherwise wouldn’t have been possible.

Paulina Kubaczyk is a fashion model who has sustained national and international acclaim. She is passionate and self-driven, on the path towards defending and regulating laws for models in the state of New York. She is also an an educated interior designer.

Pola Lachnik is an international model hailing from Poland. She secured the position of first runner-up in Miss Teens Poland 2014 contest. She graduated from law school with the master paper delving into the intricate nuances of image protection in the modeling industry. Her unwavering commitment to justice and respect runs smoothly in her veins.

Riri Bichri is a New York based content creator known for satirical character comedy. She grew up in Montreal where she was previously a dancer, and began creating content in 2020 after developing an interest in social media. She has collaborated with multiple brands and artist such as L’Oréal, Pantene, Katy Perry, and Machine Gun Kelly. Riri recognizes that the world of social media is continuously growing and attracting new talent, and believes in the importance of protecting new and existing creators.

Robyn is a fashion model, podcaster, designer and a conquerer of body hate both via industry and self. She promotes body love and acceptance, as well as a healthier, more environmentally friendly future in textiles and fashion.

Rozi Levine is a Brooklyn-based digital creator and former model. They were born and raised in Syracuse, New York, before moving to New York City after signing with a modeling agency in 2021. After immediately witnessing and experiencing the common abuse of both the fashion and modeling industries, Rozi became an advocate for worker's rights, focusing on the issues present in modeling. They joined the Model Alliance Worker Council at 22 and have since fought for a safer, more equitable industry.

Shaina Danziger is a model-turned-writer and director. With an international modeling career spanning more than a decade, she has worked with some of the top fashion houses and magazines in the industry. In 2014, Shaina left her decade-long career in fashion to embark on a new life behind the camera. First assisting acclaimed director Mimi Leder, including on the first season of HBO’s The Leftovers, then going on to become an assistant showrunner and writers’ assistant on The Jim Gaffigan Show. In 2017, she wrote and directed the short film Journey to Senegal. From 2018-2020, she directed numerous projects for Vogue, including The Models documentary series. Her work can be seen at Amazon Prime Video, Vogue, Rolling Stone, NY Daily News, People, and NME.

Shereen Wu, a Taiwanese American model and artist, is passionate about self-expression and creativity. With a BA in Education Sciences from the University of California, Irvine, Shereen has a deep appreciation for education and a commitment to community. After winning the title of Miss Diamond Bar 2018, she went on to compete in and represent California in the Miss USA Competition. Through her platform, Shereen seeks to raise awareness about the impact that art can have on our mental health and wellbeing, and explore the relationship between applied art and language pedagogy. Shereen is passionate about fighting against unethical practices in AI, especially within the fields of art, modeling, and education. Her background fuels her commitment to ensuring that these technologies are applied in ways that prioritize equality, fairness, and transparency.

Originally from Charleston, SC, Sydney Proctor has been modeling since the age of 15. She has experienced the fashion industry where she recognizes the much needed changes for worker rights and regulations for those within. Today, Sydney is a student of art history and business, works part-time at an art auction house, and leads an afterschool program for kids on the autism spectrum at The Sherkow Center. Sydney is excited to be a representative of Model Alliance and to be at the forefront of creating positive change for models and creatives alike of the industry.

Alessandra is a lifelong New Yorker and former two-term New York State Senator who served Westchester County and the Bronx.

In 2018, she defeated the powerful head of the IDC to put Democrats back in full control of New York’s State Senate, for the first time in 100 years. During her time in the New York State Senate, Alessandra served as chair of the Ethics and Internal Governance Committee, and as a member of the Aging, Agriculture, Codes, Health, Investigations and Government Operations, Judiciary, and Rules committees. She also served as a member of both the Bipartisan Pro-Choice Legislative Caucus, the Legislative Women’s Caucus, and as the Vice President of the Italian American Legislators Conference. In just her first two days in office, she helped expand voting and LGBTQIA+ rights. In her first two months in office, Senator Biaggi – herself a sexual abuse survivor – chaired the first public hearings in 27 years on sexual harassment in the workplace and led the charge in New York to pass some of the strongest legislation in the country to strengthen protections for survivors and holds employers accountable for addressing sexual misconduct. Before being elected in 2018, Alessandra served as an attorney in the Governor’s Counsel’s Office. During the historic 2016 election, Alessandra served as the Deputy National Operations Director for Secretary Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. Alessandra is a graduate of New York University and Fordham Law School. She is also the recipient of the Crain's New York Business 40 Under 40 award, and the 50 Women In Power list by WWD, Beauty Inc and Footwear News. She lives in Bedford, NY with her husband Nathaniel, her son Hart, and their two cats, Huck & Finn.

Ambra is an Italian-born model and actress who gained widespread recognition for her courageous role in exposing sexual misconduct within the entertainment industry. Her pivotal involvement in a high-profile case led to significant reforms and ignited a global conversation about harassment and abuse. Ambra's unwavering determination to seek justice and promote a safer environment for all has made her a symbol of resilience and empowerment. Beyond her advocacy, she continues to excel in her career, showcasing her talents on international platforms. Ambra's remarkable journey exemplifies the transformative impact one individual can have on an entire industry and society at large.

Ben is the Founder and President of Transparentem, which works to advance the well-being of workers and communities by exposing hard truths to those with the power to transform industries. Previously, Ben was a Senior Fellow at the Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism of Brandeis University. He also held a fellowship at the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, served as Special Assistant to Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, and worked as a Research Associate at the Council on Foreign Relations. His work has appeared in numerous publications including Bloomberg Businessweek, Time, and the Los Angeles Times. His first book, A Crime So Monstrous: Face-to-Face with Modern-Day Slavery, was awarded the 2009 Dayton Literary Peace Prize for nonfiction. Ben graduated from Wesleyan University.

Caitlin is a DC-based public servant and political staffer currently serving as Senior Labor Policy Advisor to Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (H.E.L.P.) Committee. In her role, Caitlin covers a broad portfolio including international and forced labor, paid sick leave, paid family leave and trade. Prior to joining Senator Sanders’ staff, she served as Director of Economic Development for Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), drafting the first federal fashion bill, the FABRIC Act, designed to address inequities in the domestic garment industry. She previously worked at the New York State Department of Labor as their first Digital Information Officer, supporting Commissioner Roberta Reardon while rolling out the state's paid family leave program and efforts to close the gender wage gap. Caitlin is a graduate of SUNY Empire State College.

Carré has long been one of the most recognizable faces in modeling, headlining in campaigns for Guess, Donna Karan, Calvin Klein, and Revlon. As a supermodel, Carré has appeared on the covers of Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, and Cosmopolitan. She’s worked with many of the world’s greatest fashion photographers, including Richard Avedon, Herb Ritts, Helmut Newton, and Peter Lindbergh. In her book Beauty Disrupted: A Memoir, Carré shares her unique insight into the business of beauty and the high price it demands by giving an honest account of her struggle with love, identity, and spirituality. Now a wife and busy mother of two she’s found a new voice as a passionate advocate for young women in and out of the modeling industry.

Chris is a seasoned litigator with experience in complex commercial litigation and arbitration relating to contract disputes, bankruptcy, corporate takeovers, securities, derivatives, employment matters, and debtor and creditor rights. He regularly represents corporations, investment funds, high net-worth individuals, and officers and directors in major, often bet-the-company, litigation. He has extensive experience litigating on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants, and providing general legal advice to clients on a range of issues, including the analysis of potential claims. Chris was recognized in 2016 by Law360 as a Rising Star in Banking and received the Legal Aid Society Pro Bono Award in 2007. He is a graduate of New York University School of Law and Cornell University.

Born in Kerala, India, Nidhi is a model and activist. She previously worked as an environmental attorney, and switched careers to become a model in 2011. She has appeared in major fashion publications such as Vogue, Elle, and Harper’s Bazaar. In 2017, Nidhi was named Vogue India’s Model of the Year, and recently she became the first Indian model to sign a beauty contract and work as a global ambassador for L’Oreal Paris. Nidhi uses her platform to campaign on the issues that matter to her most: colorism and gendercide in India. She is an advisory board member and spokesperson for the Invisible Girl Project, an NGO working against gendercide and the neglect and violence disproportionately facing girls in India.

Anita is the Senior Director of the Anti-Trafficking Program at Safe Horizon. She oversees an inter-disciplinary team of attorneys, social workers, trainers and administrative staff that provide comprehensive services to all victims of human trafficking. ATP clients are sex and/or labor trafficked, comprise all genders, and hail from over 80 countries. Anita also spearheads ATP’s policy and advocacy efforts and represents the program in national, state and local level coalitions, including the Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking (ATEST) and Freedom Network USA. On behalf of ATP, Anita has lobbied in support of reauthorizing the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act. She co-leads the Brooklyn Human Trafficking Task Force with the Kings County District Attorneys Office and the US Attorneys Office for the EDNY. Prior to coming to Safe Horizon, Anita worked with child labor and sex trafficking victims and child laborers in the Philippines and was a litigator.

Audrey is a trial attorney at the US Department of Labor’s New York Regional Office, enforcing and expanding workplace protections for vulnerable workers, including workers in the gig and app economies. Before joining the DOL, Audrey clerked for the Honorable Richard Paez on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. She first joined the Model Alliance when she served as a Skadden Fellow with the organization, assisting with legal and policy issues surrounding the RESPECT Program and the MA Support Line. Before joining the Model Alliance, Audrey graduated from the New York University School of Law, where she was a Root-Tilden-Kern scholar, executive editor of the NYU Law Review, and a two-time recipient of Peggy Browning Fellowships. Her Student Note on labor issues in China was published in the NYU Law Review, and her article on racial discrimination in the modeling industry won the New York State Bar Association’s Stein Award for best writing on a labor and employment topic.

Dorian is Co-President of Community Change and a fellow at the Roosevelt Institute. A progressive scholar, organizer and media personality, Warren has worked to advance racial, economic and social justice for over two decades. He previously taught for over a decade at the University of Chicago and Columbia University, where he was Co-Director of the Columbia University Program on Labor Law and Policy. Warren also worked at MSNBC where he was a Contributor, Host and Executive Producer of “Nerding Out” on MSNBC’s digital platform. Warren received his B.A. from the University of Illinois and his M.A. and Ph.D. in political science from Yale University.

Hilary is president of Jochmans Consulting, LLC, a boutique government affairs practice. Before starting her business, she worked in New York and DC policy and politics . She is also the founder of PoliticallyInFashion, a community for all those in fashion – designers, manufacturers, artisans, retailers, models, lawyers, reporters, fashionistas – to learn about legislative and regulatory issues of key importance to the industry. The mission is to educate individuals on public policy; empower them with this knowledge; to engage with elected representatives on how these issues impact the industry and all those working in it. Hilary holds a B.A. from the University of Virginia and a J.D. from the George Washington University Law School. She is the co-chair of the New York City Bar Fashion Law Committee and is a frequent speaker on panels concerning fashion and politics.

Jonathan is a writer and historian specializing in fashion and visual culture of the African Diaspora. He has PhD in history from New York University, a master’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin, and B.A. from Cornell University. He has taught at the University of Pennsylvania, Fashion Institute of Technology, Parsons School of Design, and currently at Harvard University. He has have written for Fashionista, Fashion Studies Journal, Refinery29, Vestoj, Hyperallergic, and the International Journal of Fashion Studies. A proponent in the power of social media as a platform for radical pedagogy, he also run the website Fashioning the Self in Slavery and Freedom, which explores the intersection of the institution of slavery and the fashion system.

Marissa joined the Garment Worker Center (GWC) in February 2013. Marissa proudly identifies as a Chicana. She became aware of worker struggles growing up in Magnolia Park, the oldest Mexican community in Houston, TX, surrounded by the City’s port and oil refineries. As a young adult, she studied in Mexico three years after NAFTA was implemented and learned of its devastating impacts on workers and communities throughout North America. Her commitment to worker organizing was solidified there, and in 2001 she joined Sweatshop Watch, a co-founding organization of the GWC, where her role was to support the newly established Center and its first campaigns. Inspired by work at the intersection of law and organizing, Marissa went on to earn her Juris Doctorate at Loyola Law School. She has represented unions, car wash workers, day laborers, and farmworkers. She is proud to have returned to the GWC to help frame its strategic organizing direction with its members and amazing staff. Marissa holds a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s Studies from Mount Holyoke College. She is a member of the National Lawyers Guild. Marissa lives with her husband, mother, and two energetic children in East Los Angeles. When she catches a minute, she likes to make things; she bakes, sews, and makes jewelry.

Mark is the Sulzbacher Professor of Law at Columbia University, and the Director of the Columbia Program on Labor Law and Political Economy. He helped design the Worker Rights Consortium and the Fair Food Standards Council, two pioneering organizations in the field of worker-driven social responsibility. Professor Barenberg has served as an independent expert for the United Nation’s International Labor Organization, and as a consultant for the Obama Administration, members of the United States Senate, the AFL-CIO, the Service Employees International Union, and many other worker organizations. He holds degrees from Harvard College (AB, summa cum laude), the London School of Economics (MSc, highest honors) and Harvard Law School (JD, magna cum laude), where he was Editor of the Harvard Law Review.

Meredith is a Research Professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. Her areas of focus include human trafficking, teen dating violence, LGBTQ issues, victimization, and qualitative methods. She has served as principal investigator on over two dozen human trafficking studies, many of which have been funded by the Department of Justice, US Department of State, Department of Health and Human Services and private foundations. Her research has covered Meredith the labor and sex trafficking of adults and children, both in the United States and overseas. Dr. Dank has conducted research in over a dozen countries, including India, Nepal, Vietnam, Uganda, Belize, Cambodia, Brazil and the Philippines. She has also participated in a number of federal level stakeholder meetings on trafficking, including a White House stakeholder meeting on victim services for survivors.

Rachel is a NYC based fashion stylist originally from Ventura, California. She moved to NYC to study fashion design at F.I.T. and went on to work as a design assistant to Betsey Johnson for three years. It was whilst assisting Betsey Johnson that she became aware of the impact of the role of fashion stylist and so she made the career change. Her styling work has been featured in M Le Monde, Vogue Ukraine, Teen Vogue, Bust and Dazed & Confused. Rachel is an advocate for animal rescue, having fostered six dogs consecutively out of her Manhattan studio apartment. In her spare time, she loves watching horror movies and dreaming up her next photoshoots. A safe environment on set for everyone is of the utmost importance to Rachel, so she is thrilled to join the Advisory Board.

Rachel is a researcher and clinical psychologist, and an Associate Professor in the Department of Applied Psychology at Northeastern University, and director of the APPEAR research lab (http://nuweb9.neu.edu/appear/). She trained in the UK, France and Italy, and received her Ph.D. from the University Toulouse-le Mirail (France). Her research aims to examine socio-cultural determinants of body image, eating, and weight concerns, and develop effective prevention strategies targeting these factors, as well as to generate research which may inform public policy. Particularly, she is interested in informing policies with potential to decrease exposure to and pressure to attain social appearance ideals (media, advertising, fashion, etc.). She is the author of over 100 scholarly articles and book chapters.

Sanjay is a Brooklyn-based sociologist focusing on labor, social policy, and socioeconomic inequality. His current projects include research on gender and the political economy of care; the development of worker owned and controlled enterprises; and the impact of race on views about government in the American context. He holds a Ph.D. in sociology and social policy from Harvard, an M.Sc. in Development Studies from the London School of Economics, and is a fellow at the Worker Institute at Cornell and the Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations.