Last Saturday, I hit a wall with unpacking and settling into my new apartment. As luck would have it, I had a chance to go to Washington Animal Rescue League to play with puppies. I’ve been looking for a companion dog for Phineas since he loved having Otis as constant company for the past year and a half. My friend, Jen, offered to go with me, and her friend, Julie, said she had found the potentially perfect match for Phin. Tired, worn, and reluctant, I went. And as luck (or providence, if your beliefs tend toward the divine) would have it, Julie and Jen were 100% right. We found the perfect match. She wasn’t what I thought she’d be. She was even better.
But I wasn’t ready. My apartment was a mess of boxes, piles of belongings, and bubble wrap. I had no furniture. I could barely keep my eyes open. This was not a time for a new dog. And still, I couldn’t stop thinking about that beautiful pup that we met. I kept imagining her in this apartment, rolling around on the floor with Phin. I thought about her meeting all of my friends. I thought about all the fun places I would take her and Phin, and how relieved I would feel that Phin had the perfect forever friend. The shelter doesn’t hold animals, and for good reason. I decided that if this sweet girl is meant for us, she would be available next weekend for us to take home into an apartment that is ready for her.
And now it looks like, yes, we will get her on Saturday. No one has adopted her yet, and I put in my application. No guarantees until everything is 100% complete, but the odds are looking good for us.
The lesson isn’t lost on me. Be clear about what you can and can’t do. Trust the process. Know that what you are seeking is also seeking you. And you don’t need to have it all figured out to move something forward. You just need the next step. And that’s exactly what we’ve got. Expect an update over the weekend on our new pack member!
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/
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