Chris Belisle's work experience spans the "great divide" between the corporate and non-profit worlds. As a result, he has helped Fashion Fights Poverty (FFP) successfully court individuals and many elite brands over the past 5 years to the FFP mission, including Thomas Pink, Gucci, Versace, Lamborghini and Maserati.
Although Belisle has been affiliated with FFP since its begining back in 2005, it was only in 2008 when he took the reins to the newly incorporated organization. He was elected President of the Board of Directors based on his strong involvement with the success of FFP over the past several years. Belisle now leads and directs organizational development, including building relationships to support the FFP mission with those from the entertainment, business, fashion, political and non-profit communities. In addition, he oversees the day-to-day functions of FFP, including communications, program development, corporate relations and special events, on-line outreach and branding, and global operations.
Currently the Manager of Corporate Relations for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce here in Washington, Belisle (like all of those serving on the FFP Board), serves as the role of President on a volunteer basis. "Yes, it's a lot, a lot of work on top of my responsibilties at the Chamber, and it is challenging, but I believe in FFP so it's worth it," Belisle responds when asked how he is able to balance work and personal life. When asked about the goal for FFP as an organization at this time, Belisle says, "Honestly, my priority is to build the appropriate organizational and administrative structure for FFP, including acquiring its 501 (c) (3) non-profit status (FFP applied in January 2009), so that FFP can raise the support needed to have a fully paid staff." He adds, "Maybe then, just maybe, that would lighten my work-load a bit, or it will back-fire and create even more work for me as FFP grows to new heights," he says jokingly.
Although he originally hails from the Boston area, Belisle has been a Washingtonian for over a decade. A graduate of The American University in Washngton, DC with a B.A. in International Afairs and Public Communications, he enjoys travelling to warm and tropical locations, snorkeling and visiting the vineyards in the Shenandoah Valley, a short distance away from Washington, DC.
Compelled by her passion for humanitarian causes and her love of fashion, Sarah Magallanes has been with Fashion Fights Poverty since the beginning. Initially working with Kadrieka Maiden on Media and Communications, Sarah’s work with FFP steadily expanded until 2008 when the Board named her Vice President of Global Operations. In 2008, Sarah secured a pro bono legal partner for FFP and worked with the law firm of Van Ness Feldman to acquire FFP’s 501c3 nonprofit charitable status in 2009. Her role as Vice President of Global Operations involves everything from establishing standard operating procedures for the organization, reviewing contracts and partner agreements, coordinating FFP’s annual Forum, communicating with supporters, and crafting FFP’s strategic plan alongside the President.
Born in New Jersey and living in Washington, DC for 6 years, Sarah believes that Washington, DC has what it takes to be the next fashion capital and can achieve this by making eco- and ethical- not just a fad but a permanent fixture in the fashion industry. Recently completing her Master of Arts in International Affairs & Development with a concentration in Humanitarian Assistance at The George Washington University in 2009, Sarah is well versed in the policy and practitioner sides of development liaising with NGOs and partner organizations to build collaborative relationships. Sarah has traveled all over the world for work and pleasure and has worked with Nicaraguan refugees and most recently completed a mission trip to Uganda working with child orphans in Kampala
Haling from Louisianan, Kadrieka Maiden is a seasoned public relations practitioner with more than seven years of experience managing special events, public relations and media relations campaigns for clients in the corporate, lifestyle, nonprofit, and beauty/fashion markets. Kadrieka began her career with Discovery Networks, Inc. in Silver Spring, Maryland as Executive Coordinator. Now as Co-founder and Director of Communications for the Style & Image Network (SIN) and Fashion Fights Poverty (FFP), she and her business partners have successfully worked with clients to determine their needs and provide services that best accomplish their goals.
Maiden also serves as Special Events Manager for the Historical Society of Washington, D.C. Having taken part in the planning and execution of several events including, Fashion Fights Poverty annual benefit, The 2009 Peoples Inaugural Committee Gala, Arizona Sate Society 2009 Inaugural Ball, BAE Systems/ United States Army Annual Conference, to Amtrak’s National Train Day, NBA Wives “Behind the Bench” Annual Luncheon and more. With her experience and expertise, Maiden is able to offer clients creative ideas that effectively put their products/services in front of their target audiences, resulting in increased media coverage and product sales.
Maiden refines messages and product positioning through media and analyst relations. She obtains the best results by providing a comprehensive, proactive program, including: business and trade press coverage; press tours and press conferences; speaking engagements; event coordination and management.
Maiden holds a Master of Arts degree in Mass Communications from Southern University A&M College.
Sylvie Luanghy, founder of Style & Image Network, a brand strategy firm specializing in event management, brand promotion and creative design, brings years of hands-on strategic partnership that drive brand awareness, attract client prospect and add value to existing events. She works closely with the entire team on the overall management and direction of the agency, its fiscal growth and business development.
Her role as VP of Corporate Relations and Special Event is to lead various corporate fundraising opportunities and implement promotion/cause marketing campaigns to support FFP’s mission as well as overseeing all special events.
She is credited for creating and implementing Fashion Fights Poverty swag bag that has grown to offer a multitude of consumer products to FFP attendees and the PR community for the annual fashion show.
Prior to establishing Style & Image Network with her savvy team of super stars, Sylvie has provided consulting services to some Fortune 500 companies in the area of Financial Analysis and Business Management.
Originally from the Congo, formerly Zaire, Sylvie was born in Belgium and earned her bachelor's degree in Business and her MBA from Marymount University.
As co-founder and overall Creative Czar at FFP, Michael is credited with not only designing the FFP brand (including the entire visual systems of logos, websites, and marketing collateral), but devising many of its most visible and defining programs: from the Dress Responsible Lookbook (where he manages more than 40 creatives from across the world) to the Fashion Fights Poverty Forum (an initiative he created to extend FFP's reach to DC's policy community) to the FFP Fashion Swap - the well-received clothing exchange that premiered in Washington DC under FFP's ever-innovative banner.
Beyond FFP, Michael Dumlao provides expert creative direction and execution through photography, web development and graphic design. After 15 years of web and graphic design, brand development, and photography, Michael is now the creative consultant for a large technology consulting firm in Washington, DC. Previously, he was the Communications Design Specialist at the Center for New Designs in Teaching and Learning at Georgetown University and Creative Director at Style and Image Network. In each capacity, Michael provides art direction and production of corporate brand identity systems, marketing collateral, web and software interfaces, photography along with overall communications and branding strategy.
Michael received his Masters in Communication, Culture and Technology from Georgetown University and his Bachelor in Fine Arts from the University of California, Santa Barbara after stuyding photography and multimedia design at the University of Sydney College of Art in Australia. To view Michael's portfolio, visit www.michaeldumlao.com
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Hailing from Puerto Rico by way of Alaska, Yvette provides expertise in multimedia development and software development. Yvette Castro has been volunteering with Fashion Fights Poverty since it started in 2005. She has helped in a variety of roles which range from model liaison to technical production. She has been in the DC area since late summer 2004 and has been a volunteer of the ONE Campaign since early 2005 thanks to the involvement of her boyfriend who had started volunteering months prior. This has lead to opportunities demonstrating ways in which a person can use their voice and their actions to help make change happen by participating in lobby days with Bread for the World, helping as a ONE delegate during Live 8 in Philadelphia, assisting in the organization of panel discussions, awareness and education events, including Fashion Fights Poverty, among other things.
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Elaine Mensah is a leading contributor to the fashion industry in Washington, DC. She has a catalogue of experience working for numerous fashion insiders and owns SVELTE, LLC a fashion PR company that provides production, publishing, media services and styling for an array of clients in the fashion, lifestyle and luxury brand industries. Her role as Fashion Director & Vice President of Production for FFP involves everything from reviewing and selecting designers and artisans, styling the dress responsibily lookbooks, ensuring fashion contributors fulfill FFP's general eco and ethical guidelines, serving as the fashion expert for the organization, and conceptualizing & producing FFP's annual fashion benefit. FFP's 2007 and 2008 annual benefits that were produced by Elaine, have been named Washington DC’s #1 Fashion and Beauty event by BizBash Magazine two years in a row.
Born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana, Elaine’s eclectic background and education reflects in her work. She has a Law and Society degree from American University and a Masters in Communication, Culture and Technology from Georgetown University.
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