Meet Ashley Roberts, Director of Special Projects at Brooklyn co-working space Camp David. Ashley turned her love for photography and all things visual into a career in events and production, and currently leads the Camp David team to create unique and memorable happenings for members. Read on to learn about some of Ashley's cool career highlights to date, plus a peek at Camp David's exciting (and hopefully IRL) upcoming programming.
1. What attracted you to the industry and how did you get your start?
The original attraction to the production and events industry came from my start in editorial photography. Visuals, at any capacity, have encompassed 99.9% of my brain for as long as I can remember. It was conceptualizing campaigns and putting pieces together that spiraled into the current role I have today.
2. What does your work as the Director of Special Projects at Camp David entail?
My work here at Camp David covers a wide variety of tasks – from general operations to producing, planning and executing large scale productions and events. Some days I’m building out membership campaigns, and others I’m coordinating with location scouts to scope out space for upcoming shoots. The best part about my role is that it's constantly shape shifting.
3. Please share a few career highlights with us.
Planning the first US based Hackathon with LVMH was quite the experience. Hands down one of my favorite special projects that I was lucky enough to be a part of. It was a long term endeavor, and the team that I worked with made the entire process a pleasure. In regards to productions I’d have to say that seeing familiar faces on set is a highlight for me. Each production is its own beast, and when you get to reconnect with directors, location managers, and producers on different shows, it’s a highlight for sure.
4. What are a couple of current projects you’re excited about?
I’m really excited about an upcoming exhibition space that I’m working on in conjunction with my close friends at Studio BoPA & Earth Eubstance. We are creating a space where art, technology and environmental awareness intersect. Also, Camp David hosts an annual membership BBQ for our community in the fall. There’s talk of making that a reality this year.
5. Any future goals and/or plans you’re working towards?
Yes, of course there is an entire list of them! Camp David is revving up the programming calendar for the upcoming fall and spring, which will be filled with outdoor festivities, happy hours and art exhibitions. I'm grateful to be moving forward with larger scale events.
Ekta Yadav launched her podcast, Skincare Anarchy, to provide everyone in the cosmetic, beauty and skin care world with industry intel straight from the source. Ekta speaks with industry pros, from brand founders to editors, on timely topics including sustainability, inclusivity, equal opportunity and more.
Yadav shares, "our vision here at Skincare Anarchy is to truly be an educational resource, and library for everyone in this industry, and outside of it, so that we can all come to the table and have real, open minded, and candid discussions about the big questions that we are facing globally in terms of educating consumers, providing career guidance to our youth, and making sure that everyone is being considered in the everyday stream of knowledge that is churned out."
This includes conversations with all sides of the industry, shining a light on the often-unseen PR pros responsible for the storytelling that draws us in to our favorite brands, products and trends. "We at SA want to represent the world of PR, amongst the other moving pieces that comprise the professional community of the beauty and wellness industries, in a meaningful way so that all of the key players of this movement and business can be properly represented and highlighted as the go-to resource for key insights and information that consumers are often missing out on," Yadav notes.
There's a reason there's no visual component to Skincare Anarchy, a podcast representing an industry that is dedicated to enhancing and taking care of the way we look. "I chose to create an audio based library to enhance the emphasis on knowledge rather than appearances," says Yadav. "In the world of social media, we can get so caught up by visual stimuli that often times this takes away from the core knowledge and information being delivered without an added filter. We believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to hear the advice and insights that we are providing directly from the leaders of the beauty industry and then interpret and utilize that information in a way that is best for them, without an added visual bias."
Listen to the podcast on Spotify here.
