At the 2016 Animus Summit, Patricia de la Torre moderates a panel featuring Lisa Cappalli, Were Dávila, Lucienne Hernández and Mayra Santos-Febres, that discusses how creative industries are a key driver of economic growth.
Lisa Cappalli, the daughter of fashion designer Mili Arango, was born in New York City but raised in Puerto Rico. She graduated from Parson’s School of Design and then moved to Paris, where she worked with couture house Chantal Thomass. Lisa, who has a studio in San Juan, believes femininity is the key to her success — a respectful yet enticing form of seduction. Using that philosophy she creates whimsical, theatrical and sensual designs that make her clients feel unique and special. Her mission: to be creative, relevant and original.
Tere Dávila is a Writer and Publicist and she loves a good story. As a shy kid, she made up stories for her friends, and she continues to do so today. Her tales take on many shapes: commercials, digital content videos, literature and short films. As partner and creative director of advertising firm Lopito, Ileana & Howie, her campaigns have won local and international awards, including Clio, New York Festivals and Cannes. But, for her, the greatest reward of a good story is that it enables the storyteller to connect with people’s hearts.
Lucienne Hernández is a Puerto Rican actress, screenwriter and teacher with experience in theater, television, radio and film. She is currently creating characters and writing screenplays for theatrical projects, Teatro Breve and Noche de Jevas. She is also involved in independent advertising projects. She has dedicated part of her professional career to teaching drama to children, teenagers and adults.
Mayra Santos-Febres is an award-winning Puerto Rican author, poet, novelist, essayist and professor of literature. Mayra writes about diasporic identity, female sexuality, the erotic, gender fluidity and power. She won the Letras de Oro literary prize in 1994 for her “Pez de Vidrio” collection of short stories and the Juan Rulfo Award in 1996 for one of the stories. Mayra holds a master’s and Ph.D. from Cornell University. Her Festival de la Palabra is reviving the literary industry on the island.
Patricia de la Torre is a Communications Specialist for the Puerto Rico Department of Economic Development and Commerce. She is a connector and a storyteller at heart. With a background in journalism as editor in chief of Caras magazine, she is able to convey messages in ways that click with the audience, move their emotions and lead them to action. After 25 years in the publishing industry, her insatiable curiosity led her to take on a challenge as communications advisor for the Secretary of Economic Development and Commerce of Puerto Rico. She is the author of “Bienvenida a Venus,” and a mother of two boys.
Animus is an innovation summit designed to inspire women to reach their highest level of personal and professional development. Animus is for all women—employees, executives, entrepreneurs, future entrepreneurs, volunteers—anyone who wants to grow and make a difference.