NYU Female Founders Fellowship Launches with Four Steinhardt Fellows

A launchpad for female founders, the NYU Female Founders Fellowship provides participants with training, mentorship, and grants of up to $50,000.

Paige has a passion for health and wellness and is on a mission to improve the health of America’s workforce, one healthy snack at a time. Paige is a Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and studies nutrition and dietetics.

HealthBoxed is a healthy snack box delivery service that functions as an employee wellness program, helping businesses improve the health of their employees, contributing to lower health insurance costs and enhancing overall productivity.

Jade Kearney (‘20)

Co-Founder & CEO, She Matters, Inc.

Jade is a recent graduate of Steinhardt with a degree in digital media design for learning. Her professional background is in education and professional development. Jade is a wellness expert and has certifications in yoga, Ayurveda, and mindfulness. Her passion is wellness education to Black and Brown communities throughout the United States. Jade is certified in diversity and inclusion management and enjoys conducting seminars on the importance of diversity and mental wellness. Jade is a mother, partner, and motivational speaker. She currently resides in Harlem with her daughter and fiancé. Jade is also a Mark & Debra Leslie Fellow and was awarded a loan alleviation grant.

She Matters is an online/offline platform designed to address postpartum anxiety and depression in Black women. She Matters offers community, culturally relevant resources, and culturally competent therapists and mental health care professionals certified through the organization.

Vanessa Sepul-Azcarraga ('20)

Co-Founder, Wazo

Vanessa is a 2020 graduate of Steinhardt’s master's in Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness and a 2018 graduate of the Parsons Design and Management Program. As a therapist, health coach, and spiritual counselor, she combines her passion for healing with her love of problem-solving, innovation, and technology to creatively minimize gaps in our health systems. 

Wazo is a peer-to-peer mentoring program that supports college students in getting matched with fellow peers to receive individualized support through a structured 6-week program and get connected with the university resources they need.

Ashley Xie ('20)

Co-Founder & CEO, Rooted Fare

Ashley is a daughter of immigrant restauranteurs and a 2nd generation Chinese American. She’s worked in food-related nonprofits, restaurants, and the NYC Health Department. Ashley received her MA in Food Studies at Steinhardt and BA in Natural Sciences at Johns Hopkins University.

Rooted Fare partners with immigrant chefs to deliver essential cultural ingredients and food education tailored to Asian Americans who want to cook cultural foods they love and identify with. Rooted Fare is creating a community that enables Asian Americans to reconnect and reclaim their heritage through food and facilitates a much-needed shift in celebrating immigrant chefs as dignified and integral to our culture and society.