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Lecture on Women Leadership
Speaker Bios:
Ngozi Okaro
Ngozi Okaro advocates for a fashion industry that honors planet and people. Ngozi founded Custom Collaborative, to support and advocate for and with women who are no/low-income, and BIPOC launch sustainable fashion careers. Custom Collaborative serves US designers who want to design and produce locally, fashion-industry workers seeking fair wages, and consumers who want ethical fashion.
Among other distinctions, Ngozi is a 2021 AARP Purpose Prize Fellow, 2020 “World-Changing Women in Conscious Business” winner from Conscious Company Media and Kate Spade, 2019 NYC Fair Trade Coalition "Changemaker of the Year", and 2019 New York Women's Foundation "Spirit of Entrepreneurship” awardee. She is certified by New York University’s Center for Philanthropy and Fundraising, was a 2014 Environmental Leadership Program Fellow, and is a graduate of the Coro Leadership New York program. Ngozi is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center and Morgan State University. She is licensed to practice law in Louisiana and New York.
Barbarra Barran
After receiving her Ph.D. in Shakespeare from Columbia University and teaching at the New York School of Interior design for twelve years, Barbara Barran started Classic Rug Collection, Inc., where she designs and sells high-end custom rugs. In addition to creating her own designs, Barbara has translated the works of major artists such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Julian Schnabel, Barbara Bloom, Sheila Hicks, and the Gee’s Bend Quilters into fascinating, hand-made rugs that have been exhibited in major museums throughout the world. More than 25 US museums, including the Met, the Whitney, and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, have sold Barbara’s rugs. She was selected to exhibit a rug at Venice Design 2018, a juried, by invitation only, international exhibit.
Barbara received the U.S. Commerce Department’s “Excellence in Exporting” award in 2018. She is a member of the NYC District Export Council, a past vice-president of the Park Slope Civic Council, and the past president of ROSAS, a Brooklyn civic group. Barbara has received numerous grants from the Empire State Economic Development Corporation to assist in her participation at international design shows. For many years, she has served as a mentor to women and Black entrepreneurs, helping them to establish their businesses.
Irina Kapetanakis
Irina Kapetanakis is a visionary leader with over 20 years of experience in leading sales and marketing teams in a number of different industries. Irina is an investor and led both marketing and sales for Suuchi Inc, a supply chain software company for fashion brands and retailers. She is also a Co-founder and Principal at corben&lane, a fashion design and production house providing customized solutions around product development, sourcing, sustainability, manufacturing, and business expansion and growth. Her focus is on fast growing and established brands in the fashion industry, with a specialized expertise in apparel, accessories and footwear.
Ngozi Okaro advocates for a fashion industry that honors planet and people. Ngozi founded Custom Collaborative, to support and advocate for and with women who are no/low-income, and BIPOC launch sustainable fashion careers. Custom Collaborative serves US designers who want to design and produce locally, fashion-industry workers seeking fair wages, and consumers who want ethical fashion.
Among other distinctions, Ngozi is a 2021 AARP Purpose Prize Fellow, 2020 “World-Changing Women in Conscious Business” winner from Conscious Company Media and Kate Spade, 2019 NYC Fair Trade Coalition "Changemaker of the Year", and 2019 New York Women's Foundation "Spirit of Entrepreneurship” awardee. She is certified by New York University’s Center for Philanthropy and Fundraising, was a 2014 Environmental Leadership Program Fellow, and is a graduate of the Coro Leadership New York program. Ngozi is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center and Morgan State University. She is licensed to practice law in Louisiana and New York.
Barbarra Barran
After receiving her Ph.D. in Shakespeare from Columbia University and teaching at the New York School of Interior design for twelve years, Barbara Barran started Classic Rug Collection, Inc., where she designs and sells high-end custom rugs. In addition to creating her own designs, Barbara has translated the works of major artists such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Julian Schnabel, Barbara Bloom, Sheila Hicks, and the Gee’s Bend Quilters into fascinating, hand-made rugs that have been exhibited in major museums throughout the world. More than 25 US museums, including the Met, the Whitney, and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, have sold Barbara’s rugs. She was selected to exhibit a rug at Venice Design 2018, a juried, by invitation only, international exhibit.
Barbara received the U.S. Commerce Department’s “Excellence in Exporting” award in 2018. She is a member of the NYC District Export Council, a past vice-president of the Park Slope Civic Council, and the past president of ROSAS, a Brooklyn civic group. Barbara has received numerous grants from the Empire State Economic Development Corporation to assist in her participation at international design shows. For many years, she has served as a mentor to women and Black entrepreneurs, helping them to establish their businesses.
Irina Kapetanakis
Irina Kapetanakis is a visionary leader with over 20 years of experience in leading sales and marketing teams in a number of different industries. Irina is an investor and led both marketing and sales for Suuchi Inc, a supply chain software company for fashion brands and retailers. She is also a Co-founder and Principal at corben&lane, a fashion design and production house providing customized solutions around product development, sourcing, sustainability, manufacturing, and business expansion and growth. Her focus is on fast growing and established brands in the fashion industry, with a specialized expertise in apparel, accessories and footwear.
