Every organization, nonprofit and for-profit, has a mission statement. That mission statement succinctly tells the world what the organization does, what it cares about, and why it matters. Every decision, from the monumental to the mundane, draws its inspiration and motivation from that mission. It rallies people together into a cohesive community.
You need one, too. So how do you get one? First, look up. There’s something magical about gazing skyward that helps us to realize our true potential. With your gaze turned up, answer these questions:
1.) What’s the one sentence that underlies everything you do?
2.) What are the actions you take to support your mission?
I work with people who are and want to be at the very top of their chosen fields.
As a product developer and business strategist, I collaborate with organizations and entrepreneurs to help them create products, services, events, capabilities, and programs that make the world a better place.
As a yoga and meditation teacher, I teach classes and workshops to individuals and groups to enhance performance and creativity, build efficiency and confidence, and reduce stress.
As a writer, I research and write stories to inspire, encourage, and support good people doing good work.
Though I live in New York City, I am not limited by geography and work with people across the globe, virtually and in-person.
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
2 thoughts on “Leap: You Need a Personal Mission Statement”
Love it. My mission statements started as a New Year’s resolution years ago, and I’ve carried with with me in everything I do whether it’s work, traffic, consumption,etc. My mission (and work in progress) is to take less than I give.
Love it. My mission statements started as a New Year’s resolution years ago, and I’ve carried with with me in everything I do whether it’s work, traffic, consumption,etc. My mission (and work in progress) is to take less than I give.
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What a beautiful mission!
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