Staff

Ariston Anderson, Editor, Celebsgonegood.com

Ariston moved to New York City, suitcase in hand, to take on her first job as a political reporter. After graduating magna cum laude at Columbia University she ended up working in film, directing urban art documentaries in Buenos Aires and Berlin, developing indie scripts, and ultimately learning film finance. But she realized that she didn’t want to spend the rest of her life watching movies in a dark theater when life outside is so much more exciting.

Ariston loves to meet people and to tell their stories. With her years of experience in journalism and entertainment, she has come full circle in taking on the reigns as Editor of Celebsgonegood. She's still an avid fan of cinema, art, and music, and is always out on the town catching the latest show.

Michelle Bellinger, Office Manager

The well being of the Do Something office is entirely in Michelle's highly capable hands. Michelle grew up in Long Island but now she is a city girl through and through. Prior to working at Do Something, Michelle worked at a web design company, Planned Parenthood and several other not-for-profits. Her big causes are literacy and keeping the arts in public schools. She makes Do Something run smoothly and we think she is the best office manager in the world.

She absolutely loves music, movies, magazines and everything pop culture. She wishes she founded the INXS fan club. Seriously. And even though she has an Orlando Bloom calendar hanging over her desk, she insists, she's not into chick flicks.

Aria Finger, CMO

Aria graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a BA in Economics and Political Science and loves being back home in New York. Her prior experience includes teaching Spanish and math as well as working in microeconomic consulting. Her expertise lies in baking brownies and blondies, but she also has a serious weakness for vanilla cupcakes. Aria reads economic theory for fun and thinks that "After Innocence" should be required movie-watching for anyone interested in social justice.

Aria oversees the "Do Something about" stuff, Karma Tycoon, and a lot of the corporate relationships-because she is super fun and friendly. She hopes to use her energy and enthusiasm to reach even more young people who want to change our world.

Kevin Forsyth, Associate for Business Development

After earning his BA in Visual Media Arts from Emerson College in Boston, Kevin learned the ins and outs of the Hollywood system before ultimately learning that he wanted out. Reading and listening to hundreds of screenplay pitches gave him a pretty good idea of how to make passion contagious and he now uses that skill as part of Do Something's Business Development team.

When not soliciting corporate involvement for Do Something, Kevin can usually be found running inside jokes into the ground, planning theme parties and pathetically pulling a muscle while playing Wii tennis.

Kevin Hager, Associate for Development

As an associate of business development, Kevin is the one who is busy developing awesome new programs here at Do Something. He also busts his tail raising money to make them the coolest programs possible.

He is so happy to be in New York, where he is thiiiiis close to his idol, Audra McDonald. If you know who she is, then you’re probably a big musical theatre fan, too. That being said, he is proud to call Shawnee Mission, Kansas his first home. He studied Art History and Sociology at the University of Kansas (Rock Chalk Jayhawk!) and was active in promoting volunteerism and service learning at the Center for Community Outreach and the Center for Service Learning. He has worked on several political campaigns in the Midwest and continues to be involved in the movement for LGBT equality.

Nancy Lublin, CEO & Chief Old Person

Since August 2003, CEO and Chief Old Person Nancy Lublin has overseen Do Something's growth and led the effort to begin awarding more grant money to young people who want to make a difference. She turned the organization from a debt-ridden, "old school" not-for-profit with offices in multiple cities nationwide, to a fast-moving internet company capturing the attention of a generation of doers.

Nancy is deeply passionate about Do Something and the activist mission behind the organization. She says her first activist campaign was liberating the purple crayons in pre-school after one loud boy had declared them "not allowed for girls."

Armed with a $5,000 inheritance from her immigrant great grandfather at the age of 23, Nancy founded the organization Dress for Success, which to this day provides women with interview suits, career development training, and boosts in their self-confidence in more than 70 cities in four countries.

Nancy's Dress for Success experience made her a lifelong not-for-profit fundamentalist. She dedicated herself to inspiring, supporting and celebrating other young people who want to change the world. Although she is now a reluctant, Converse-wearing "old person," she gets it because, well, she did it.

Nancy graduated from Brown University, Oxford University (where she was a Marshall Scholar), and New York University School of Law. She is married to entrepreneur Jason Diaz and they have a young daughter named Sydney who likes to eat bananas and say "P-U" when she takes off her socks, and a baby boy (7 mths old) who cut his first tooth on December 17th (awwww!) and has no interest in being a baby!

Lori Majewski, Editor in Chief - Read the Celebs Gone Good Blog

Lori Majewski started her journalism career while still an undergraduate at Fordham University when she created the original fanzine for Duran Duran. She was an integral part of Us Weekly and Teen People’s magazine launches. Most recently, Majewski served as Editor in Chief of Teen People and then Executive Editor of Entertainment Weekly. Majewski has been recognized by multiple sources as a leader in the teen space. She is responsible for all content and the general editorial direction of all properties. The staff is very excited to welcome Lori here!

Vanessa Martir, Content

V is the new content gal who has made it her mission in life to learn the ropes of writing for youth.

VMar (as her friends like to call her) is a published writer who just completed her second novel. She graduated from Columbia University and is a Brooklyn native. She's a proud mommy of a 3 year old little chica who is fearless and is bound to be the next Shakira. In her free time, V loves to work out, rollerblade, and venture around the city with her nena and peeps in tow.

Ben Millard, User Relations

Ben represents the front line of support for Do Something’s online community and is responsible for keeping everybody breezy in addition to managing content on Do Something's social networks and providing support to the office staff.

An unapologetically die-hard Red Sox fan, Ben enjoys sailing, SCUBA diving, and aspiring to write for ZAGAT (when he's not fueling his full-blown Starbucks addiction). He is currently earning his Bachelor’s degree at New York University.

Melanie Stevenson, Do Something Clubs and YAC

Melanie's the resident pro on volunteer opportunities for young do-ers. She started at Do Something after her stint with Portraits of Hope and the Garden in Transit project, plastering NYC's taxi fleet with vibrant flowers painted by 23,000 kids and volunteers. She worked with project participants to explore social issues and how they hope to change the world.

Melanie studied Spanish and Bioethics at Davidson College in NC where she volunteered with Girls on the Run when she wasn't practicing her Southern twang. She found her calling to the not for profit world with Portraits of Hope. Do Something is the perfect next place for her to help young people change the world. Ultimately, she hopes to start a "happy" newspaper with stories of inspiration and positive social action around the world. Melanie actively volunteers with Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans and is training as a mentor for the Children's Aid Society in New York. If she were a Disney princess, Melanie would be Ariel.

George Weiner, Director of Technology - Read His Blog

George is Do Something’s Director of Technology. He manages all the internet, computer, and online communication stuff for Do Something. George votes early and often and is probably having soup for lunch today.

Originally from Brooklyn, George holds a BA in Political Science and Environmental Studies from the University of Pennsylvania (but he did take one class in Business Ethics from the Wharton School, he got a gentleman's B+). Aside from working diligently at Do Something, he is a coach for the New York Road Runner's Club, coaches a City Sports for Kids program, and is a High School assistant cross-country coach (Go Pelicans!). He runs marathons faster than Lance Armstrong, too.

Jordyn Wells, Grants

Jordyn has the awesome job of giving out money to help teens fund their community action ideas and projects.

This Vermont native cares greatly about the environment, social issues and the strength of her daily AM coffee. Jordyn graduated from Bard College with a degree in Anthropology and Studio Art (and a minor in Africana studies) . Addicted to traveling since a trip to Ghana at the age of sixteen, Jordyn has traveled to 19 countries (she is trying to hit 30 by 30). Having been back five times, Ghana is her number one travel destination. It's not just the sun and sand that keeps her going back, but her involvment with JAC,a non-profit art organization that targets kids living in Accra's (Ghana's captial) urban slums. Basically, we envy her "jet-setting travel the world and help out" style.

Lezlie Wheeler, COO

In her capacity, Lezlie oversees corporate, finance and administrative functions, including all financial activities and Do Something's day-to-day operations.

Prior to Do Something, Lezlie held senior finance positions at privately-held companies in the publishing industry. She brings years of experience in accounting and finance, including senior accountant, financial reporting at AIG's foreign business AIU, Inc. (American International Underwriters); and senior auditor for Leslie Sufrin & Co and Pregor & Fenton, all of which exposed her to a broad base of business industries. Lezlie was Financial Controller for Chemical Week Publishing, where she built an accounting and finance department for this newly-formed venture. Despite her background and the duties she performs, Lezlie is pretty exciting.

She holds a BS in Accounting from Fordham and for the record wants it known that she won Do Something Office Chocolate Chip Cookie Bake-off.