This story is just too good to keep to myself. I debated about whether or not to tell it in a public forum but I just can’t resist. My friend, Jane, had me laugh so hard today that my eyes were tearing over. My stomach was aching.
She has a boss who’s a bit of an exhibitionist. For example, when they needed to use some photography for a new product her company was launching, he used a photo of himself. In a muscle shirt. And the presentation was being sent to perspective clients.
So with this year’s holiday cards, he got a little creative. Most people get a family photo where everyone’s smiling, the dog seated on the couch, etc. Not this guy. He took a trip to Bali this past summer and thought he’d like to showcase that. Now, a normal person would choose a picture of the sunset, the ocean, maybe even a picture of himself sipping a tropical looking drink.
Jane’s boss decided to have someone take a photo of him in a black speedo (what Jane describes as an ill-fitting banana hammock) and used that for his holiday card. Yep – sent it to family, friends, co-workers, business contacts. I was floored. Talk about lack of judgement!
Now the card is all the talk about the office. People crowding in corners, at the copier, at the water cooler. Some are laughing, some are appalled, all have lost respect for him. Even clients are commenting on the card. It sounds like a stunt that Steve Carell would pull on The Office. (I’m thinking of sending the idea in to NBC.) Would anyone in their right mind seriously do that? Well, you know what they say – in all good comedy, there’s a little bit of truth.
Published by Christa Avampato
IN BRIEF
Author, journalist, digital product manager, and licensed New York City tour guide. Creator and host of NYC's Secrets and Lies. Alumna of the University of Pennsylvania (BA), the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA), Arizona State University (Biomimicry), and the University of Cambridge (MSt in Sustainability Leadership).
I build digital media platforms, report on urban climate resilience and biodiversity, and produce live narrative experiences that connect communities to history, nature, and place.
THE DEEP DIVE
My work centers on a single thread: building systems and stories that foster deep connection to our shared world. Across digital streaming, environmental reporting, and live civic storytelling, I design experiences that help people understand complex ideas and the environments around them.
DIGITAL PRODUCT STRATEGY & MEDIA LEADERSHIP
At Carnegie Hall, I serve as Digital Product Manager, leading product strategy, operations, and technical delivery for the video streaming platform Carnegie Hall+. I translate artistic mission into scalable, high-performance streaming architecture that reaches audiences globally. Previously, I led agile product and delivery teams across operations and compliance at American Express, managed Broadway theatrical productions and national tours, and guided strategic initiatives across cultural institutions.
ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNALISM & AUTHORSHIP
As a freelance journalist, I investigate how living systems, urban infrastructure, and human culture intersect. My reported features on urban decarbonization, biodiversity, coastal resilience, and biomimicry appear in publications including Smithsonian Magazine, The Washington Post, Mongabay, Natural History Magazine, and Foreign Policy Magazine. In fiction, I write the Emerson Page young adult novel series, alongside upcoming historical fiction and nonfiction works on New York history, mythology, and human resilience. I also write Togetherhood, a LinkedIn newsletter focused on urban ecology and community restoration, and co-host the podcast Frameworks in the Wild.
LIVE EXPERIENCE & CIVIC STORYTELLING
As a licensed New York City tour guide and live event producer, I transform urban landscapes into shared narrative encounters. I created, produce, and host NYC's Secrets and Lies, an interactive live storytelling series staged across cultural landmarks including the New York Transit Museum, the South Street Seaport Museum, and the historic tall ship Wavertree. I also design and lead site-specific walking tours exploring coastal ecology, food history, and neighborhood evolution, often with partners at Climate Week NYC and the Natural Areas Conservancy.
DOUBLE OR NOTHING MEDIA
Through my independent production studio, Double or Nothing Media, I develop ventures across media, ecology, and public history:
Digital Products & Strategy: Architecting scalable digital platforms, streaming experiences, and operational models for mission-driven institutions.
Environmental Reporting & Publications: Delivering long-form reporting, books, and newsletters grounded in climate resilience and regenerative design.
Site-Specific Live Storytelling: Producing immersive live shows and educational walking tours that engage public audiences in community history.
CONNECT
Website & Production Hub: doubleornothingmedia.com and christaavampato.com
Newsletter: Togetherhood on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/newsletters/togetherhood-7273771832221089792/
Instagram & Threads: @christarosenyc
Emerson Page Novels: emersonpagebook.wordpress.com/
View all posts by Christa Avampato
remember the seinfeld when elaine accidentally sent a christmas card with her nip exposed?!
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Hi Col! Totally!! I love that show…
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