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The Parsons Benefit is an annual celebration of the transformational role fashion, design and the arts play in today’s world. The evening highlights the work of our students and gathers an esteemed assembly of industry leaders, Parsons alumni, and other luminaries from our global network to recognize recipients of The Parsons Table Award.
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Halo, 28 Liberty Street, New York, NY
About the Awards
The Parsons Table Award recognizes individuals who have made a noteworthy impact on the design industry and profoundly inspired our students.
Most importantly, the Benefit raises critical scholarship funds for current and future students of Parsons School of Design who would be unable to work, learn, and study without the generosity of our donors.
For event information, contact specialevents@newschool.edu.
Event Produced by JWP – Josh Wood & Mimi Eayrs
Mazdack Rassi Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer at Milk Makeup, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Milk Studios, Global Brand Director at Waldencast, and Co-Founder at Shoutout Technologies.
In his time as co-founder of Milk, Rassi has built the bi-coastal business into a culturally conscious company with creative expression at the helm. Rassi's leadership has transformed Milk from a services company into the home of emerging artists in New York and Los Angeles alike. With an understanding of the fashion, music, photography, media and film industries, Rassi drives all business operations for Milk and has become a creative partner to global visionaries, designers and brands throughout the last two decades.
A company that thrives on its community, Milk serves as a connector between the established and the emerging. Rassi has steered the company through years of productions, gallery openings, Fashion Weeks, events and cultural happenings. In 2016, he worked with his team to launch a consumer product made for Milk's community: Milk Makeup.
In addition to managing Milk, Rassi is an active board member of Burton, Autism Tomorrow, Parsons School of Design and The New York City Ballet.
Madelyn Wils is an accomplished leader with a distinguished career in urban development, nonprofit management, and public-private partnerships. Currently, Madelyn serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Fifth Avenue Association, where she oversees security, safety, and marketing efforts for one of the world’s most iconic shopping districts. In this role, Madelyn leads the innovative "Future of Fifth" project, a historic redesign of Fifth Avenue, the first in over 120 years, with funding and support from The City of New York.
Additionally, Madelyn is the Chair of the Building Committee for The Joyce Theater Foundation, where she is transforming the former Boys Club into the largest subsidized dance rehearsal space for independent companies in New York City, a project set for construction in 2026.
Madelyn served as the President and CEO of Hudson River Park Trust, overseeing the development and operations of the 550-acre waterfront park on Manhattan’s west side. She secured and was responsible for the design and development of over $1 billion in capital construction, including the renowned Little Island Park and performance space. Under Madelyn’s leadership, the Trust’s operating revenues increased by over 125%, and Madelyn initiated several landmark sustainability programs such as "Park Over Plastic."
Previously, Madelyn served as the Executive Vice President at the New York City Economic Development Corp., where she managed a large portfolio of projects across all five boroughs, including the revitalization of Coney Island, Hunters Point South, and the creation of the New York City Ferry System. She was the President of the Tribeca Film Institute, successfully repositioning it as a year-round cultural and educational institution, and significantly increasing support for women and minority filmmakers.
As the founder of Bread & Butter Television, a production company recognized with multiple awards, and Executive VP at Post-Newsweek Television, Madelyn built a reputation for excellence in television production and distribution.
Beyond these leadership roles, Madelyn has been deeply involved in nonprofit initiatives, serving on the boards of several organizations, including The Joyce Theater Foundation, Friends of Hudson River Park, The Millenium High School, and The Lower Manhattan Development Corp., contributing to critical post-9/11 rebuilding efforts in Lower Manhattan.
Gena Smith is the Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Head of Global Executive & Creative Recruitment for LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. A highly experienced human resources executive, Gena ensures that LVMH is best in class at selecting, developing, and retaining senior executive and creative talent. During her tenure with LVMH she has helped to further develop talent at all levels of the organization, including through attracting accomplished senior-level executives, instituting learning and development programs to prepare executives to meet business needs, and promoting mobility for high performing executives across the LVMH brands. She led the first ever Diversity & Inclusion initiative for LVMH launching it across North America in 2012. She has also led the Group’s regional gender diversity initiative, EllesVMH which included the Regional CEO’s signing of the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles.
Prior to joining LVMH in September 2011, Gena was Global Managing Director at Karen Harvey Consulting, where she led the luxury & retail executive recruitment practice worldwide. She previously spent 10 years as an executive search consultant at Russell Reynolds Associates and Ray & Berndtson, working with many leading retail, luxury and consumer brands. Her earlier experience included several years in International Education
Artemis Patrick is the president and CEO of Sephora North America. She is responsible for developing growth strategies to maintain Sephora’s position as the No. 1 prestige beauty omni-retailer. Artemis is also a member of Sephora’s Global Leadership Team (SLT) and Sephora America’s Operating Committee.
Artemis has a track record as a multifaceted professional, with roots in merchandising, brand building, partnerships, and e-commerce. During her 18 years at Sephora, Artemis has been a consistent leader in several business areas, having served as global merchandising officer for Sephora and chief merchandising officer for Sephora Americas. In these roles, Artemis was responsible for driving Sephora’s product vision and ensuring market leadership through product differentiation. She also served as senior vice president and general manager of Sephora within JCPenney and earlier as the vice president of E-commerce Merchandising for Sephora.com.
Called “the brand whisperer” by her industry peers, Artemis is widely known as a brand builder in beauty and retail, both in the United States and globally. She has helped shape several of Sephora’s groundbreaking categories and collaborations to date, including the company’s expansive partnership with Kohl’s, as well as globally known categories like indie fragrances, inclusive foundation assortments, and clean beauty. A widely appreciated and respected leader, with a passion for innovation and risk taking, Artemis has made a tremendous impact on Sephora’s business around the world.
Artemis has received a number of industry awards, including the Fragrance Foundation Circle of Champions Award, Cosmetic Executive Women’s Achiever Award, City of Hope’s Spirit of Life Award, and the National Mother’s Day Committee’s Outstanding Mother of the Year, recognizing exceptional women for successfully building their careers while nurturing their families. She also plays an active role on the Cosmetic Executive Women’s board, supporting and promoting many talented women in the beauty industry.
Artemis received her BA in Economics from the University of California Santa Cruz and University of Madrid Spain and her MBA from San Francisco State University. She lives in San Francisco with her husband and daughter.
Willy Chavarria, originally from California, began his creative journey with a focus on commercial art, studying graphic design at the Academy of the Arts. However, he ultimately found his passion in the world of fashion, where he decided to channel his talents to enhance human dignity. His mission is to uplift the underrepresented through the transformative power of art and design.
The Willy Chavarria collections embody a sensitive and cinematic approach, seamlessly blending the emotional depth of art with contemporary political themes, telling a compelling story of the human spirit. Willy strives to be a voice for the voiceless, often collaborating with organizations to advocate for social justice. His inspiration is drawn from biographical elements, including nods to his Mexican-American heritage, the beauty found in the streets, and the surrounding culture.
The brand gained recognition through provocative and thought-provoking runway presentations, catching the attention of world-renowned stores such as Barneys, Dover Street Market, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Brown's. Moreover, starting from spring 2024, the brand plans to expand its presence globally through additional stockists.
Willy's accolades include being a finalist for the International Woolmark Prize in 2018, one of the ten winners of the CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund in 2021, and a recipient of a small business grant from IMG and the state of New York in 2022. In September 2022, he was honored with the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian National Design Award in Fashion Design. Most recently, in 2023, Willy was celebrated as the CFDA Menswear Designer of the Year.
Zanna Roberts Rassi is a British born, New York-based Emmy award-winning fashion and beauty journalist, television host, and producer. She began her career as a beauty editor at Marie Claire UK, eventually holding the title of Editor-At-Large for Marie Claire US. In 2016, she co-founded best-selling beauty brand, Milk Makeup. Currently, Zanna is a Today Show Style Correspondent, E! Style Host, and Style Contributor for the The Drew Barrymore Show. Her charismatic on-camera presence and in-depth knowledge of the industry have made her a sought after host and interviewer, as well as a trusted journalistic voice within the fashion, beauty, and entertainment sphere.
Zanna is a trusted voice on the Live from E! team, covering every major red carpet, including the Oscars, Grammys, and Met Gala. She has interviewed A-List celebrities for the Today Show, E! and Access Hollywood, such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Victoria Beckham, Kim Kardashian, Oprah, Donatella Versace, Alicia Keys, and more. She has reported on major international events for NBC including the royal wedding, Kentucky Derby, and the 2024 Paris Olympics.
amika
Kayne Anderson Rudnick
Dean and Darcy Christal
The Durst Organization
Lisa and Jim Fuld Jr.
June Jacobs and Peter Thomas Roth
Robert and Guna Mundheim
Sara Meltzer
Rosemary Mancino
Charles Perrin
Gerald and Mimi Pitman
Rare Beauty
Rolex
Rosenberg & Estis, P.C./Richard L. Sussman/Brett B. Theis
David M. Rubin
Judy Schroffel
Katherine Stallings
Summer Fridays
Tailored by Propeller
Tory Burch
Tylin
Victoria Hagan Interiors
William Taubman
Anonymous, Parsons Board of Governors
Dominique Bluhdorn
President, Altos de Chavón Cultural Center Foundation
Michael Donovan
Chairman of the Board, Parsons School of Design; Chief Design Officer, Metsera; President, Donovan/C+D, LLC
Julie Gilhart
Founder and President, GILHART & Co.
Alexandra Moosally
Partner, Bunny Bear Management
Kay Unger
Chair Emerita, Parsons School of Design; President, Kay Unger Design; CEO, Kay Unger Family Foundation
CONSTRUCTED ENVIRONMENTS
Andrea Vasquez
Carolina Miñana
Aidan Murphy
Emily Kaline
Emily Quinn
Isabel Vera
Julia Bosma
Katarzyna Kubrak
Linnea Wallin
Rucha Kumthekar
Maite Santos Alocer
Veronica Speyer
BFA FASHION DESIGN
Olive Eng-Canty
SunWoo Ari Jang
Michael Kamali'ipono Skousen
Caitlyn Lim
Yuhe Lin (Tracy)
Zhimeng Liu
Angel Luo
Richa Singh
Rose Qi
MFA FASHION DESIGN AND SOCIETY
Karina Nasywa Bakri
Chi-An Yu
Yingdi Xiong
MFA TEXTILES
Jimena Bedoya
Luisa Mantelli
Jingyi Yang
Eva Ziqi Chen
Hattie Batstone
Bhoomika Prasad