And now for another installment of necessary truths I learned this summer. After spending my entire life stretching my mind in every which direction, on any subject that struck my fancy, I’ve come to a conclusion: I spend too much energy on the fool’s errand of trying to be all things to all people in every aspect of my work. Just because I can do it all, doesn’t mean I should. To really make my mark and keep my sanity in the process, I have to specialize.
I sat down last week and thought about all of the people I admire who have really driven their fields forward, who have had a significant and lasting impact on the world. I want to be one of those people. The one and only thing they all have in common? They specialized. They got very specific about who they help and how and why. They know their value, shout it from the rooftops, and roll up their sleeves to get the work done with the people they care most about and have the most fun / success helping.
I’m not totally sure what that means for me and my work just yet but I’ve got some ideas. And I’ve still got two more weeks of California sunshine and sea breezes to whisk that answer into my consciousness. I do know that the answer is on the way. When it gets here I’ll be sure to welcome it with open arms and invite it in for tea.
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
And now for another installment of necessary truths I learned this summer. After spending my entire life stretching my mind in every which direction, on any subject that struck my fancy, I’ve come to a conclusion: I spend too much energy on the fool’s errand of trying to be all things to all people in every aspect of my work. Just because I can do it all, doesn’t mean I should. To really make my mark and keep my sanity in the process, I have to specialize.
True. I just had this very epiphany.
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Glad to know we’re on the journey to focus together, Lisa!
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