Team Peri Step Out of Line

Glass ceilings were made to be broken and throughout Dr. Christine Riordan’s education and career, she has done just that. As an undergraduate engineering student, she often found herself to be the only woman in the class. This year Adelphi University is celebrating its 125th anniversary and Dr. Riordan, as the first female president of the university, has had to deal with extraordinary circumstan...

A self-proclaimed "Jewish kid who wanted to play professional basketball" turned producer, Brandon Reese , has always stepped out of line throughout his life. Brandon used basketball to explore the world by playing in Israel, Ukraine, Poland, Holland, Canada, and the United States and teaching students the art of b-ball in Kuwait. After rupturing his kidney in a basketball game in Kuwait, Brandon...

This episode of “Step Out of Line” is not for the feint of heart. As an entrepreneur in the health and wellness forum, Jay Cardiello , breaks down his three biggest challenges that he has faced so far in his life and how he has climbed out of the pit of despair to become the man that he is today. The raw emotion displayed by Cardiello grabbed our hearts immediately and instantly, we knew how speci...

Adelphi University alumnus, Michael Sammis always believed that the university was a hidden gem. Throughout his career, he has combined his passion for music with his financial background into a path that has taken him all over the world. Always a Long Islander at heart, an internship through Adelphi provided Michael with the competitive edge over his peers to land his first job.  As the Pres...

Sam Rosalie says that she doesn’t “always have rays of sunshine coming out of her butt,” but we think otherwise.  As one of the producers of the Elvis Duran & The Morning Show, Sam began as an intern while attending Rutgers University. Sam worked hard to find her own career path by taking on new challenges and a variety of internships until she found her niche in radio and entertainment....

You don’t plan to fail, you fail to plan. Amanda Munz was 23 years old when she decided to pivot and form her own nonprofit The Fashion Foundation , which she set up after methodical planning, training, and earning an MBA. Amanda realized that repurposing designers’ sample products and surplus goods could be used to give back to the children in New York City’s education system. Amanda’s first big...

Vita Raykhman was challenged with breaking into the competitive beauty industry of hair products by creating and developing an artistic, fun, and inclusive haircare brand. As a Co-Founder and Creative Director of Amika and creative director of Eva NYC , Vita utilizes her fine art skills in her creative position at Heat Makes Sense, Inc. Focused on establishing a community, Vita’s companies strive...

In celebration of Josh’s upcoming 5th birthday on October 30th, let’s all be like Josh and be unapologetic with the way you want to live your life. Team Peri fell in love with Josh on TikTok early in the pandemic and things just steamrolled from there. We finally sat down with Josh + Kimberly & Andrew for what seemed like only a few short minutes but in reality, was an entire afternoon, and ta...

The Melissa & Doug toy company has not always been fun and games for co-founder and entrepreneur, Melissa Bernstein . The trials and tribulations of developing a new business took years of hard work, overcoming mistakes and eventually, transforming into the successful business that it is today. Bernstein has been coloring out of the lines her entire life. Perhaps one can say that Melissa‘s cre...

Aussie author makes it big in NYC. Coming to New York naive and unprepared, Georgia Clark still managed to find her way to a successful career in writing. This novelist has an undeniable spirit and tenacity which combined with resilience has enabled her to find her literary voice, her life partner and most of all, happiness and purpose. Georgia experienced what must be a writer’s worst nightmare,...

Liris Crosse makes the world her runway by making her dreams come true through hard work, tenacity and courage. At the age of 18, she hit the streets of NYC looking for a way to pursue her modeling career. Working three jobs, Liris did not wait for things to happen, rather, she made them happen for herself. Today, Liris is one of the Maggie Sottero models, winner of Project Runway, motivational sp...

Nick Rotondo , MTA bus driver turned hero, became a 9/11 first responder when driving the M11 up Amsterdam Avenue around 9 am when a police officer pulled over his bus and commandeered his services. Without hesitation, Nick served New York City at the World Trade Center. Selflessly, he was transporting medical supplies and emergency healthcare workers to and from Ground Zero.  Covered in dust...

From doing cartwheels and picking daisies in the outfield to the Olympic stage, Jordan Chiles is truly a champion in every sense of the word. Jordan’s “stepping out of line” moment transformed her gymnastics career and was the catalyst for her achieving her Olympic dreams.  In 2020, spared on by the political events of the world, Jordan launched her own clothing company, Melanin Drip Clothing...

The path to success for Jason Halbert has been quite serendipitous. Grit, combined with hard work, dedication and the intuition of his wife, have all led Jason to where he is today. As a creative, his constant battle with imposter syndrome and his need to push the boundaries and “step out of line” is what defines his character and makes him clearly the best at what he does. As a keyboardist, compo...

We’ve all been there, walking through the streets of New York City, dressed as a tomato in the NYC Marathon. Sometimes you have to ‘Step Out of Line’ in a big way to get your foot in the door at your dream job, one that accepts and utilizes all of your quirks and attributes.  Jill Page Collister is currently the Senior Vice President of Global Education & Development Benefit Cosmetic...

Katy Allen does it all. Busy mom to three, wife of American Idol Season 8 winner, Kris Allen  and business entrepreneur. How does she do it? By staying organized. Finding the perfect planner is rare and hard to come by. Learning how to successfully balance and manage your daily tasks and schedules is an art form. Like many, Katy was constantly schlepping a planner and having to choose be...

Shop Minnie Mart has gadgets and gizmos a-plenty, whozits and whatzits galore, want thingamabobs? Luis and Nicole have everything and so much more! 2020 was a pivotal year for this Disney-loving couple. They tied the knot, moved to Florida, and started a one-of-a-kind shopping service for Disney (and Universal) fanatics. From shopping excursions to the Character Warehouse, Disney Resorts, Disney S...

John Sullivan has nothing to prove as a athlete and musician. Baseball taught him the importance of knowing how to lose and live in the present. Learning his way around the ballpark enabled him to channel his unwavering strength and determination into his musical career. This North Carolina native is a natural storyteller and continues to share his voice and gift to the world. The Voice was a...

Lauren Davidson , an urban county cowgirl, manages to thrive during the pandemic by reinventing herself as a producer, creator and songwriter. As an entrepreneur, Lauren founded Urban County Jam, which in turn, provides a platform for artists to showcase their musical talents in NYC.  Fueled by her father’s support, Lauren has become self-reliant and is able to utilize resources needed by net...

Jess Ekstrom , founder and CEO of Headbands of Hope & Bright Pages , began her journey as an entrepreneur as a college student. As an intern for Walt Disney World, Jess fell in love with Make A Wish America kids as she photographed their wishes and created long-lasting memories for both the child and the family. It was this experience that sparked her interest with interning with the Make A Wi...

“Your darkest days are the ones that bring you most light” ~ Beth Ann Catalano, North American President and CEO of Ahava . From both a business and professional perspective, it is imperative that one stays open to all potential opportunities and embraces the many detours life brings. Beth Ann experienced this in her own life, from transitioning companies in the beauty industry, as well as being a...

When you use your creativity, spontaneity and business intuition to create a billion-dollar company,  FabFitFun , Katie Kitchens partners with co-founders, Michael and Daniel Broukhim, crafted a subscription box and FabFitFun community that not only empowers women but enables them to succeed and learn the importance of self-care and partnership from companies whose positive outlook enable wom...

Heidi Collins is a natural born storyteller. As a female entrepreneur and CEO/Co-Founder of Thomas Edwards Group, she creates lifelong connections through her journalistic efforts and brand storytelling. Her key points to being a successful journalist are expressing one’s vulnerability as well as truly listening to others and what they have to say. Heidi uses her people skills to connect and share...

Home baker turned entrepreneur and author of “The Cakes by Melissa” cookbook, Melissa Ben-Ishay found herself out of a job as a media planner. By partnering up with her brother and with a lot of moxie, a new enterprise was born, Baked by Melissa . These bite-sized cupcakes and macaroons are the pinnacle of the multi-million dollar business.  Melissa’s love for her cupcake empire, children and...

From corporate to bridal, Lisa Fuhrman , a born fashionista, started her journey as the Vice President in Human Resources and recruitment in corporate America. However, as Lisa climbed up the corporate ladder, she realized she was unfulfilled and did the unthinkable, she changed her career path despite her success. The catalyst was a one-night binge-watching of a Say Yes to the Dress marathon when...