Global Ambassadors N-Z

“Alice Walker once said, ‘The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.’ I am thrilled to support an organization that equips those in challenging situations with the tools and skills to turn things around.”
Deborah Norville, New York
Broadcast Journalist at NBC/CBS

“ I immigrated to the US from Vietnam, where I’ve always strived to make the most of every opportunity, both personally and professionally. Empowering women to me means giving an individual a chance to become someone greater than their current circumstance. Same Sky does just that. I am truly proud and grateful to be part of an organization that gives women the opportunity to earn honest wages for their hard work. I support this cause because I know that every dollar I utilize to purchase beautiful jewelry will help pay for a woman’s education and health care. My dream is for Same Sky to flourish through word of mouth, so that one day, more women around the world can be given a second chance.”
Katie N. Nguyen, Fair Lawn, NJ
Business Consultant

“Same Sky is an extraordinary and powerful concept which enables women to take charge of their lives by empowering them to succeed by their own initiative and strength. These women of Rwanda inspire all by the individual strength and power they exhibit in this endeavor. Same Sky is a great force for positive change, and I am very pleased to support them in their efforts.”
Lavelle Olexa, New York
Founder at Lavelle & Co.

“When you capture the hearts and minds of people, anything is possible. Same Sky symbolizes what women can do together to restore hope, rebuild lives, and effect positive social change. It is a privilege to be a Global Ambassador...”
Catherine O’Sullivan, Gold Coast Australia
CEO, RMIT Training

“I purchased a bracelet several years ago. The women that benefit from the purchase of these bracelets are an inspiration. I was excited to have the opportunity to help Same Sky reach more women and increase the awareness of this wonderful organization and the lives it impacts.”
Diane Paccione, Philadelphia
President & CEO Deb Shops

"It’s rare to find jewelry with an intrinsic value that far exceeds its price and even rarer to find an organization so dedicated to providing opportunity to impoverished women. Thank you to Francine for her sense of humanity and for giving me the opportunity to in some small way share her sky."
Joanne Podell, New York
Vice Chairman at Cushman & Wakefield

“I love Same Sky’s goal of empowering women to help themselves and their families by training them to make gorgeous jewelry. How lovely that women who have faced to many obstacles now become economically self-sufficient as they create beautiful items for people to enjoy.”
Carrie Pryor, New York
Managing Director, Greenwich Harbor Partners

“I am honored to be a Same Sky Ambassador. Same Sky allows women to build their confidence, sustain their families, and allows them to give back to their clients through their impeccable craftsmanship. A survivor who I have never met has touched my life through her courage and indomitable spirit.”
Angela Raub, Atlanta
Vice President of Business Development at Hotel Equities

“Same Sky helps to empower women. It’s not a hand out, but a hand up for HIV+ women in Rwanda. The jewelry that the women craft is exquisite... the difference with Same Sky is that each piece comes with the artisan’s remarkable story. May Same Sky continue to grow and grow, and I hope to be a part of it on that journey.”
Jack Rich, New York
Owner of Jack Rich Productions

“Same Sky jewelry is not only beautiful but captures the essence of the organization… an interwoven mosaic depicting the special bond that unites and strengthens the women of the world. I am so thrilled to play an active part in this amazing organization and help the women artisans fulfill their dreams for empowerment and economic security for themselves and their families.”
Muna Rihani Al-Nasser, Qatar
Chair of UN Women For Peace

“I fell in love with Same Sky when I met Francine years ago, not only because of the beautiful jewelry but also because of the overall mission and her vision. Same Sky is a unique initiative because it personifies women’s empowerment and truly demonstrates that talent is everywhere but opportunity is not. This organization has always resonated with me because it shows women that they can truly provide for themselves and not rely on a hand out to survive or get back on their feet—it shows women that they have the power to change their lives. Same Sky is also building awareness on how we, as a society, need to change the way we shop and truly understand how our purchases affect the global economic system. I am honored to be an ambassador and helping to grow the organization globally.”
Abigail Rogado, Paris/New York
Founder & CEO, ARTTank

“Same Sky represents Women Power— women empowering other women to succeed for their family, their community, their region, and their nation through the glamour, sensuality, and style of a Same Sky bracelet.”
Sarina Russo, Australia
Managing Director at Sarina Russo Group

“The human impulse that led to the creation of and now infuses Same Sky represents the very best of what we, as global citizens, can be. Same Sky reminds us that creativity, resourcefulness, and common purpose defy borders and that with perseverance and inspiration, we can find opportunity in the wake of crisis.”
Holly Taylor Sargent, Maine
Founder, CEO of Doing Good While Doing Well

“By creating gorgeous accessories that can be worn by someone like me living in Chicago, we are all linked together with beauty instead of pain. Every time I purchase a bracelet or give one to my mom or my best friends, I get a warm fuzzy knowing that I’m contributing to making a fellow woman’s life just a little bit better.”
Janelle Schroeder, Illinois
Director of HR at Gibsons Restaurant Group

“When you purchase Same Sky, you are empowering young women who are supporting themselves and their children giving them a level of independence they may have otherwise never known. I am so grateful to Francine LeFrak for having the vision that is so important to these women.”
Marlyne Sexton, Indiana
Real Estate Developer/ Philanthropist

“Same Sky is about opportunity- the opportunity that comes through connecting women and possibility. Its simple yet powerful mission reminds us that we all share one sky.”
Nicole Sexton, Los Angeles
Author, President & CEO of Entertainment Industry Foundation

“The fundamental principles behind Same Sky are those same ideals on which Miss Universe was founded sixty years ago. Both entities are built by women, for women with the purpose of empowering women. Our affiliation with Same Sky has had a profound affect on not only our Titleholders, but everyone working at our Organization, as well. ”
Paula Shugart, New York, NY; Charleston, SC
President at Miss Universe Organization

“In Same Sky, I have found an organization that fosters a safer and more productive future for women in overlooked and/or corrupt areas of the world. I love the basic principle of community enterprise which increases the likelihood for these women creators to experience stability, personal pride, and maybe even peace in a larger world”
Joh Siff, New York
Founding Partner, Mentor at Fashion Arts Collaborative

“The uniqueness of Same Sky has two purposes: helping women feel empowered and learning a trade as opposed to just getting a handout. It reminds me of the Chinese proverb: ‘Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.’”
Nada Simon, Michigan
President of The Sam & Nada Simon Foundation

“Whether there is sunshine or rain, beautiful, inspirational Francine LeFrak brings us together under the Same Sky umbrella to help improve the lives of those less fortunate. This is a revolution one bead at a time. I am honoured to be an Ambassador from the land of the Kangaroo and look forward to helping the enterprise grow.”
Fiona Sinclair, Sydney
Barrister-at-Law

“As the founder of MorphMom, a multimedia platform devoted to inspiring, connecting, and empowering women "morphing" into something new and different, I feel that Same Sky is the very embodiment of our philosophy and our hope is to support both the movement and the women of Same Sky.”
Kathleen Smith, New York
Founder, MorphMom Media

“My work has afforded me a view as to what smart targeted aid can accomplish. But what is also needed are trade and jobs. Francine and the Same Sky team have created sustainable jobs, and a real community for the women who work there. The products are beautiful, but the real end benefit is the dignity of work and the ability for women to take care of their families and to be self-sufficient.”
Susan Smith Ellis, New York
Senior VP & CMO, Getty Images; Consultant/ Former CEO of RED

“By helping women in need, we are also helping our next generation. Nothing is more important than having a healthy, loving, well-trained and self-sufficient mother when a child is born. I feel blessed and want to do what I can for others who are in need. I am also a big fan of Same Sky's products - these women are so talented!”
Zheng Song, New York

“A natural consequence of the Same Sky initiative is to establish hope in a brighter future for the developing world. Through economic independence, the possibility of keeping the next generation of young women out of poverty, educated, healthy, and safe is imaginable.”
Robin Stern, New York
Friend & Supporter

“I come from a family of political refugees. My parents left their home with just a suitcase and worked hard all their lives. When I was a child, money was not plentiful but I was lucky – very lucky. I lived in a country where there was free education and no obstacles to fulfilling my potential. I was the first woman in my family to go through higher education, to have a career, and to become a leader.
I am living proof of what education and having the opportunity to work can do. I am a case study of how giving a woman the right tools enables her to have a sustainable future and become a leader.
The women Same Sky supports don’t have the same opportunities that I had. They are living with challenges that I can only begin to imagine. The vision and drive Francine LeFrak has to make a difference with the women of Rwanda and America won’t just change their lives, it will change their societies and the lives of the generations that follow. I am extremely proud to be a part of such an incredible mission."
Leonor Stjepic, London
Chief Executive Officer, The Montessori Group

“There are at least 34 reasons why I support Same Sky and among them are Celementine, Speciose, Solina, Sada, Jaqueline, and Brigitte. The fact that these women have picked themselves up by their bootstraps from nothing and now have a reason to wake up and DO something that provides for them and their families must be a constant inspiration to those of you who work with the organization.”
Boots Tolsdorf, Massachusetts
Friend & Supporter

“Same Sky is message, product, spirit and symbol at once. I wear a piece on how to make the world for the better. There should be more companies like Same Sky in the world... It is the hope I support, that everybody can do something for the better and then you get something back which is more than you gave.”
Prof. Dr. Anabel Cäcilia Ternès von Hattburg, Berlin
CEO & Founder of Get Your Wings

“Economic empowerment of women is a proven means to reduce poverty and improve the lives of families and communities. Same Sky is doing just that. It is a sustainable social business which provides livelihoods for Rwandan and Zambian women who are creating quality, beautiful products for consumers around the world.”
Ann Veneman, New York
Former Executive Director of UNICEF

“Within hours of reading a newspaper article describing Same Sky’s incredible work training Rwandan HIV+ women, I was flying home from Rwanda and happened to be sitting next to the Same Sky founder. Her stories, insights, and success in creating an approach that enables women to learn skills and lead self-sufficient lives inspired and motivated me to become an active participant on the spot.”
Janet C. Walkow, Texas
Ph.D. Director at Drug Dynamics Institute

“Same Sky has changed and continues to change the lives of women and their children in Rwanda, and offers a way for those of us who have never known suffering and poverty to help those who have known only that.”
Lauren Wachtler, New York
Partner at Phillip Snizer Law Firm

“Same Sky and Francine LeFrak, the visionary founder, have changed the lives of so many women who used to dream and can now have a better future for them and their families. I am proud to be a global Ambassador of this amazing organization that gives women an opportunity through trade not aid.”
Claudia Walters, New York
President and Founder, Chelsea Investor Relations

“My passion for conscious consumerism led me to Same Sky, which embodies the spirit of both chic fashion and the soulful economy. I believe strongly that a healthful future is dependent on sustainable, considerate practices, and Same Sky represents a movement that will one day be the norm. I am honored to be a part of it and to wear Same Sky for the inherent and aesthetic beauty that it represents.”
Isabel González Whitaker, Tennessee
Senior Advisor, Corporate Social Responsibility ALSAC