Robyn Spector
Born and raised in New York City, Robyn is a photographer, videographer, journalist and avid animal lover. Robyn has over eight years of editorial experience, from reporting in Rwanda, Ethiopia, and Israel, for publications including the Boston Globe, amNewYork, Newsday, Jewish Week, New Times Rwanda, and more. She has worked for a multitude of corporate, non-profit, and private clients.
Robyn currently works in Product Development and Strategy for a media company in Manhattan and spends her free time thinking deeply about how to help the world around her. She is a participant in the Young Professional Women's Division at UJA-Federation of New York and volunteers for Dorot, an organization dedicated to engaging and cherishing the elderly community living in NYC.
Education:
Columbia University,
Graduate School of Journalism, Certificate, 2014,
Journalism and Computer Science
Brandeis University, B.A. 2013,
American Studies, Business, Journalism
Courses taken at:
Girl Develop It JavaScript Bootcamp
International Center for Photography
Maine Media Workshops
New York Film Academy
Awards:
2015 finalist in National Geographic's Street Photography Contest
Grant Recipient, Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Creative Arts at Brandeis University
Exhibitor, Jewish Community Center of Manhattan, “ImagiNation: Young Photographers Engage the World”
Published Work:
www.robynspector.com/publishedwork
Katie Mae Spector
Katie Mae was born in Tennessee, where she spent the first five years or so of her life. We do not know many details about her childhood - only what the papers say that the shelter first gave Robyn when she picked her from the "woman named Jan" who unloaded Katie Mae from "the van."
Robyn and Katie found each other when Robyn signed up to be a foster mom for several different New York City pet rescue organizations (featured on the "Get Involved" page). Waggytail Rescue contacted her in December 2013 about fostering a dog for them that was coming up from Tennessee. At first, Robyn was hesitant. She had always dreamed of owning a big fluffy Gold Retriever or Lab that she could wrap her arms around. Instead, Waggytail Rescue asked her to foster Katie, a Chihuahua Boston Terrier mixed breed dog. She wasn't a puppy, she was an older dog, which also made Robyn a little bit nervous, because she wanted a dog that would be her little baby.
At the end of the day, Robyn wanted a dog and Katie needed a home so Robyn said "Yes" to fostering Katie for a little bit until she could find a family who would keep her forever. It took one week of living together for Katie and Robyn to fall in love. They bonded right away and became attached at the hip. Katie would not even let Robyn get in the shower by herself.
So, Robyn decided to officially adopt Katie Mae in February 2014.