“Thank god you have strong bones.” That’s what the physician’s assistant said to me this weekend via a One Medical video chat after I fell down a set of stairs in my apartment building. I was carrying Phineas down the stairs to protect his back when I slipped; the irony isn’t lost on me. As I was falling, I told myself “protect Phineas, don’t hit your head, stay flexible.” Thankfully, I completely protected Phineas from getting hurt, I didn’t hit my head, and I didn’t break any bones. I’m just very sore and bruised. I can’t really sit down comfortably for more than a few minutes so I stand or lie down on one side.
I took the required weekend of rest to mostly be offline, sleep, read, take a lot of pain meds, apply ice packs, and meditate. Now that the holiday season is upon us, we turn to reflection, evaluation, and contemplation. What’s going well in life? What’s not going well? What could be better? And how could we make it so?
I’m right there with you. I have a lot to be thankful for. I also have a lot of things that I want to be better. I imagine 2017 will hold a lot of change for me. Some of it I can already see coming and I’m actively planning for. Some of it will be a total surprise to me. Because that’s how life is. We make decisions, we plan, and then we fall down a flight of stairs so we have to adjust. Lately, everything feels like we’re going up the down staircase. Maybe we always were, and now we’re just waking up to the reality of it all.
In this time of uncertainty, I trust in this idea: No matter what happens, if we remain flexible and ready to protect what we love and value at all costs, then we will make it through. We may end up sore and bruised, but we will survive. We may end up down for a bit, but let’s not count ourselves out of the race. This is a marathon, not a sprint.
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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