Cosmos & Convos: Faith and Fashion
Cosmos & Convos: Faith and Fashion
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Cosmos & Convos: Faith and Fashion
June 15th, 2021
6:00PM - 8:00PM
The Williamsburg Hotel

Join us in an exclusive event and intimate conversation with fashion designer Batsheva Hay (BATSHEVA) and founder Shoshanna Gruss (Shoshanna) on how to succeed in business as a woman and navigate change with tenacity and strength.

Batsheva, who dresses the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker, Nicky Hilton, and Diane Silvers, has been featured in Vogue, AnOther Mag, DORÉ, The New Yorker, and The Guardian.

Shoshanna is the founder and creative director of Shoshanna, her eponymous collection which debuted in stores in November 1998. After 20 years of dedication and innovation, the Shoshanna collection has developed a legion of fans including Mindy Kaling, Isla Fisher, Kelly Ripa, and The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle.

Free for Members | RSVP Required
Outdoor Venue & COVID safety protocols will be implemented.

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PANEL

Batsheva Hay

BATSHEVA

Queens-born Batsheva Hay started her eponymous label in 2016 after leaving her job as a lawyer and deciding to experiment with designing dresses for herself and her daughter. Growing up, Batsheva’s artist mother would often take her to flea markets and vintage shops, dressing her in antique calico dresses, which became Batsheva’s uniform throughout her time at Stanford University and Georgetown Law School. After leaving her job at a big law firm, she began to redesign some vintage dresses, which were worn to bits, and quickly became obsessed with the design process. She bought her fabrics on eBay and at quilting shops, and she still uses vintage and limited-run cotton quilting fabric to make her clothing.

Batsheva initially made a small collection of four matching mother-daughter dresses and set up a simple website. As her dresses got more attention from magazines and retailers, her collections grew. Now she is designing four collections a year.
Batsheva lives on the Upper West Side with her husband, photographer Alexei Hay, who she collaborates with on brand imagery, and their two small children, Ruth and Solomon.

Shoshanna Gruss

SHOSHANNA
Founder and Creative Director

Shoshanna Gruss is the founder and creative director of Shoshanna, her eponymous collection which debuted in stores in November 1998. Gruss revolutionized dress departments nationwide with the launch of her first collection. Her dedication to fitting and flattering the female body while indulging in whimsical details were a refreshing change from the contemporary offerings of the moment. In 2001, Gruss transformed the swimwear market by being the first to offer bra-cup sizing in the industry as well as sell tops and bottoms separately. In 2005, Gruss added a children's swimwear line to her collection, Shoshanna Baby Girl. As the digital landscape continued to grow, so did Gruss' namesake line with the launch of her e-commerce site. In 2015, Gruss felt there was a void in the eveningwear market and launched Shoshanna Midnight, a separate evening line with all pieces retailing under $800. As many clothing companies shifted to producing overseas, Shoshanna committed to domestically produce as many styles as possible. In 2016, Shoshanna received the "Made in NY" mark of distinction, certifying that over 75% of the collection is made in New York City. Gruss expanded into another market by adding boys swim trunks to her children's swimwear collection in 2017. In 2019, she partnered with Gwynnie Bee to launch an exclusive line, C'est Nous, featuring extended sizing. Gruss' continued success is a testament to her passion for both women and the fashion industry.

CO-CHAIR

Chagit Sofiev–Leviev

Leviev Group USA
President & CEO

Chagit Leviev is a multifaceted business leader and philanthropist, shining bright as President & CEO of Leviev Group USA and as President of Leviev Diamonds. She spearheads the U.S. arm of the esteemed multi-billion dollar international conglomerate the “Lev Leviev Group of Companies”, headquartered in the heart of Fifth Avenue, NY,
with investments in a wide range of industries- from real estate and technology to diamonds and jewelry, renowned as one of the largest privately held diamond firms to control all facets of the diamond pipeline, from mine to market.

In addition to these roles, Chagit was previously named CEO of the iconic real estate development firm Africa Israel USA, where she led notable real estate developments and transactions including ‘District’ at 111 Fulton Street, 20 Pine - The Collection by Armani Casa, 15 Broad - Downtown by Philippe Starck, The Apthorp, 88 Leonard Street
and The Marquis Residences on Brickell Avenue in Miami and presided over the firm’s trophy sale of the former ‘New York Times’ building in Times Square.

Beyond her corporate achievements and holding board positions in various companies across diverse industries, she is actively engaged on the boards of numerous non-profit organizations. Her philanthropic focus is evident as she dedicates her time and resources to select non-profits, making a positive impact in areas she is deeply passionate about, ranging from community work and Jewish education to advocacy for
Israel and women's causes.

A native of Israel, Chagit's upbringing spans both Israel and Belgium, cultivating a global perspective complemented by her fluency in six languages. In addition to her professional achievements, she takes most pride in her role as a wife and mother of five and extends her influence to the digital realm as a social media personality, actively involving her audience in the philanthropic endeavors she is involved with as a busy
mom and businesswoman. Her multifaceted approach to leadership and philanthropy defines her as a remarkable force in both business and community engagement.

Instagram : @Chagit_Leviev

Freida Rothman

FREIDA ROTHMAN
Jewelry and Accessories Designer

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Freida Rothman is a second-generation jeweler, a mother of four, and an entrepreneur handcrafting glamour for the modern empowered woman. Inspired by the legacy of four grandparents — all Holocaust survivors — Freida’s designs honor strength and resiliency through contemporary accessories that reflect her native Brooklyn. Every design elevates Brooklyn grit into effortless elegance for your everyday. 

Sarah Rotenstreich

Founder

19 years ago, Sarah recognized the need for a stellar, progressive education that would inspire and propel children to become leaders and thinkers, accessing key skills early in their development and preparing them for the future.

Her insights led her to found Preschool of the Arts, with a focus on academic learning, and building healthy habits of the mind, heart, body, and spirit. Sarah is keenly aware of the needs of young children and their families and has dedicated her professional life to catering to them.

Under her leadership, Preschool of the Arts has become of the most in-demand programs in NYC. Moreover, Sarah has established herself as an expert in child development and academic skill-building and authored Curriculum of the Arts, a holistic preschool curriculum used by over 300 schools worldwide. Sarak has lectured to thousands of educators from all around the world and conducted countless workshops. She also serves as a consultant for hundreds of schools and institutions, having supported the establishment of high-caliber Early Childhood programs throughout the U.S., Asia, Canada, and Israel.

CO-HOSTS

Beth Warren, MS, RDN, CDN

Founder of Beth Warren Nutrition, Author of Secrets of a Kosher Girl

Ashley Finkel

Saks Fifth Ave
Style Advisor and Client Experience Assistant

Suzannah Raff

cleo+coco
Founder/CEO

Suzannah Raff is a New York native and mother of four who is committed to living an authentic life spiritually, physically, and professionally. Over the years she has earned both a Master’s degree in Business along with a Master’s degree in Social Work. Cleo+Coco was born out of a passion to learn more about toxic ingredients, the negative effect they have on our bodies, and the benefits of plant-based ingredients to create authentic products that are safe and effective. After years of listening, experimenting, teaching, and learning, Cleo+Coco’s next generation of natural was born.

Betty Gulko

CO-HOST
SUCH A BETTY: Fashion Editor / Stylist / Influencer

Gulko is a fashion stylist and designer, as well as a social media
influencer, based out of New York. She gives fashion tips and speaks
about her life on her blog, suchabetty.com. She has recently created
her own MOXIE collection with limited edition pieces which express her
passion for fashion and her fresh and unique style. She can be reached
at betty@suchabetty.com or found on Instagram @such.a.betty and
@moxiecollection.

Inessa Gandman

Interpublic Group
Corporate Finance Sr. Management

Milena Kozhin

Milena Consulting LLC (Google Freelance in Business Development)
President

Rachel Ostroy

Pink Label
Lifestyle Influencer & Founder of Pink Label

Advocate for charities around the world.

Sidney Prescott

Spotify
Global Head of Intelligent Automation

Sidney Madison Prescott is the Global Head of Intelligent Automation at Spotify to create and manage the company’s global Intelligent Automation program, encompassing RPA (Robotic Process Automation,) Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence.

Previously, Sidney was the Vice President of Intelligent Process Automation (Robotic Process Automation, Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence) at BNY Mellon, who partnered with internal business units to strategize ways to transform business processes through robotic automation. As a result of Intelligent Process implementations, employees are freed up from general swivel chair activities to handle more value add tasks for Bank of New York’s extensive clientele. After spending the past few years of her career in the cognitive automation space, Sidney knows what drives successful global robotics implementations and has excelled at delivering projects resulting in seven figure return on investment stats for Fortune 250 companies across the globe.

Sidney has filled many prominent leadership positions in support of women in technology, with an emphasis on driving mentorship programs for young professionals. This includes a stint with the American Association of University Women as a campus chapter President. During her time at First Data, Sidney also held several enterprise-level leadership positions as a member of the YoPro (Young Professionals) employee resource group. Sidney was also recently nominated by the USA Women in Payments awards committee and a group of her peers, as a coveted “Rising Star in Payments” 2019 award recipient. Sidney is an active champion of women in technology, currently heading the East Coast chapter of WomenInTech.

In addition to her extensive work in the technology sector, Sidney is also a published author with both an Honors Thesis and an award winning philosophical essay to her credit published by ScholarWorks & Misericordia University’s Journal of Living Philosophy. As a result of her academic excellence, Sidney was awarded an official state resolution by the State of Georgia’s House of Representatives in praise of her dedication to exemplary academic scholarship.

Sidney holds a BA in Philosophy & Political Science (Pre-Law) along with Honors, Advanced Honors & Research Honors from Georgia State University.

Justyna Kedra

WE Rule
Founder

Yanna Begelman

Metropolitan Property Group / Tikva Homes, Schools and Community of Odessa
Director
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