Our Ambassadors |
NIGEL BARKER | Fashion Photographer
For the past two decades Nigel Barker has been taking the world of fashion by storm. He began his career as a model working for top designers, photographers and collaborating with the industry’s elite. As his love for fashion grew, so did his desire to create beautiful images as a photographer. In 1996, Nigel opened his photo studio in the now hip Meat Packing District in Manhattan. His photography career took off with his work appearing in such publications as GQ, Interview, Paper, Lucky, Seventeen, Razor Red and People.
Coming full circle, Nigel has once again stepped in front of the lens, as a Judge and Photographer in the hit television show, “America’s Next Top Model.” With 11 seasons under his belt, Nigel has redefined the photography industry by giving it new meaning to the millions around the world who tune in each week to see and hear his take on beauty and fashion. He is always exploring new ways to express his love for photography by directing and producing commercials, films, and documentaries for various clients from the fashion and entertainment industry and real-life human-interest stories.
Nigel’s celebrity has enabled him to bring new dimensions to all his projects including his work with several charities.
Nigel Traveled to Haiti in 2007 to visit the Edeyo foundation’s Ecole du Bel-Air. His photos were exhibited at the Milk studio gallery in January 2009. The proceeds of the event benefited the foundation continue support of the education of the children at Ecole du Bel-Air.
BEATRICE LEE SAMPEDRO | High School Student
Beatrice Lee Sampedro is currently a junior at Saint Vincent Ferrer High School in Manhattan. She is interested in travel and education, and in pursuing social justice. She plans to combine all three to one day work for a nonprofit organization abroad. She will be apply for university next year with an eye on good programs in art history, Asian and Latin American Studies. She is currently an intern at the Noguchi Museum’s Teen Advisory Board, where her responsibilities have included collaboration on a new long- term project designed to market the museum to teenagers.
For the past two years, she has been working as a volunteer tutor at the Cornerstone Learning Center in New York, to help students who struggle with reading and writing. At her school, she is a member of the National Art Honors Society, where she does art-related community service and continues to promote art to other teens. Additionally, she has recently worked with the nonprofit organization Corazon Contento/Funciona in Nicaragua, dedicated to provide a sustainable life to children with disabilities. Her next stage in her relationship with this NGO is to develop for them an art project that the organization can produce with its students to raise funds for their own benefit. Her knowledge of the Latin American and Caribbean region has made her particularly sensitive to social inequality as witness in some of the countries. This, combined with her commitment to education, prompted her to become an Ambassador for the Edeyo Foundation. She plans to use her social skills and her connections, in New York and beyond, to gather support for the school in Bel-Air, Port-au-Prince.